BARREL Daily Update Feb 5th 2014

Hi all, 

It looks like we have a CME on the way! It should hit us on Feb 8th, right before the high speed stream should hit. This weekend could be very very exciting! 

We have an update as to when the teams will be leaving the ice and the last possible launch dates. SANAE is leaving around Feb. 9th so their last possible launch date is Feb. 9th. Halley is leaving a bit later but has to have all the gear on the flight line by Feb. 15th, so their last launch date is Feb. 15th. 

We have been having trouble connecting to payload 2F but have hopes that after a reset it will start talking again. This takes about 5 hours. However since we've been having trouble communicating it, it may have already self terminated and thus be on the ground. If so we'll add it to the ephemeral BARREL ground magnetometer array, and if it's still afloat, hopefully it'll be able to see the stuff expected to hit us this weekend! 

Ground Weather:
SANAE IV: 
Temp.: -4. C
Wind speed: 12 knots but declining as the afternoon continues

Halley 6: 
Temp.: -11.5 C
Wind speed: 10 knots 

Payloads up: 
SANAE IV: 2B, 2E, 2F
Halley 6:  2O, 2P, 2Q

Payloads coming down:
2A , 2F?

Collection times for EFW:  

2014-02-02

A: 13:30 - 20:20

2014-02-03

B: 12:45 - 19:45

2014-02-05

A:13:15 - 18:59

A: 19:10 - 20:30

Halley Bay Search Coil Magnetometer :

An EMIC wave last night, but nothing today.  

GOES Electron Flux:

The electron levels have stayed at moderate levels, but thee were some dropouts/structure. 

GOES Proton Flux:

The proton levels are at moderate levels 

Space Weather from Spaceweather.com and SWPC.noaa.gov 

Solar wind speed: 399.3 km/s 

Solar proton density: 1.2 cm^(-3)  

Sun spot number: 183

NOAA has the likelihood of a M class flare at 80% and a 50% chance of an X class flare.  

There is a coronal hole about half way across the Sun. It should be reading us on Feb. 9th. 

Kp is quiet 

kp =0 with a 24 max of kp = 1

Bz = 10.7 north

Btotal = 11. nT  

From Kyoto:

AE: quiet

Dst: quiet.