Name of the chief coordinator: Prof. B. Veenadhari
Name of the members: Geeta Vichare, C.P. Anil Kumar, Gopi K Seemala, Navin Parihar
Introduction:
Space weather can be described as the weather of the space between the Sun-Earth system. It is entirely different from the weather in the earth’s atmosphere in terms of changes in meteorological parameters like rain, heat, cloudiness, dryness, etc. Like atmospheric weather, space weather affects our daily life but in a different way. In polar regions like Antarctica, the magnetic field is highly inclined or almost vertical, thus aiding in more coupling between the magnetosphere and ionosphere and, at times, up to the lower atmosphere. Therefore, the observations of space weather events like geomagnetic storms or sub-storms are more sensitive in polar regions. The role of interplanetary conditions in storms, sub-storm processes, and related particle precipitation is a topic of ongoing research. There is little understanding of the drift of energetic charged particles during these events. Substorms are usually accompanied by aurora brightening and geomagnetic disturbance in the polar region and they are related to the upflowing of ionospheric O + ions and particle injections from tail plasma sheet. The auroral electrojets formed during substorms are connected with the magnetosphere through field-aligned currents (FACs), thus forming a substorm current wedge and affecting the magnetospheric current system In addition, recent studies have shown that intense substorms can also affect the ring current in the inner magnetosphere.
Investigation technique or data information:
A suite of magnetic observatory networks and various experiments over India and Antarctica provide a comprehensive database to explore magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. With the conjunction of satellite data and advanced ground instruments such as Imaging Riometer and magnetometers, it is possible to investigate what wave (EMIC or Chorus or Hiss or ULF) facilitates the loss of particles from the ring current at different local times. Aurora appears as diffused, continuous, luminous, oval-shaped bands near the geomagnetic poles due to the interaction of energetic particles with the Earth’s atmosphere. The Global Electric Circuit (GEC) provides the fundamental coupling system of climatological parameters connecting the electrically disturbed region with fair weather regions. The local and regional electrical processes modulate the global electrical signals, and these variations are different in the tropical/subtropical and polar regions.
Significance of research:
The following research areas are important to understand:
A. Study of Gravity waves and MSTIDs (Medium-scale Travelling Ionospheric Disturbances) using imaging observations over Maitri and their possible role in triggering ionospheric irregularities.
B. Understanding the effects of geomagnetic storms in the mesosphere-lower thermosphere region.
C. Understanding the behavior of localized aurora and auroral structures.
Instruments and location:
Magnetometers, Riometer, GPS receivers, Electric field mill, All sky imager, SCR detector, Grating-cum-prism based Spectrograph and All-Sky Imaging System are in Maitri, Antarctica.
Locations: IIG Observatories and Indian Antarctic stations: Maitri and Bharati.
Contact details:
Name: Prof. B. Veenadhari
Email: veenadhari[dot]b[at]iigm[dot]res[dot]in
