Activities of the International Space Weather Initiative and their instruments in Germany

Abstract

he International Space Weather Initiative (ISWI) is a program inspired by the activities of the International Heliophysical Year (IHY) 2007. It combines space weather issues concerning Hardware and data interpretation associated with space-based measurements in order to bring space weather sciences forward. ISWI aims at establishing of scientific insight which is important for understanding, reconstructing and predicting space weather processes. It covers topics of measuring instruments, data analysis and modelling, as well as education and public outreach.

Currently, ISWI encompasses 17 instruments whereof Germany maintains two of them: the educational project named SOFIE (SOlar Flares detected by Ionospheric Effects) and the global, near real time network called GIFDS (Global Ionospheric Flare Detection System). Both instruments deal with the monitoring of the lower ionosphere and utilise VLF measurements in order to provide information on solar flare impacts. In compliance with ISWI's open data policy, the access to data products is free. After all, the data management and its dissemination form the basis for a good cooperation among all ISWI participants. This presentation will give an overview on the ISWI organization and participating instruments, with a particular focus on German activities.