Abstract
AbstractThe geomagnetic Kp index is one of the most extensively used indices of geomagnetic activity, both for scientific and operational purposes. This article reviews the properties of the Kp index and provides a reference for users of the Kp index and associated data products as derived and distributed by the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences. The near real‐time production of the nowcast Kp index is of particular interest for space weather services and here we describe and evaluate its current setup.
Highlights
The near real-time production of the nowcast Kp index is of particular interest for space weather services and here we describe and evaluate its current setup
Geomagnetic variation consists of quiet variation, which is regular in appearance and mostly of solar electromagnetic radiation origin, and geomagnetic disturbance, which is irregular in appearance and mostly driven by the solar wind
The concept of K-variation, referred to as geomagnetic activity or disturbance, predates the discovery of the solar wind and historically, K-variation was seen as the effect of 'solar particle radiation' (e.g. Bartels, 1957a)
Summary
Geomagnetic variation consists of quiet variation, which is regular in appearance and mostly of solar electromagnetic radiation origin, and geomagnetic disturbance, which is irregular in appearance and mostly driven by the solar wind. Kp is capped to a certain value (i.e., 9) for events with extreme geomagnetic disturbance In this regard, new Kp-like but open-ended indices with 30 and 60 min time resolution have been developed as part of the European Union (EU) project Space Weather Atmosphere Models and Indices (SWAMI; Jackson et al, 2020). We use italics for the letters denoting indices, we skip the hyphen in the index names (we use, e.g., “K index” and “Kp index”)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
