Polar and South Atlantic Space Weather studies during IPY/IHY

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Polar and South Atlantic Space Weather studies
during IPY/IHY
Ben Opperman, Pierre Cilliers.
Hermanus Magnetic Observatory, South Africa.

• IPY Kick-off meeting, Helsinki. 5 9 Feb 2007

http//www.hmo.ac.za
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Hermanus Magnetic Observatory(19 13E, 34 25S)

• Established 1932 (2nd Polar Year)
• Intermagnet station
• Space Physics Research (Magnetosphere, ULF
  pulsations, Ionosphere, Waves in dusty plasmas,
  VLF waves, Neural network applications in space
  physics)
• Science Outreach (Schools, Public, undergrad,
  graduate students)

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Operational HMO Instruments
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Operational HMO instruments (2)

• SHARE HF Radar at Vesleskarvet, Antarctica (2
  50W, 71 40S)
• GPS receiver, Marion Island (375'E, 4654S)

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SANAP IPY/IHY ICESTAR Projects

• Project 1 Multi-instrument observation and
  modelling of the high latitude ionosphere and
  magnetosphere using GPS Receiver at SANAE IV,
  Ionospheric Scintillation Receivers at SANAE IV
  and Marion Island, VLF Receivers at SANAE IV and
  Marion Island, GPS/LEO Occultation from CHAMP
  satellite, and dual frequency GPS receiver on
  board SA Agulhas research ship.
• Project 2 Magnetic Field Observations in the
  polar regions using existing pulsation
  magnetometers at SANAE IV, a new suspended dIdD
  absolute magnetometer, and a new dI-flux
  magnetometer-theodelite. These measurements will
  be coupled with simultaneous measurements at the
  near-conjugate INTERMAGNET Narsarsuag (61.2N,
  45.43W) magnetic observatory in Greenland.

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• Project 3 Ionospheric studies with riometers
  and aurora imaging using 64-element narrow angle
  imaging riometer at 38.2 MHz, broad beam
  riometers at 51.4 and 30 MHz, a low-level
  white-light, digitized all-sky auroral camera,
  and a narrow angle (field of view 25o) colour
  camera, two three-component fluxgate
  magnetometers.
• Project 4 Promotion of public interest in Space
  Science through presentation of IPY/IHY research
  activities and outcomes at Schools, Science
  Fairs, at NASSP Colloquia, Summer and Winter
  Schools offered at the HMO, local conferences and
  in the public media, using much of the material
  prepared for this purpose by the international
  community.
• The participation in IPY/IHY will serve as a
  focus for the Science Outreach programmes of the
  Interactive Science Centre of Hermanus Magnetic
  Observatory and will be made known via the South
  African Agency for Science and Technology
  Advancement (SAASTA).

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IP(H)Y - SA
S
18
S
24
UP
NWU
HartRAO
UKZN
S
30
ISSA
RU
HMO
S
36
36
E
E
30
18
E
75S
24
E
INGV
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Area of Interest South Atlantic

• Theoretical South Atlantic coverage of the
  coastal and island-based dual frequency GPS
  receivers.
• 10º elevation angle cut-off, and an ionospheric
  peak density height, hmF2350 km, is assumed

http//www.hmo.ac.za
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Ship-based ionospheric measurements
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Cape Town to SANAE IV 1-14 December 2005
x1011/m3
TECU
Ionospheric Pierce Points (IPPs) at hourly
intervals for all satellite ray paths observed
along the route of the SA Agulhas on its first
trip to Antarctica during which measurements were
made of the ionosphere over the South Atlantic
Ocean using a GPS dual frequency receiver. The
colours indicate bias-corrected VTEC at the IPPs.
Electron density distribution (x1011 /m3) along
longitude 0º at 1000 UT. Derived by ionospheric
tomography using MIDAS from measurements made
during the trip of the SA Agulhas to Antarctica
on day 7 of the trip. The location of the ship at
the time is shown by the red dot on the
trajectory. Note the interesting high latitude
structure resolved by the inversion.
http//www.hmo.ac.za
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Cape Town to Marion Island 6-12 April 2006
x1011/m3
TECU
IPPs for one hour intervals for all satellite ray
paths observed along the route of the SA Agulhas
on its first trip to Marion Island (6-12 Apr
2006) after being equipped with a dual frequency
GPS receiver. Colours show bias-corrected VTEC
values.
Electron density distribution (x1011 /m3) along
longitude 30º for 1000 UT on 09 Apr 2006.
Derived by ionospheric tomography using MIDAS
from GPS data recorded on the SA Agulhas during
its trip to Marion Island when the ship was at
about (42ºS, 30º E).
http//www.hmo.ac.za
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Conjugate trajectories of SA Agulhas
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IPY Instruments Vesleskarvet (1)
Ionospheric Scintillation Monitor (Novatel)
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IPY Instruments Vesleskarvet (2)
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IPY Instruments Vesleskarvet (3)
ISM
Magnetometer
Scientists
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IPY Instruments not shown

• VLF receivers

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Challenges

• Data communication
• Thin VSAT communication link
• Aim for lt 24-hour magnetometer and ISM data
• Radar data will take (little) longer
• Marion (Gough?) ISM to be installed May
  (September?)

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The adventure has begun
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...its ipy again
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its ipy again
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• Thank you