African Space Weather Workshop

非洲空间天气研讨会

• 批准号: ST/R002932/1
• 负责人: Mark Lester
• 金额: $ 3.08万
• 依托单位: University of Leicester
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2018 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FR002932%2F1
• 关键词: African; Space; Weather; Workshop

We seek funding to support an African Space Weather Workshop aimed at developing an international team to enhance capacity in space weather monitoring in low income countries. The proposal seeks to utilise the world-leading capability of the UK in the field of space weather monitoring to investigate and address a specific issue impacting on countries on the DAC list.Space weather is a term used to describe the how solar-driven variations in the Earth's magnetosphere-ionosphere system can impact modern technology and thus human activity. To date space weather has primarily been studied over the polar regions. However, new emerging economies necessitates the elucidation of space weather in the equatorial regions. The most serious space weather threat to modern technological infrastructure is posed by geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) at the Earth's surface. GIC are driven by solar-wind/magnetosphere interactions which driven varying electric and magnetic field in space which again induce currents on the ground. Particularly powerful solar storms have resulted in power and communication failure. GIC can also result in currents being induced in oil and gas pipelines, leading to their degradation, of particular concern to oil-producing nations like Sierra Leone and Nigeria. Further, changes in space weather will affect radio communication, as varying ionospheric conditions result in scintillation of radio signals. This can result in GPS and HF radio signals being absorbed, and significant GPS position and timing error. A particular challenge in the equatorial regions are high-density equatorial plasma bubbles which may span the horizon during severe space weather events. Unique to equatorial region there is an ionospheric current system called the equatorial electrojet which may amplify space weather effects. Disruption of radio communication will adversely affect both everyday life, commerce and disaster relief in equatorial regions.The University of Leicester are world-leading experts in space weather monitoring, using both ground-based and space-based instruments to probe space weather in the polar regions. The research they produce is of an international excellent standard. In this proposal we aim to utilise the University of Leicester's expertise in this area to bring together an international team of scientists and engineers for a one week African Space Weather Workshop at the University of Leicester. The aim of the workshop is to form an international team focussed on increasing capacity for space weather monitoring, instrumentation, education and research in Africa. The workshop will enable international networking, communication and knowledge exchange. The workshop will identify the key challenges associated with African Space Weather Monitoring and develop a road-map for further collaborations. The workshop will discuss how adverse space weather affects the African equatorial region, funding requirements, instrument development and deployment, and the steps needed mitigate serious space weather situation over the African equatorial region. There will be a strong focus on identifying the training and education needs of scientists and engineers in the physics and engineering requirements associated with space weather monitoring. This could involve planning and seeking funding for joint PhD projects between African and UK universities, academic exchanges, lecture tours of African and UK scientists, identifying instrument requirements associated with the monitoring of space weather, and engaging with local populations in building and deploying such instruments. There will also plans for talks and activities to engage local schools and the general population in order to engage and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.

我们寻求资金支持一个非洲空间气象讲习班，该讲习班旨在发展一个国际小组，以加强低收入国家的空间气象监测能力。该提案旨在利用英国在空间天气监测领域的世界领先能力来调查和解决影响DAC名单上国家的特定问题。空间天气是一个术语，用于描述地球磁层-电离层系统中由太阳驱动的变化如何影响现代技术，从而影响人类活动。到目前为止，主要研究极地地区的空间天气。然而，新兴经济体需要阐明赤道地区的空间天气情况。地球表面的地磁感应电流(GIC)是对现代技术基础设施构成的最严重的空间天气威胁。GIC是由太阳-风/磁层相互作用驱动的，这些相互作用驱动空间中变化的电场和磁场，从而再次在地面上感应电流。特别强大的太阳风暴已经导致电力和通信中断。GIC还可能导致在石油和天然气管道中感应电流，导致管道退化，这是塞拉利昂和尼日利亚等产油国特别关注的问题。此外，空间天气的变化将影响无线电通信，因为电离层条件的变化会导致无线电信号的闪烁。这可能导致GPS和HF无线电信号被吸收，以及显著的GPS位置和定时误差。赤道地区的一个特别挑战是高密度赤道等离子体气泡，在严重的空间天气事件期间可能跨越地平线。赤道地区独有的一种称为赤道电喷流的电离层电流系统可能会放大空间天气效应。无线电通信中断将对赤道地区的日常生活、商业和救灾造成不利影响。莱斯特大学是空间天气监测方面的世界领先专家，使用地面和天基仪器探测极地地区的空间天气。他们的研究成果具有国际优秀水平。在这项提案中，我们的目标是利用莱斯特大学在这一领域的专业知识，将一个由科学家和工程师组成的国际团队聚集在一起，在莱斯特大学举办为期一周的非洲空间气象研讨会。讲习班的目的是组建一个国际小组，重点是提高非洲的空间气象监测、仪器、教育和研究能力。讲习班将促进国际联网、沟通和知识交流。讲习班将确定与非洲空间天气监测有关的主要挑战，并为进一步的合作制定路线图。讲习班将讨论不利的空间天气对非洲赤道区域的影响、资金需求、仪器的开发和部署以及缓解非洲赤道区域严重空间天气状况所需的步骤。将着重确定科学家和工程师在与空间气象监测有关的物理和工程要求方面的培训和教育需求。这可能涉及为非洲和英国大学之间的联合博士项目规划和寻求资金，学术交流，非洲和英国科学家的巡回演讲，确定与空间气象监测有关的仪器要求，并与当地民众参与建造和部署这种仪器。还将计划举办讲座和活动，让当地学校和普通民众参与进来，以吸引和激励下一代科学家和工程师。

项目成果

A Ray Tracing Simulation of HF Ionospheric Radar Performance at African Equatorial Latitudes

非洲赤道纬度高频电离层雷达性能的射线追踪模拟

• DOI: 10.1029/2019rs006936
• 发表时间: 2020
• 期刊: Radio Science
• 影响因子: 1.6
• 作者: Michael C

Understanding the global dynamics of the equatorial ionosphere in Africa for space weather capabilities: A science case for AfrequaMARN

了解非洲赤道电离层的全球动态以提高空间天气能力：AfrequaMARN 的科学案例

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jastp.2018.01.008
• 发表时间: 2019
• 期刊: Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics
• 影响因子: 1.9
• 作者: Lawal H