What is this? This chart combines the Kp Index (geomagnetic activity) and Solar Wind Speed. The Kp index is a scale from 0 to 9 used to characterize the magnitude of geomagnetic storms. Higher values indicate a higher probability of visible auroras.
Data Source: Real-time solar wind data is provided by the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) via the DSCOVR satellite.
What is this? Proton density measures the number of solar particles per cubic centimeter (p/cm³). High density, combined with high speed and negative Bz, is the perfect recipe for intense auroras.
What is this? The Bz-value represents the north-south direction of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF). For auroras to be active, we look for negative (southward) Bz values (shown in red), as they allow solar particles to enter Earth's magnetosphere more easily.
Interpretation: Positive values (green) usually indicate stable conditions, while sustained negative values are the "open door" for northern lights.