14 30 UAMPY

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Lucilla Alfonsi and Giorgiana De Franceschi, INGV, Rome, ITALY Pierre Cilliers , Hermanus Magnetic Observatory, Hermanus, SOUTH AFRICA Massimo Materassi and Paolo Spalla, ISC-CNR, Florence, ITALY Cathryn Mitchell, University of Bath, UK Susan Skone, University of Calgary, CANADA Andrzej Wernik, Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw, POLAND Upper Atmosphere Monitoring for Polar Year 2007-2008 (UAMPY)

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The overall aim is to create new international cooperation in ionospheric research. We aim to develop polar upper-atmosphere observation networks for: mapping ionospheric features continuously from mid through to polar latitudes making conjugate studies of magnetospheric-ionospheric coupling processes relating the large-scale to the small-scale features, in particular the auroral and polar ionospheric irregularities causing scintillation Potential exists for many new studies with both scientific and practical investigations. UAMPY - Aims

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UAMPY - equipment GPS scintillation receivers in the Arctic at Svalbard, at the mainland EISCAT sites and in Canada. New receivers to be deployed in the Antarctic at Mario Zucchelli Station (74°69'S, 164°12'E); DomeC (75°06'S, 123°24'E); SANAE (71°40'S, 2°51'W) and Digisondes at ISSA and/or SANAE. Explore the possibility of running GPS scintillation receivers on BAS ships.

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MIDAS: Algorithms for extracting electron density from linear TEC-related data MIDAS to become a fully non-linear inversion incorporating oblique data e.g., such as from SuperDarn Future - develop new techniques to assimilate images into physical models to investigate underlying physics UAMPY – software Multi-Instrument Data Analysis System (MIDAS)

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Polar-cap patches moving over Svalbard and Scandinavia … edges are associated with small-scale irregularities in the electron density Relating large-scale events to small-scale events

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Polar-cap convection Mapped vertical TEC suggests convection of electron density from the American sector to Europe Data coverage not yet sufficient to produce full 3D images right over the polar cap

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Polar-cap convection Overpasses of the low-Earth-polar-orbit CHAMP satellite can help with data coverage each hour In 2006 the USA and Taiwan will launch six LEO satellites (COSMIC), all with GPS receivers on board. This will increase the data coverage and enable polar-cap imaging in time for IPY Evidence of polar-cap patches on 30 October 2003 from the GPS receiver on-board CHAMP

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Applications of the research The ionosphere causes two problems for GPS navigation: Group delay to the signal propagation time that is proportional to the total electron content. This can change the apparent position by tens of metres. Scintillations of the signal are related to small-scale irregularities in electron density. These can cause temporary loss of the signals.

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GPS signal at ground fades as it passes through aurora Coloured map (top) shows All-Sky Camera 557 nm intensity. The velocity of the auroral structure causing the signal fading is projected with the yellow line. An increase in local intensity of the aurora occurs simultaneously with a deep fading of the GPS signal (bottom). thanks to K. Kauristie, Finnish Meteorological Institute

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Applications of the research These effects are not an issue for most GPS users but they are important for safety-critical applications. A clear example of a GPS signal broken up in an auroral arc has already been identified from the EISCAT GPS receiver. Relating the physics to the impacts on systems is important, especially in new technologies like GPS and the new European Galileo.

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Bath are developing their imaging software to extend coverage over the poles using other data sources in the imaging INGV Rome and Hermanus plan to deploy GPS and scintillation receivers in Antarctica in 2006 Workshop proposed for early 2006 at Hermanus in South Africa All are developing web-sites for increasing the public understanding of science activities UAMPY – Plans Many thanks to Paul Spencer for graphics and Andy Smith (University of Bath) for auroral images.