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On March 29, an X-class flare erupted from the right side of the sun ... and vaulted into history as the best-observed flare of all time.
The flare was witnessed by four different NASA spacecraft and one ground-based observatory – three of which had been fortuitously focused in on the correct spot as programmed into their viewing schedule a full day in advance.
To have a record of such an intense flare from so many observatories is unprecedented. Such research can help scientists better understand what catalyst sets off these large explosions on the sun.
Perhaps we may even some day be able to predict their onset and forewarn of the radio blackouts solar flares can cause near Earth – blackouts that can interfere with airplane, ship and military communications.
“This is the most comprehensive data set ever collected by NASA's Heliophysics Systems Observatory,” said Jonathan Cirtain, project scientist for Hinode at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. “Some of the spacecraft observe the whole sun all the time, but three of the observatories had coordinated in advance to focus on a specific active region of the sun. We need at least a day to program in observation time and the target – so it was extremely fortunate that we caught this X-class flare.”
Images and data from the various observations can be seen in the accompanying slide show.
The telescopes involved were: NASA's Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS; NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO; NASA's Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager, or RHESSI; the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's Hinode; and the National Solar Observatory's Dunn Solar Telescope located at Sacramento Peak in New Mexico.
Numerous other spacecraft provided additional data about what was happening on the sun during the event and what the effects were at Earth.
NASA's Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory and the joint European Space Agency and NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory both watched the great cloud of solar material that erupted off the sun with the flare, an event called a coronal mass ejection.
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations GOES satellite tracked X-rays from the flare, and other spacecraft measured the effects of the flare as it came toward Earth.
This event was particularly exciting for the IRIS team, as this was the first X-class flare ever observed by IRIS.
IRIS launched in June 2013 to zoom in on layers of the sun, called the chromosphere and transition region, through which all the energy and heat of a flare must travel as it forms.
This region, overall is called the interface region, has typically been very hard to untangle – but on March 29, IRIS provided scientists with the first detailed view of what happens in this region during a flare.
Coordinated observations are crucial to understanding such eruptions on the sun and their effects on space weather near Earth. Where terrestrial weather watching involves thousands of sensors and innumerable thermometers, solar observations still rely on a mere handful of telescopes.
The instruments on the observatories are planned so that each shows a different aspect of the flare at a different heights off the sun's surface and at different temperatures.
Together the observatories can paint a three-dimensional picture of what happens during any given event on the sun.
In this case, the Dunn Solar Telescope helped coordinate the space-based observatories. Lucia Kleint is the principal investigator of a NASA-funded grant at the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute grant to coordinate ground-based and space-based flare observations.
While she and her team were hunting for flares during ten observing days scheduled at Sacramento Peak, they worked with the Hinode and IRIS teams a day in advance to coordinate viewing of the same active region at the same time.
Active regions are often the source of solar eruptions, and this one was showing intense magnetic fields that moved in opposite directions in close proximity – a possible harbinger of a flare.
However, researchers do not yet know exactly what conditions will lead to a flare so this was a best guess, not a guarantee.
But the guess paid off. In the space of just a few minutes, the most comprehensive flare data set of all time had been collected.
Now scientists are hard at work teasing out a more detailed picture of how a flare starts and peaks – an effort that will help unravel the origins of these little-understood explosions on the sun.
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Narcotics detectives arrested two Middletown men and eradicated 1,304 marijuana plants last week while assisting Lake County Code Enforcement at a south county property.
Aaron Monroe Lentz and Andrew Peter Diehl, both age 31 and from Middletown, were arrested on Friday, May 2, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.
Just after 3 p.m. May 2 narcotics detectives responded to a parcel of property located in the 12000 block of Dry Creek Road in Middletown, where they were to assist Lake County Code Enforcement with a possible illegal marijuana cultivation site, Brooks said.
Brooks said Code Enforcement officials advised the sheriff's office that they had located several hoop-style greenhouses on the property while inspecting several unpermitted structures. The property was listed as a vacant parcel in county records.
As detectives approached the locked easement gate to access the property, they contacted Lentz. Brooks said a Code Enforcement officer told the detectives that he believed Lentz was the owner of the property in question.
