Characterization of the ionospheric dynamics in the South American sector and Antarctica under the space weather conditions

Abstract

The electrodynamics characterization of the ionosphere in the face of the conditions of the space (space weather) around the Earth has become increasingly necessary in the last decades due to its implications for modern society. Although their impacts are not yet known to the general public, they are already recognized as a new natural hazard of modern technological society. The conditions of the ionosphere present changes as a function of magnetic latitude and longitude, time of day, season, as well as disturbances in time scales from seconds to several days and months associated with space weather conditions, and of dozens of years associated with solar cycle activity. These changes are critical for users of GPS (Global Navigation Satellite System), high frequency (HF) communications and satellite control systems; that in extreme cases can lead to economic losses and environment damage. In this context, one of the main objectives of this project is the characterization of the ionosphere dynamics in the South American sector up to Antarctica under different space weather phenomena, and the results will be used to subsidize / define climatology of ionospheric irregularities from high to low latitudes. The space weather conditions are function of the solar phenomena, so the other objective is the elaboration of a mathematical tool that identifies patterns of radio emission behavior that precedes the solar explosions, in order to generate a service of prediction of solar phenomena in the short and medium term. Therefore, the products generated by this project, besides contributing to the knowledge of the dynamics of the ionosphere, will also be of interest to the current technological society, as well as to national defense systems. (AU)