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.

我们寻求资金支持非洲空间天气研讨会，旨在建立一支国际团队，以提高低收入国家的空间天气监测能力。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 名单上国家的具体问题。空间天气是一个术语，用于描述太阳驱动的变化如何影响到 DAC 名单上的国家。地球的磁层-电离层系统可以影响现代技术，从而影响人类活动。迄今为止，空间天气主要是在极地地区进行研究。然而，新兴经济体需要阐明赤道地区的空间天气。对现代技术基础设施最严重的空间天气威胁是由地球表面的地磁感应电流（GIC）造成的。 GIC 由太阳风/磁层相互作用驱动，这种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出电流。特别强大的太阳风暴导致电力和通讯故障。 GIC 还会导致石油和天然气管道中产生电流，导致其性能退化，这对塞拉利昂和尼日利亚等石油生产国尤其令人担忧。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。这可能会导致 GPS 和 HF 无线电信号被吸收，并导致严重的 GPS 位置和定时误差。赤道地区面临的一个特殊挑战是高密度赤道等离子体气泡，在严重的太空天气事件期间，它们可能会跨越地平线。赤道地区特有的电离层电流系统称为赤道电射流，可能会放大太空天气影响。无线电通信中断将对赤道地区的日常生活、商业和救灾产生不利影响。莱斯特大学是空间天气监测领域的世界领先专家，利用地基和天基仪器探测极地空间天气地区。他们的研究成果具有国际优秀标准。在本提案中，我们的目标是利用莱斯特大学在该领域的专业知识，聚集一个由科学家和工程师组成的国际团队，在莱斯特大学举办为期一周的非洲空间天气研讨会。该研讨会的目的是组建一个国际团队，专注于提高非洲空间天气监测、仪器仪表、教育和研究的能力。该研讨会将促进国际联网、沟通和知识交流。该研讨会将确定与非洲空间天气监测相关的主要挑战，并制定进一步合作的路线图。研讨会将讨论不利的空间天气如何影响非洲赤道地区、资金需求、仪器开发和部署，以及缓解非洲赤道地区严重空间天气状况所需的步骤。将重点关注确定科学家和工程师在与空间天气监测相关的物理和工程要求方面的培训和教育需求。这可能涉及非洲和英国大学之间的联合博士项目的规划和寻求资金、学术交流、非洲和英国科学家的巡回演讲、确定与空间天气监测相关的仪器要求，以及与当地居民合作建造和部署此类仪器。还将计划举办讲座和活动，吸引当地学校和普通民众参与，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