[gse-aa] Auroral Alert

[Charles Deehr]

A large solar flare occurred near the east limb on Dec 5 at 1030 UT.
Although it is directed nearly 90 degrees away from the sun Earth line, we
should see some effects from it, but not nearly as much as we would if it
were directed at Earth.   Whatever effects arrive should do so in about 77
hours, since the speed of the initial shock was 836 km/sec.  We expect
recurring activity beginning on the 7th, so aurora watchers should monitor
the short term (1hr) forecast or watch the sky on the 7th through the 9th,
at least.  We would not expect aurora to extend equatorward of southern
scandinavia, scotland, the northern tier of US states, southeast Alaska, and
northern Russia.  It may be visible on the horizon from Tasmania and
southern New Zealand.

Dr. Charles Deehr, Prof. Emer. Phys.     Ph. 907 474 7473 Fax 907 474 7290
email cdeehr at gi.alaska.edu
The Geophysical Institute                     
University of Alaska Fairbanks
903 Koyukuk Ave N             
Fairbanks, Alaska  99775-7320