Sunspot area is the total area of all sunspots on the solar disk, computed from the red (672.3 nm) images, in millionths of the solar hemisphere.
Sunspot deficit is the change, in millionths, of the total solar irradiance (TSI), formerly known as the "solar constant", due to sunspots. This value is computed from the measured contrast of all sunspots seen in the red (672.3 nm) image.
Facular area is the total area of all faculae on the K line image, in millionths of the solar hemisphere.
Facular excess is the change, in millionths, of the total solar irradiance (TSI) due to faculae. This value is computed from a model and the sizes and locations of the bright areas seen in the K line image.
K line excess (also known as Photometric Facular Index or PFIFX) is the change, in millionths, of the emission from the Sun in the Ca II K line image due to the presence of faculae.
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Last updated: March 6, 2005