Ionospheric Sounding Using Real‐Time Amateur Radio Reporting Networks

Abstract

Amateur radio reporting networks, such as the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN), PSKReporter, and the Weak Signal Propagation Network, are powerful tools for remote sensing the ionosphere. These voluntarily constructed and operated networks provide real-time and archival data that could be used for space weather operations, forecasting, and research. The potential exists for the study of both global and localized effects. The capability of one such network to detect space weather disturbances is demonstrated by examining the impacts on RBN-observed HF propagation paths of an X2.9 class solar flare detected by the GOES 15 satellite. Prior to the solar flare, the RBN observed strong HF propagation conditions between multiple continents, primarily Europe, North America, and South America. Immediately following the GOES 15 detection of the solar flare, the number of reported global RBN propagation paths dropped to less than 35% that of prior observations. After the flare, the RBN showed the gradual recovery of HF propagation conditions.

Space Weather Quarterly Volume 12, Issue 1, 2015

“…Kazunari Shibata led this 5 year project to fi nd answers to fundamental questions of space weather science in order to develop a physical model of the coupling processes in the solar-terrestrial interaction [Shibata and Kamide, 2007]. Researches in forecasting space weather phenomena continued to rise [Tsubouchi and Omura, 2007; Yamamoto and Sakurai, 2009; Nóse et al, 2012;Sakaguchi et al, 2013]. At present, the Space Weather and Environment Informatics Laboratory of the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) is the regional warning center of International Space Environment Service in Japan.…”

“…At present, the Space Weather and Environment Informatics Laboratory of the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) is the regional warning center of International Space Environment Service in Japan. Japanese users mainly rely on NICT for the daily space weather forecasting [Nagatsuma, 2013]. However, an accurate forecasting system has not yet been achieved.…”

“…ICSWSE has high hopes of raising the research capabilities of students and researchers from developing nations. Under the direction of Tohru Hada, the center has the following agenda: (1) to provide the basic knowledge that will help humans work in space; (2) to contribute to the foundations of space weather study, geospace science, and solar-terrestrial study; and (3) to explore the synergy of space science, space engineering, and space medicine.In order to implement the agenda, the following are some of the planned steps to be executed by the center: (1) enlarge the scope of its space weather research; (2) conduct more detailed investigation of the links between geospace changes, climate changes, and natural disasters; (3) start new research in the biomedical aspects of geospace; and (4) ICSWSE is part of the Secretariat of the International Space Weather Initiative (ISWI) [Guhathakurta et al, 2013]. In line with ISWI goals, the center is involved in the capacity building of young researchers worldwide using the existing collaborations established through the MAGDAS/CPMN project with Akimasa Yoshikawa (hereinafter "Yoshikawa") as the new principal investigator.…”

“…SSW also generated a priori forecasts of Earth-directed CME speeds and arrival times from the space weather beacon mode STEREO-HI data. Tucker-Hood et al [2015, DOI: 10.1002 investigated the predictive skill of these forecasts.…”

“…These transionospheric radio links are generated by other hams engaging in friendly (and sometimes competitive) two-way transmissions. Frissell et al [2014, DOI: 10.1002 Barnard et al [2014], Tucker-Hood et al [2015], Frissell et al [2014], and E. MacDonald et al (2014, https://agu. confex.com/agu/fm14/meetingapp.cgi#Paper/28083).…”