Most Energetic Flares since 1976

SC	Date	UT	Ha	GOES	Location	NOAA	CV	Area	Proton	Delta	Radio	Ap	Delay	Remarks
23	04 Nov 2003	19:50	3B	X28,0	S19W83	10486	Fkc/-	630/-	353	02:35	24	67	46	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); (7); (8); (9); (10); (11); (11); m1; m2; m3; m4; m5; m6; m7; s1;[G]; [G]; [L]; [W]
23	02 Apr 2001	21:51	-	X20,0	N17W67	9393	Fkc/Fkc	1810/1080	1110	01:49	23	56	43	(1); (2); (3); (4); m1; m2; [W]
22	16 Aug 1989	01:17	2N	X20,0	S18W84	5629	-/-	30/-	No	-	4?	48	56?	(1); (2); (3); (4); [L]; [W]
23	28 Oct 2003	11:10	4B	X17,2	S16E08	10486	Fkc/Fkc	2120/2610	29500	01:05	23	400	19	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); (7); (8); (9); (10); (11); (12); (13); (14); (15); (16); (17); (18); (19); s1; m1; m2; m3; m4; m5; p1; p2; [3]; [G]; [G]; [G]; [W]
23	07 Sep 2005	17:40	3B	X17,0	S12E89	10808	-/Dko	-/510	1880	08:35	24	67	69	(1); (2); (3); m1; [G]; [L]; [T]; [W]
22	06 Mar 1989	14:10	3B	X15,0	N35E69	5395	Hkx/Fkc	1120/1960	3500	51:25	24	67?	57?	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); (7); (8)
21	11 Jul 1978	10:57	2B	X15	N18E45	1203	Dkc/Ekc	1370/1000	20	40:02	-	32	44?	(1); (2); (3); [W]
23	15 Apr 2001	13:50	2B	X14,4	S20W85	9415	Dko/-	350/-	951	00:20	234	154	58	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); (7); (8); (9); (10); (11); (12); m1; m2; m3; m4; p1; p2; [W]
22	19 Oct 1989	12:55	4B	X13,0	S27E10	5747	Fkc/Fkc	1080/1010	40000	00:10	2345	236	24	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); [T]
21	25 Apr 1984	00:01	3B	X13,0	S12E43	4474	Fkc/Fkc	2240/2180	2500	13:29	34	179	36	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); [G]; [W]
21	15 Dec 1982	01:59	2B	X12,9	S10E24	4026	Ekc/-	770/710	130	64:46	2345	154	52	(1); [W]
22	15 Jun 1991	08:31	3B	X12,0	N33W69	6659	Fkc/Fkc	1690/390	1400	[X]	24	154	48	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); [G]; [G]; [T]; [W]; [X]
22	11 Jun 1991	02:29	3B	X12,0	N31W17	6659	-/Fkc	1980/2180	No	-	24	111	34	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); (7); (8); [G]; [W]
22	06 Jun 1991	01:12	4B	X12,0	N33E44	6659	-/Fkc	2060/1970	No	-	2345	111	71	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); [G]; [W]
22	04 Jun 1991	03:46	3B	X12,0	N30E70	6659	-/Fkc	1420/1680	3000	04:34	124	56?	70?	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); (7); (8); [G]; [T]; [W]
21	06 Jun 1982	16:54	3B	X12,0	S09E25	3763	Ekc/Fkc	1080/1030	30	55:46	14	48	55?	(1); (2);[G]; [W]
22	01 Jun 1991	15:29	1F	X12,0	N25E90	6659?	-/-	-/90	No	-	4?	No	-	(1); (2); (3); [G]; [G]
21	20 May 1984	22:41	2B	X10,1	S09E52	4492	Eac/-	670/670	No	-	0	56	40?	(1); (2); [W]
21	17 Dec 1982	18:58	3B	X10,1	S08W21	4025+26	-/-	720/600	No	-	245	67	35	(1); (2); (3); (4); [W]
23	29 Oct 2003	20:49	2B	X10,0	S15W02	10486	Fkc/Fkc	2610/2600	No	-	23	400	18	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); (7); (8); (9); m1; m2; m3; [G]; [G]; [N]; [W]
22	25 Jan 1991	06:30	SF	X10,0	S16E78	6471	Hkx/Ekx	310/950	No	-	234	No	-	(1); (2)
22	09 Jun 1991	01:40	3B	X10,0	N34E04	6659	Fkc/Fkc	2200/2240	No	-	24	179	28	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); (7); (8); (9); (10); (11); (12); (13); (14); [G]; [G]; [W]
