Asia Oceania Space
Weather Alliance
Online Conference 2020

HELLO!

I am Madeha Talha
I am here to represent Pakistan.
You can find me at misshah84@gmail.com
1Space WeatherActivities inPakistan &COVID-19“Science knows no country because knowledge belongs
to humanity, and it is a torch which illuminates the world”
2Space Weather Monitoring
We are working in three major domains

01

Ionospheric research
Using ionosondes, SIDs,
TEC/Scintillation receivers

03

02

Study of geomagnetic field
variations
Using magnetometers and absolutemeasurements

Solar atmosphere monitoring
Using CALLISTO, Web-based data of ACE,
SOHO, GOES, SDO, STEREO etc

3Timeline
1970s
Installation ofBritish Ionosondes

19831987

Installation ofCanadian
Magnetometer

Installation ofDigisonde 256

2012
The 1st OIC
Workshop

1990s
Ionosphericmonitoring at 3locations

2013
Installation of 2
SIDs donated by
ISWI

2008
•
•

Installation of DPS-4
Establishment of 2nd
Geomagnetic Observatory

2014/15
Installation of 2
CALLISTO andGNSS
TEC/Scintillations
Receivers

2016
Procurement of 2
DI Flux
Magnetometers

2017
Real-timeconnectivity andestablishment ofPSWC

2018
The 2nd OIC
Workshop
Way to become
RWC

Ionospheric Monitoring

Countrywide Available Infrastructure

5

Countrywide Available Infrastructure

Geomagnetic FieldMonitoring
6

Space Weather
Activities during
COVID-19“Bad times have a scientific value. These areoccasions a good learner would not miss”

7

Our Strategy during COVID-19
20% strength
100% strength

Complete lockdown

Employees on essential
duties only
Mar 23Apr 30Smart lockdown

Employees on essential
duties + Senior Employees

May 01 – Sep 11

Sep 1460% strength8Issues during COVID-19
One of the four masts of receiving antenna collapsed
due to detachment of sling
Received newly procured magnetometerLong gaps in absolute geomagnetic field measurements

Postponement 3rd International Workshop onGeomagnetism and Ionosphere

Data acquired for annular solar eclipse of June 21

9Activities during COVID-19
Online system’s functionality checking, On and Off visits to remote dataacquisition sites
1st Expert Group Meeting on APSCO Ionospheric Modeling through Studyof Solar Activity and Radio-wave Propagation Project Phase II
Reinstallation of Ionosonde receiving antenna
Short duration data acquisition during solar
eclipse of June 21, 2020
Testing of newly procured magnetometer (GSM90F) for Sonmiani geomagnetic observatory
Online Critical Design Review (CDR) Meeting andTechnical Training on the APSCO Earthquake
Research Project Phase II

10

Activities in Pandemic

1st EGM on APSCO Ionospheric Modeling
Project Phase II

CDR Meeting and Technical Training on APSCO
Earthquake Research Project Phase II

11

Activities in Pandemic

Reinstallation of antenna mast

Testing of magnetometer GSM 90F

12

Publications during COVID-19

13

Lesson Learned§ Handling of difficult situations during pandemic with limited
resources. This includes availability of human resource atremote data acquisition sites§ Redundant power supply at remote sites in order to avoid datalosses

14

Steps for Future§ Availability of maximum resources at remote data acquisition
sites§ Utilization of solar power for low power equipment§ Develop skilled human resource with the help of regional
collaboration15

Support from AOSWA
Assistance in operationalization ofDPS-4
Installation of new Ionosonde under
mutual cooperation
Technical support in establishing solar observatory
Trainings in the field of Space Weather
16

THANKS!
Any questions?
You can contact us on:❑ Ghulam Murtaza❑ dir.ss@suparco.gov.pk