looking at SID data of solar cycle24

Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
Thu, 06/14/2012 - 16:10

Hi,

I was curious to see how SID numbers increase over the solar cycle period. So plotted total SID numbers from jan 2008 to march 2012 using AAVSO SID database. What I get is here in the attahment:

Other SID Event databases?

Tarif,

To my knowledge the data stored at NGDC does have contributions to the SID database from other professional observatories all over the world, although, most seem to be amateur stations: ftp://ftp.ngdc.noaa.gov/STP/SOLAR_DATA/Sudden_Ionospheric_Disturbances/sid_stations  

Since most of NOAA's interest was from 1957 (after Sputnik) on it is interesting to read about how it started: ftp://ftp.ngdc.noaa.gov/STP/SOLAR_DATA/Sudden_Ionospheric_Disturbances/1README.TXT

I think the NGDC data make more sense when you look all the way back to 1958.  In this graph attached, you can see how the solar cycles show up from 1960 - 1990 , then it seems a decision was made to compare the SID events to the GOES satellite: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GOES_8

This seems to have made a big difference in 'variability' of the SID event data.  The AAVSO still compares all SID submissions to the GOES satellites (GOES 15 now).   

Is this a good idea?  

R.