Shown are the direct impact of the X9.3 flare from 06.09.2017 on the ionosphere visible due to an sudden increase of ROTI (Rate of change TEC Index) over Europe. The impact was observed in real time by DLR’s processing system IMPC (Ionosphere Monitoring and Prediction Center). Credit: DLR
The Department for Space Weather Impacts investigates the Space Weather influence on crucial systems and services such as GNSS or HF communication as well as on ground and space based infrastructures such as power grids or satellites. It investigates disturbances caused in the plasmasphere and ionosphere to develop appropriate indices which help users in the navigation domain estimating the space weather impact on their systems. Thus, the information about the ionospheric state can make significant contributions to avoid safety-critical situations (e.g. for the air transport system) or high costs by exploration approaches (e.g. surveys of offshore resource development or precision positioning). The department further operates the Ionosphere Monitoring and Prediction Center IMPC which provides near real-time information and data service on the current state of the ionosphere, related forecasts and warnings and maintains DLRs space weather data archive.
Structure and research focus areas:
Address
Department for Space Weather Impact Institute for Solar-Terrestrial Physics Woldegker Chaussee 35 17235 Neustrelitz