21	09 Jul 1982	07:38	3B	X9,8	N17E73	3804	Fkc/Fkc	1560/2710	2900	47:22	24	94?	53?	(1); (2); (3); [G]
22	29 Sep 1989	11:33	-	X9,8	S26W90	5698	-/-	-/-	4500	00:32	35	27?	30?	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); (7); (8); (9); (10); (11); [G]; [G]; [T]
23	06 Nov 1997	11:55	2B	X9,4	S18W63	8100	-/Fkc	760/630	490	01:10	234	27	78	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); (7); (8); (9); (10); (11); m1; m2; [G]; [G]; [G]; [G]; [W]
22	22 Mar 1991	22:45	3B	X9,4	S26E28	6555	-/-	1260/2120	43000	09:35	23	300	28	(1); (2); (3); [G]
22	24 May 1990	20:49	1B	X9,3	N33W78	6063	Ekc/Hkx	450/100	180	00:36	234	154?	24?	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); (7); (8); (9); (10); [G]; [G]; [G]; [G]
21	06 Nov 1980	03:48	2B	X9,0	S12E74	2779	-/Fkc	1540/1755	No	-	234	No	-	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); (7); (8); (9); (10); (11); (12); (13); (14)
22	02 Nov 1992	03:08	-	X9,0	S25W90	7321	-/-	-/-	No	-	3?	?	-	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5)
23	05 Dec 2006	10:35	-	X9,0	S07E68	10930	Hkx/Hkx	390/490	1980	29:20	234	48?	38?	(1); m1
23	02 Nov 2003	17:25	2B	X8,3	S14W56	10486	-/Fkc	2160/1430	No	-	234	132	47	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); m1; m2; m3; [G]; [G]; [N]; [W]
21	03 Jun 1982	11:48	2B	X8,0	S09E72	3763	Ekc/Ekc	1100/1250	10	62:57	2345	27	66	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); [G]; [G]; [G]; [W]
21	12 Jul 1982	09:18	2B	X7,1	N11E37	3804	Fkc/Fkc	2870/1920	No	-	24	400	30	(1); (2); (3); [T]
22	04 Mar 1991	14:03	-	X7,1	?	-	-/-	-/-	No	-	23	?	-	(1)
23	20 Jan 2005	07:01	-	X7,1	N14W61	10720	-/-	1460/1090	1860	00:15	234	207?	32?	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); (7); (8); (9); (10); (11); (12); (13); (14); (15); (16); (17); m1; m2; m3; m4; m5; p1; [G]; [G]; [G];
24	09 Aug 2011	08:05	2B	X6,9	N17W69	11263	Ekc/Ehc	450/340	26	00:40	2	No	-	(1); (2); m1; m2; m3; i1; [X]
23	06 Dec 2006	18:47	3B	X6,5	S06E63	10930	Dkc/-	490/430	1980?	-	234	48?	32?	(1); (2); (3); (4); s1; m1; m2; m3; m4; m5; [X]; [T]; [W]
22	17 Mar 1989	17:37	2B	X6,5	N33W60	5395	Fkc/-	3600/1350	2000	01:18	24	111	43	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); [W]
23	13 Dec 2001	14:30	3B	X6,2	N16E09	9733	-/Eac	490/450	No	-	234	No	-	(1); (2); m1; m2
23	09 Sep 2005	20:04	-	X6,2	S12E67	10808	Ekc/Ekc	1430/1400	No	-	234	179?	34?	(1); (2); m1; m2; m3; m4; m5; p1; [G]; [G]
22	27 Oct 1991	05:49	3B	X6,1	S13E15	6891	-/-	2380/2040	40	31:10	234	236	28	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); [G]; [G]; [G]; [G]; [W]
21	18 Aug 1979	14:16	1B	X6	N10E90	1943	-/-	-/1380	500	18:34	234	132?	49?	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6)
21	24 Apr 1981	14:11	2B	X5,9	N18W50	3049	-/-	-/-	160	01:04	2345	154	40	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); [W]
21	04 Jun 1982	13:30	2B	X5,9	S10E55	3763	Ekc/Ekc	1250/1170	No	-	34	27?	64?	(1); (2); (3); [W]
22	24 Oct 1989	18:31	3B	X5,7	S30W57	5747	Fki/Fkc	880/890	No	-	245	48?	51?	(1); (2); (3); (4)
23	14 Jul 2000	10:24	3B	X5,7	N22W07	9077	Ekc/Ekc	460/420	24000	00:21	234	400	29	(1); (2); (3); (4); (5); (6); (7); (8); (9); (10); (11); (12); (13); (14); (15); (16); (17); (18); (19); (20); (21); (22); (23); (24); (25); (26); (27); m1; m2; [G]; [W]

