The Lowlatitude Ionospheric Sensor Network LISN

1
The Low-latitude Ionospheric Sensor Network (LISN)

• Objectives for the LISN Observatory
• LISN
• Instruments
• Early Measurements
• Science Topics
• Modeling Components
• Status
• Outreach Activities

2
Objectives of the LISN Observatory

• To install the first Distributed Observatory in
  South America consisting of GPS receivers,
  Ionosondes and magnetometers,
• To nowcast the state of the low-latitude
  ionosphere in terms of TEC, scintillations, TEC
  depletions, bottomside E- and F- region
  densities.
• To address key questions about the low-latitude
  ionosphere
• the effect of E and Es layers on inhibiting ESF
• the role of Gravity Waves on seeding
  plasma bubbles
• alternative theories for ESF
• longitudinal variability of the
  low-latitude ionosphere
• drivers of the low-latitude ionosphere
• To initiate collaboration with South American
  scientists working on Space Weather problems.
  Motivate researchers and students in South
  America by providing science projects in space
  physics and creating programs for instrument
  development.

3
The Low Latitude Ionospheric Sensor Network (LISN)

• To address key questions about the physics of the
  equatorial ionosphere
• Develop nowcast/forecasts capabilities on the
  onset of Spread F

? Installed ? Planned ? No Internet

• 70 GPS Receivers
• TEC, TIDs
• Scintillation
• 5 Ionosondes
• Virtual height
• Bottomside density profiles
• 5 Magnetometers
• Monitor ionospheric currents
• Measure Vertical plasma drifts

IPPs after all 70 receivers are integrated
4
TEC Values Observed near the Crest (BoaVista)
and Magnetic Equator (Ji-Parana)
Mar 10-11, 2008 Boa Vista
Mar 6-7, 2008 Boa Vista
Mar 10-11, 2008 Ji-Parana
Mar 6-7, 2008 Ji-Parana
5
S4 Scintillation Index observed in SA on March
08, 2008
6
Ionosondes(Designed by Terry Bullett and Bob
Livingston)
Vertical Incidence Pulsed Ionospheric Radar
(VIPIR) Designed for extreme performance and
flexibility 8 Receiving Antennas dipoles (4
N/S and 4 E/W) 4 Transmitting Antenna towers (Log
periodic)
Jicamarca Field Site
7
Ionosonde Measurements from Jicamarca
Bottomtype layer 0127UT
Puerto Maldonado, Peru
El Leoncito, Argentina
Full Blown ESF 0237UT 1 hour, 10 minutes after
first detection
8
Why the VIPIR ionosonde was selected for LISN
Aug 15, 0402
Aug 15, 0447
Double Es layer
Descending Es layer
Aug 15, 0502
9
Development of a prototype magnetometer

• Characteristics of Jicamarcas Triaxial ring core
  fluxgate magnetometer
• High Sensitivity and field resolution (0.1nT)
• Long term mechanical and thermal stability
• Highly robust electronics and system reliability
  (multi-layer circuitry).
• Low power consumption
• Data readily available to Internet uploading (5
  min cadence time).

10
Magnetometer Measurements from Ancon and Puerto
Maldonado
Dec lt
H
Z
11
LISN - Data Flow Diagram
GPS TEC/Scintillation
http//jro.igp.gob.pe/lisn
Internet
Internet/Phone/DSL
Remote PC
Boston College Server
Internet
DELL Master Server
Magnetometer Measurements
Digisonde Measurements
12
Complementary Aspect of LISN

• LISN data will be complemented with an
  assimilative physics-based model designed to
  nowcast the ionosphere above the same
  geographic region.
• Model based on LLIONS, NeQuick
• Solves ionospheric densities (O, NO, O2, H)
  along magnetic field lines
• Multiple runs to cover longitude range
• Determine low latitude ionospheric drivers

(Figure Courtesy of V. Eccles, Space Environment
Corporation)
13
E region and ESF onset
Magnetic Equator
According to the R-T theory, an E-region
conductivity reduces the instability growth rate.
It dumps the growth of irregularities with sizes
gt 1 km.
The field lines that intersect the E region over
the cities of Leticia and Amazones, Chile map to
300 km at the magnetic equator. We will be able
to observe (1) times when E-region densities
(sporadic E) short out electrodynamic
instabilities. (2) role of equatorial and
off-equatorial E region to balance pre-reversal
currents.
14
TEC wave Perturbations associated with TIDs
1 TEC unit fluctuations seen moving from Huancayo
to Ancon (westward direction).
Ancon
Huancayo
15
Location of GPS receivers
16
1-Month Campaign to detect Gravity waves
17
Tsunoda, On the enigma of day-to-day variability
in equatorial spread F, GRL, 2005 (Large-Scale
Wave structures)
18
Status of LISN

• GPS Receivers
• 40 GSV4004 receivers purchased/prepared
• 35 fully operational http/jro.igp.gob.pe/lisn
• Collaborations with other institutions (20)
• More receivers to be added (15)
• Ionosondes
• 1 is working in Jicamarca
• 2 to be installed before end of year (Peru,
  Argentina)
• All deployed by mid 2009
• Magnetometers
• All 5 constructed
• 2 Installed (Puerto Maldonado, Peru and EL
  Leoncito, Argentina)
• 1 more next month, and 2 by early 2009
• System installation complete July 2009

19
Outreach Activities

• The successful operation of the LISN instruments
  depends upon two important factors (1) local
  persons willing to provide proper logistic and
  maintenance support and (2) Internet
  connectivity.
• LISN has motivated the following new projects
• Brazil dePaula Scintillation measurements
  using different sensors. Maps of scintillation
  in SA.
• Argentina Brunini New methods for
  calculations of TEC.
• Peru Veliz Development of magnetometer
  prototype.
• Colombia Villalobos Space Physics School at
  the Universidad Nacional.

20
1st LISN Team Meeting Jicamarca, Peru - August
200731 Participants 7 Countries
Thanks for LISteNing!
21
LISN Instruments GPS receivers, magnetometers
Ionosondes