Radio Solar FluxThe 10.7 cm (2800 MHz) radio flux is the amount of solar noise that is emitted by the sun at 10.7 cm wavelengths. The solar flux is measured and reported at approximately 1700 UT daily by the Penticton Radio Observatory in British Columbia.The solar flux is used as a basic indicator of solar activity. It can vary from values below 50 s.f.u. to values in excess of 300 s.f.u. (representing very low solar activity to very high solar activity respectively). Values in excess of 200 s.f.u. occur typical during the peak of the solar cycles. The solar flux is measured in "solar flux units" (s.f.u.). One s.f.u. is equivalent to 10-22 W ·m-2 ·Hz-1.X-Ray Background Flux:This describes the average background x-ray flux as measured on the primary GOES satellite. This represents the amount of x-ray radiation that is being received at the Earth by the Sun.TenflareA tenflare is associated with optical and x-ray flares. Solar flares emit radiation over a very wide range of frequencies. One of the more significant frequencies observed is the 10.7 cm wavelength band (2695 MHz). When a solar flare erupts, "noise" from the flare is received over this very wide range of frequencies.When the noise received on the 10.7 cm wavelength band surpasses 100% of the background noise level during a solar flare, a Tenflare is said to be in progress. The more intense solar flares are associated with tenflares. Almost all major flares are associated with tenflares. Generally, the greater the intensity of the burst of noise observed at the 10.7 cm wavelength band, the more significant the flare is said to be. The duration of the tenflare can also be used to determine the severity of the flare. Other important flare characteristics are also determined from the radio data observed from flares, which are closely related to the various physical processes which occur in flares. These characteristics are far beyond the scope of this document. |