AERONOMY AND SPATIAL CLIMATE

Aeronomy and
Space Weather

Characterization and modeling of
Geospace

The variability of phenomena in the Sun and the behavior of the interplanetary medium is known as Space Weather, which has an effect on the highest and outermost layers of the Earth such as the magnetosphere and the ionosphere, generating disturbances in these regions whose characteristics and impacts are variable. These regions, known as geo-space, are also affected by the Earth’s internal and surface processes, where disturbances can be generated and can propagate to the upper regions. These disturbances affect not only the physical characteristics of the Earth’s upper atmosphere but also the radio frequency signals that propagate through them. As a result, space weather has an influence on man-made navigation and communication systems and, consequently, on people’s technology. In the particular case of Peru, as the central part of our territory is located in the magnetic Equator, we are affected by ionospheric phenomena such as the equatorial electrojet and the equatorial plasma bubbles or Spread-F. These ionospheric disturbances can degrade or block satellite communications or induce significant errors in positioning and navigation systems, because of this it is important to study their causes and impacts.

This research line refers to characterizing the response of the ionosphere and upper atmosphere to external agents that come from the Sun and/or the Earth itself. This response can be modeled using both mathematical physical models and statistical models, taking into account the interaction or relationship that exists between the different physical parameters that characterize these upper layers of the atmosphere. Thus, the response of these regions to different stimuli can be determined in short, medium, and long term.

We study the physical processes that generate ionospheric instabilities in the equatorial region, such as the equatorial Spread-F, Electrojet, 150 km echoes, and others. We also study their development, evolution, and interaction with the neutral atmosphere. This allows us to determine the physical parameters that are mainly affected by these phenomena in order to determine their variability and climatology.

Physics of the solar corona and interplanetary medium

Impact of ionospheric disturbances on peruvian technologies

We study the internal processes of the solar corona and the formation of solar flares and coronal mass ejections which give rise to the generation of charged particles and electromagnetic waves that are ejected by the Sun and impact the Earth. We also study the processes of interaction and transport of energy between the Sun and the Earth, in order to determine the response of the Earth's outermost layers to solar phenomena.

The objective of this research line is to study or estimate the impact that ionospheric disturbances and irregularities have on the technologies used by our country such as communication and radio-navigation systems from which we are becoming more and more dependent. This line aims to quantify the effects caused by these disturbances, and thus being able to take actions that would mitigate the problems that might be generated.

RESEARCH LINES

Physics of ionospheric instabilities