A notification system was designed to identify solar flares using VLF radio propagation. Solar flares induce geomagnetic currents that disrupt radio propagation. The system monitors VLF stations at different frequencies to detect anomalies from solar flares. It acquires and analyzes VLF data using a Fourier transform then notifies the user if a spike is detected. The program must be calibrated for each station and can only detect flares when the sun is facing the antenna. Identified spikes require interpretation and could be caused by other phenomena like lightning. Future work includes optimizing antennas to track flares and studying seasonal patterns in sunrise/sunset propagation effects.

1. Background
Figure 1. M class Solar Flare
( http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1112730900/solar-
flare-nasa-classification-of-m6-111312/ )
• Solar flares are the sudden release of high energy particles from a
sunspot caused by the build up of magnetic energy in the solar
atmosphere (Hargreaves 1992).
• The Solar cycle is an 11 year periodic change in the sun’s activity
and appearance (McIntosh 1990).
• Solar flares induce geomagnetic currents into the ground from the
earth’s changing magnetic field, this can disrupt electric
transmission grids.
• Changes in ionospheric propagation conditions can disrupt
telecommunications (Fig. 2).
Figure 2. Solar Flare Detection Concept (Figure created by Finalist)
Methodology
Figure 5. Antenna design (Antenna built by Finalist)
VLF Stations (19-26 kHz)
Ebino Japan(JJI) 22.2 kHz
Harold E. Holt Australia(NWC)
19.8kHz
Lualualei, HI(NPM)
21.4 kHz
Jim Creek,
WA(NLK)
24.8 kHz
LaMoure,
ND(NML)
25.2 kHz
Cutler,ME(NAA)
24.0 kHz
Figure 6. VLF Station Locations ( https://maps.google.com )
Flare 2
Flare 1
F Layer
Figure 3. High Ionization Ionosphere Radio
Wave propagation (Figure created by
Finalist)
Figure 4. Low Ionization Ionosphere Radio
Wave propagation (Figure created by
Finalist)
F Layer
(Graphic created by Finalist)
Sunrise
Phenomena
Sunset
Phenomena
0.3 m

2. Data Acquisition
Fourier Analysis
Storage of dataRecognition
Notification
Figure 7. Raw Data Acquired from Sound Card (Figure created by Finalist)
Figure 9. Fast Fourier Transform of Raw Data (Figure created by Finalist)
Figure 11. NAA Station Data Analysis (Figure created by Finalist)
Figure 12. IPhone Notification Information (Figure created by Finalist)
V
o
l
t
a
g
e
A
U
NAA
Cutler,
ME
24 kHz
NML
LaMoure,
NDNLK Jim
Creek,
WA
Filtering
Figure 8. 19-26 kHz Equiripple Filter (Figure created by Finalist)
FFT
data
point
24 kHz as a Function of time
(AU)
Antenna Pre Amplifier Sound Card Filtering
Fourier
Transform
Figure 10. Station Plot of NAA 24 kHz (Figure created by Finalist)
Time Seconds
19-26 kHz Filter
Notification System Program Methodology
A Practical Notification System to Identify
Incoming Sudden Ionospheric Disturbances
AU
(Graphic created by Finalist)

3. • A notification system was successfully designed and
implemented in order to identify solar flares using VLF
propagation
Conclusion
Future Research
Limitations
1. Arrl handbook 2013. (2012). S.l.: Amer Radio Relay League.
2. Gallaghen, P., McActeer, R., Young, C., Ireland, J., & Colon, P. (2007). Solar Activity
Monitoring. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, 344, 15-26.
3. Hanssen, E., & Emslie, A. G. (1988). The physics of solar flares. Cambridge [England:
Cambridge University Press.
4. Hargreaves, J. (1992). The Earth in Space. In The solar-terrestrial environment: an
introduction to geospace--the science of the terrestrial upper atmosphere, ionosphere, and
magnetosphere (pp. 1-61) [Introduction]. (Original work published 1992)
5. Heinzel, P., & Avrett, E. (2012). Optical-to-Radio Continua in Solar Flares. Solar Physics,
277(1), 31-44.
6. Lovett, H. (2009, March 30). Severe Solar Flares Could Cause Catastrophic Power Outage in
United States [Solar Flare effects].
Selected References
7. McIntosh, P. (1990). The classification of sunspot groups. Solar Physics, 125(2), 251-267.
8. Meza, A., Zele, M. V., & Rovira, M. (2009). Solar flare effect on the geomagnetic field and ionosphere.
Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 71(12), 1322-1332.
9. Nakariakov, V., Ofman, L., Deluca, E., Robert, B., & Davila, J. (1999, August). TRACE Observation of
Damped Coronal Loop Oscillations: Implications for Coronal Heating. Science , 285( 5429 ), 862-864 .
doi:10.1126/‌science.285.5429.862
10. Norquist, D. (2010). An Analysis of the Sunspot Groups and Flares of Solar Cycle 23. Solar Physics,
269(1), 111-127.
11. Piddington, J. (2002, September 28). Recurrent geomagnetic storms, solarM-regions and the solar wind.
Planetary and Space Science, 12(2), 113-118.
12. Rigozo, N., Souza Echer, M., Evangelista, H., Nordemann, D., & Echer, E. (2011, July).
• The program must be calibrated for each VLF
station because each different VLF station
transmits at different wattages affecting the
received signal strength.
• Solar flares can only be predicted during the day
time because solar flares only can effect the side
of the earth that the sun is facing.
• The interpretation of an anomaly in the data
cannot be made until a spike drops down. The
spike could be due to many different anomalies
such as a solar flare, coronal mass ejection,
lighting or a random noise spike.
• Optimize antennas to help solar astronomers
track solar flares.
• Identify if the Sunset/Sunrise phenomena
has seasonal variations in magnitude or
possibly if the magnitude of the
Sunset/Sunrise phenomena changes by
some predictable constant.
(Graphic created by Finalist)
(Graphic created by Finalist)
(Graphic created by Finalist)