The detective told Lentz that he was with Code Enforcement to inspect some greenhouses that were possibly on his property. Lentz admitted that he had some greenhouses on the property. When asked what was inside the green houses, Lentz would not answer the detective, Brooks said.
Brooks said the detective asked him how many marijuana plants were growing on the property and Lentz replied that he wanted to speak with his lawyer.
Detectives entered the property and noticed multiple hoop-style greenhouses, which had been described by Code Enforcement. As they walked up to the greenhouses they could smell a very strong odor of marijuana, Brooks said.
One of the greenhouses was open at one end and detectives could see multiple marijuana plants growing inside, Brooks said. While checking the property, detectives located Diehl, who appeared to be working on a watering system for the greenhouses.
The detectives explained why they were on the property and asked Diehl if he lived there. Diehl said he did not want to answer any questions and requested to speak with his lawyer, according to Brooks.
Based on the amount of marijuana plants located, Brooks said detectives decided to secure the property and apply for a search warrant, which they obtained.
During the service of the search warrant detectives located a total of five greenhouses on the property. Brooks said the greenhouses contained a total of 1,304 marijuana plants, which were eradicated.
Inside one of the unpermitted structures, $2,492 was located in a bedroom. Brooks said the money was seized pending asset forfeiture proceedings. Detectives located 15 ounces of processed marijuana in the refrigerator which was seized as evidence.
Both Lentz and Diehl were arrested for the cultivation of marijuana and possession of marijuana for sale. Brooks said they were both transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.
Lentz had $538 in his possession which Brooks said also was seized pending asset forfeiture proceedings.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A national small box retailer got the green light Thursday from the Lake County Planning Commission for its plans to build two stores on the Northshore.
The commission gave unanimous votes of approval to the separate proposals for the Dollar General stores in Clearlake Oaks and Nice, according to Community Development Director Rick Coel.
Due to no significant environmental effects, the commission approved mitigated negative declarations for the store projects. Texas-based Cross Development filed the project applications on behalf of Dollar General.
Dollar General Corp., based in Goodlettsville, Tenn., plans to build two stores of between 9,100 and 10,000 square feet at 3539 and 3577 E. State Highway 20 in Nice and 13090 E. State Highway 20 in Clearlake Oaks, as Lake County News has reported.
The company has 11,000 stores in 40 states.
Dollar General spokeswoman Jaclyn Dees told Lake County News in an interview last month that the company did not yet have specifics as to the number of staffers the two Northshore stores would employ.
The Clearlake Oaks store will be located on a 4.7-acre property next to Schindler Creek. Coel said that at the meeting some of the concerns raised were related to the Schindler Creek drainage and sedimentation.
However, Coel said those concerns are addressed by mitigation measures requiring engineered drainage plans and calculations, and a sediment basin to help treat the project runoff and meter it back off site.
He said several members of the public spoke, and all were generally in favor of the project based upon the various mitigation measures – included in the use permit conditions – that were required.
The commission also approved of the architectural designs for both stores, he said.
The county offers an appeals process, but if that isn't followed within the next week it's expected that the store projects could move forward quickly.
Coel said that funding tends to slow a lot of other county projects down, but funding isn't an issue for Dollar General.
Dees told Lake County News that both stores remain in the company's due diligence process until this summer. No projected dates for the stores' openings were available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Several street cleaning teams are in place, ready for the 10th annual Clearlake Clean Up Day on Saturday.
The event kicks-off at 8 a.m. at Austin Park where additional volunteers will be welcomed.
Volunteers will combine their efforts to pick up trash and debris, wash city signs and perform other tasks to help beautify the city.
Collection bags and tools will be provided at check-in, along with bright safety vests, which must be worn during the event for the safety of the participants.
The event will include an electronic waste collection site at the Austin Park headquarters. Items such as televisions, phones, computers, stereo equipment and other electronic waste will be accepted.
Registration Coordinator Adeline Brown said teams of volunteers have committed to several areas such as Olympic and Lakeshore drives and around Pomo School.
She said this year's effort will include attention for the area watershed with volunteers representing Elem Tribal Community focusing their efforts on Burns Valley Creek.
Volunteers from Bayberry Inc. got an early jump on the effort and have cleaned up Austin Park and Austin Playground.
