Coordinator: Prof. G. Vichare
Team members: Prof. C. P. Anil Kumar, Dr. Gopi K. Seemala, Dr. N. Parihar
Introduction
Two Indian stations operational in Antarctica, include Maitri which is a subauroral station (equatorward of the Auroral Zone), and the other one in Larsemann Hills (Bharati) which is situated in the polar region (poleward of the AuroralZone).IIG runs several experiments at these stations to investigate the space weather and auroral dynamics over Antarctica.
The state-of-the-art Imaging Riometer at Maitri is providing crucial information about the particle precipitation and the magnetospheric phenomena that drive high latitude events. Magnetospheric particles precipitating in the ionospheric E- and F-regions are mostly responsible for the visual aurora, and those precipitating in the D-regions leads to radio wave absorption/cosmic noise absorption, which could be due to substorm events or due to flare-associated solar energetic ions.Studies have been carried out using Riometer data to understand their relation with space weather events and also to probe the ionospheric conditions. The group investigates the plasmaspheric wave-particle interactions and the manner in which they propagate in and scatter from various regions of the earth ionosphere-magnetosphere system.
The magnetic field studies in Indian subcontinents and at Antarctic region are useful for understanding the lateral coupling of ionospheric regions.
Understanding the declining geomagnetic field is another area that has gathered enough attention in the recent past. The Institute continues to monitor total field.
Considering the importance of Global Electric Circuit studies of the atmospheric electrical parameters being linked to both global change as well as space weather, IIG has started these experiments at both the Antarctic stations. This facilitates to investigate the role of energetic particle events in atmospheric conductivity and fair-weather air-Earth current density. Efforts are also being made to establish long-term observations of Schumann resonances, which are the AC components of the GEC.
Thus the polar research group at the Institute involves in studying the auroral dynamics and its space weather implications using multi- observational techniques from various platforms.
Significance of this Research
Space weather, Auroral dynamics,Magnetosphere dynamics, Substorm characteristics, Magnetosphere - Ionospheric coupling, Global electric circuit
Contact details:
Prof. Geeta Vichare
geeta[dot]vichare[at]iigm[dot]res[dot]in