Table comments

• Timing of the flare is the time of X-ray maximum from 1976 onwards.
• If in italics, the H-alpha Importance/Brightness classification is deduced from NGDC-data. Otherwise, it is taken from NOAA/SEC.
• CV and Area are resp. the Classification Value and the sunspotgroup area (MH) before and after the flare. The area has not been corrected for the transition from Greenwich to NOAA (1976).
• Delta is the number of hours between the maximum of the flare and the start of the proton event.
• Radio: Figures mean type of radio flare e.g. "234" means a radio flare type II, type III and type IV were associated with the WLF. A "0" means no data available, a "-" means no flare type was observed.
• Ap is the maximum 3-hourly ap-index observed. Delay is the time in hours between maximum of flare and onset of magnetic disturbance. Figures are indicative and have an error margin of at least 3 hours.
• A description of these parameters can be found in NOAA/SEC's User's Guide to the Weekly.

Remarks

• [G] : Gamma-ray flare.
• [L] : Limb flare.
• m : movie. Please allow some time to upload!
• [N] : Visible in Near Infrared.
• p : picture.
• s : soundfile.
• [T] : Tenflare.
• [X] : Proton event in progress before the flare.
• [W] : White Light Flare (WLF).

Powerflare-bar - Comments

The pictures in the bar depict (from left to right) the X28-flare of 04 November 2003, H-alpha arches after the 16 August 1989 event, the full-halo CME following the 28 October 2003 flare, the CME after the 02 April 2001 limb-flare, the X7,1-flare and subsequent proton-event of 20 January 2005, the Moreton-wave emanating from the 06 December 2006 flare, H-alpha arches following the 15 April 2001 and 06 March 1989 flares, and the remarkable arcade structure after the famous Bastille Day 2000 event. The pictures were taken from the referenced articles and websites.

Sources and Links

1. Proton flare data (NOAA/SEC) - 1976-present.
2. Flare characteristics (NOAA/SEC)
3. Geomagnetic parameters (NOAA/SEC)
4. Sunspotdata (MSFC)
5. GLE (Ground Level Enhancement) -data: AADC, Moscow, Bartol (South Pole)
6. Solar Radio Events (NGDC/NOAA) for the period 1967-present.
7. Gamma-ray data obtained from web-references and data listings from BATSE (Apr 1991 - May 2000), RHESSI (2002-2008) and CORONAS-F (July 2001 - December 2005).
8. Satellite anomalies (Dr. S. Odenwald)
9. The Ulysses catalogue of hard X-ray solar flares.
10. Solar Storm Threat Analysis (J.A. Marusek, 2007).
11. Halloween Space Weather Storms 2003 (NOAA/SWPC).

Last update: 10 September 2011

Original: 18 March 2008