Hi All, just as Ed's expedition draws to a close, it seems that conditions
are getting even better. The Kp index has been low for 15 days now. I have
also been monitoring another index, Dst, since January, this seems to track
the Kp peaks. It does however seem to give a better indication of the radio
conditions recovery after a geomagnetic storm. Where as the Kp index can
drop rapidly after a storm to quiet levels, the Dst index which may be
considered as a measure of the "Equatorial ring current" (controversial)
returns from the storm high levels much more slowly. Dst levels are now
almost as low as the "legendry Jan 2003" conditions. I believe that this
shows that the "reservoir" of ions giving night-time absorption has decayed
to a low value.

Note the slight paradox that "high" (Storm) Dst levels are actually high
negative values. More information and a monthly table of values, in my
Propagation Report.
www.alan.melia.btinternet.co.uk/latest.htm

Cheers de Alan G3NYK
[email protected]