Area business owners are encouraged to contribute to the effort by cleaning up their storefronts, parking lots and flower beds.
Email Denise Rockenstein at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A vehicle stop last week resulted in two arrests and the seizure of 17.7 grams of methamphetamine.
Detectives arrested 39-year-old Rafael Garcia of Los Angeles and Ashley Dawn Desano, 29, of Middletown, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Brooks said that at 6:20 p.m. Thursday, May 1, narcotics detectives were traveling northbound on Mission Rancheria Road near Lakeport when they observed a white sedan traveling in front of them and recognized the driver as being Garcia.
Detectives were familiar with Garcia due to his history of using and distributing methamphetamine, and Brooks said they did not believe he had a valid California Driver’s License.
Brooks said the detectives also noticed a female passenger in the front passenger seat who was not wearing a seatbelt.
Garcia drove into the Konocti Vista Casino parking lot and parked the vehicle. Brooks said Garcia and his passenger, who was later identified as Desano, exited the vehicle, at which time detectives contacted both subjects and asked to see Garcia’s driver’s license.
Garcia said he did not have a driver’s license, due to it being suspended for driving while under the influence. Brooks said Garcia also advised he may have an arrest warrant for missing a court date.
Due to Garcia’s history, detectives requested a K-9 unit with a narcotic detection canine respond to assist with the enforcement stop, Brooks said.
The deputy deployed his canine to the outside of Garcia’s vehicle, Brooks said. The canine provided a positive alert to both front doors and the trunk, indicating the odor of a controlled substance was present.
Brooks said the deputy deployed his canine inside the vehicle and she provided a positive alert to the area around both front seats. Detectives conducted a search of the vehicle and were unable to locate any illegal substances.
Central Dispatch conducted a records check of Garcia and advised he had two arrest warrants, one of which was a felony warrant with no bail. Central Dispatch also advised that Garcia’s vehicle registration had been expired since 2010, although the license plate was displaying a current 2014 registration tab, according to Brooks.
Garcia denied having any knowledge of the false tab or the fact that the vehicle’s registration was expired, Brooks said.
As the detectives were talking to Desano, they noticed she was exhibiting the signs and symptoms of being under the influence of a controlled substance. Brooks said detectives conducted a series of tests to determine whether or not she was under the influence, which Desano failed.
Garcia was arrested for the two warrants and displaying false registration tabs on his vehicle. Desano was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance, Brooks said.
Both subjects were advised that if they had any contraband on their person and knowingly brought it into a correctional facility, they would be charged with an additional felony. Brooks said Garcia and Desano were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.
During the booking process both subjects were searched. Brooks said correctional staff discovered that Desano had concealed 17.7 grams of methamphetamine, which was seized.
Desano was also charged with possession of a controlled substance for sale, transportation of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance inside a correctional facility, Brooks said.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County residents are invited to attend a citizen committee town hall meeting to build support for the passage of the Measure N marijuana cultivation ordinance which has been placed on the June election ballot.
The citizens committee will hold a series of town hall meetings during the month of May to build public support, awareness and raise the funds needed to win the “Yes on N” campaign.
Each one-hour meeting will provide attendees the opportunity to ask questions and obtain Measure N information.
Yes on Measure N is endorsed by the Lake County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, and numerous Lake County citizens.
Yes on N town hall meeting dates around the county include:
- Friday, May 9, at 5 p.m. at St. Peters Catholic Church located at 4085 Main St. in Kelseyville.
- Tuesday, May 13, at 6 p.m. at the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center located at 3985 Country Club in Lucerne.
- Monday, May 19, at 6 p.m. at the Clear Lake Riviera Association Community Hall located at 9689 State Highway 281 in Kelseyville.
- Tuesday, May 20, at 6 p.m. at the Spring Valley Community Center located at 3000 Wolfe Creek Road in Spring Valley. Take Highway 20 East to Long Valley Road to Spring Valley Road to Wolfe Creek Road.
- Wednesday, May 21, at 6 p.m. at the Greenview Restaurant & Café located at 18174 Hidden Valley Road in Hidden Valley Lake.
Additional Yes on N town hall meetings will be announced.
For more information about Yes on N, contact the citizens committee at