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Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Solar Radio

browse graphicBrowse image of the sun in x-rays during a solar radio burst(
Scientists monitor the structure of the solar corona, the outer most regions of the Sun's atmosphere, using radio waves (100’s of MHz to 10’s of GHz). Variations in the
radiowave spectrum reveal characteristics of the corona and upper chromosphere in terms of altitude profile for the local plasma temperature, density and magnetic field. Typically, the lower
the frequency then the higher the height of origin. The frequency, like the solar electron density, decreases uniformly outwards with 245 MHz originating high in the corona whereas 15,400 MHz
originates in the low corona. Radio bursts are associated with solar flares. The delay at Earth of the different radio frequencies during burst events is due to the outward movement of the source.
Bursts can have temperatures of 10xE12 degrees Kelvin. Large bursts last 10 to 20 minutes on average. Longer radio noise storms of persistent and variable high levels of radiation originate in
sunspot groups, areas of large, intense magnetic fields. These storms are strongly circularly polarized due to the intense magnetic fields. The microwave wavelength 2800 MHz daily radio flux
correlates highly with the daily sunspot number and the two databases are used interchangeably. The 2800 MHz, or 10.7 cm, responds to the same conditions that produce changes in the visible and
X-ray wavelengths. Schmahl and Kundu (1995) find that the solar radio fluxes in the spectral range 1000-9400 MHz correlate well with the total solar irradiance. The intermediate frequencies
(at 2800 and 3750 MHz) are produced mainly by free-free gyroresonance emission from sunspot structures, while 1000 and 9400 MHz flux are produced mainly by free-free processes from structures
associated with plages. They can distinguish plage-associated emission from spot-associated emission in the time series of microwave flux, both contributing opposing effects on the total
solar irradiance.
Cite this dataset when used as a source.
  • solarFeatures
gov.noaa.ngdc.stp.solar:solar-features_solar-features_solar-radio
Download Data
  • Solar Radio Data (download)
    A variety of datasets related to solar radio emissions. Included are datasets related to solar radio bursts (tables and reports), listings from the International Astronomical Union's Bulletin of Solar Activity (53 stations), noontime solar radio flux measurements (5 stations), 1-sec solar flux measurements from the Radio Solar Telescope Netword (RSTN), and RSTN solar spectral measurements.
Distribution Formats
  • pdf
    • File Specification: Most data provided in Adobe Portable Document Format (pdf).
  • txt
    • File Specification: Some data provide in American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) text format.
  • binary
    • File Specification: Some data provided in native format as received from provider.
Distributor William Denig
DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
(303) 497-6323
solar.ngdc@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact William Denig
DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
(303) 497-6323
solar.ngdc@noaa.gov
Coverage Description Data assembled from data provided by various solar observatories located worldwide.
Time Period 1955-07-01 to 2010-11-24
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -180
East: 180
South: -90
North: 90
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
  • Space Weather
    Numerous space environmental datasets are available at the NGDC/STP website
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2012-10-14
Dataset Progress Status Under development - data is currently in the process of being created
Data Update Frequency Annually
Supplemental Information
Collection consists of tabular lists and information related to solar features
Purpose To provide scientific data stewardship of solar-terrestrial datasets in compliance with NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 212-15, "Management of Environmental and Geospatial Data and Information", dated 04 Nov 10. Scientific Data Stewardship includes the Archive, Access, and Assessment (AAA) of operational and related solar and space environmental datasets.
Originators
  • Scientific Data Stewardship provided by the National Geophysical Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Publishers
  • NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Acknowledgments
  • Data access provided by the NOAA Solar and Terrestrial Physics Division.
Theme keywords NASA/GCMD Earth Science Keywords; Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Meaux, C.Solomon, R. Bilodeau, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, 2007 . NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 6.0.0.0.0.
  • Sun-Earth Interactions > Solar Activity > Solar Active Regions
  • Sun-Earth Interactions > Solar Activity > Solar Imagery
Data Center keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NGDC > National Geophysical Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Platform keywords NASA/GCMD Platform Keywords; Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Meaux, C.Solomon, R. Bilodeau, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, 2007 . NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 6.0.0.0.0.
  • Solar Observatory Stations
Instrument keywords NASA/GCMD Instrument Keywords; Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Meaux, C.Solomon, R. Bilodeau, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, 2007 . NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 6.0.0.0.0.
  • Solar Telescope
Place keywords NASA/GCMD Location Keywords; Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Meaux, C.Solomon, R. Bilodeau, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, 2007 . NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 6.0.0.0.0.
  • Space > Solar Region > Chromosphere
Project keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Project Keywords
  • ICSU-WDS > International Council for Science - World Data System
  • NOAA - Space Weather Program
Use Constraints
  • Access Constraints: None Use Constraints: None Distribution Liability: While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.
Access Constraints
  • Access Constraints: None Use Constraints: None Distribution Liability: While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.
Fees
  • Data can be downloaded free of charge.
Lineage information for: series
Lineage Statement Authoritative data provided by the NOAA National Geophysical Data Center.
Processor
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NGDC > National Geophysical Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Source Datasets
  • Collection included as a part of the NGDC Official Archive.
    • Description of Source: The NOAA Solar and Terrestrial Physics Division is responsible for managing this collection.
    • Temporal extent used: 1955-07-01 to 2010-11-24
  • Solar Flares: H-alpha
Lineage information for: repository
Processing Steps
  • 2015-04-22T00:00:00 - NOAA created the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) by merging NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), and National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), including the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC), per the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Public Law 113-235. NCEI launched publicly on April 22, 2015.
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
Platform
Last Modified: 2015-10-02
For questions about the information on this page, please email: solar.ngdc@noaa.gov