Geophysical Centre in Dourbes

Space Weather and Navigation Systems (SWANS)

The modern-day society relies heavily on operational technological systems using radio waves: ground-to-ground and ground-to-satellite telecommunications, radars, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as GPS or GALILEO. Space Weather phenomena are often the origin of disturbed ionospheric conditions which can strongly affect the performances of technological systems based on radio waves. Therefore, it is indispensable to monitor, model and forecast the ionospheric activity and its effects on these technological systems. In 2008, the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) launched the project Space Weather And Navigation Systems (SWANS).

The project is primarily concerned with monitoring and research of space weather phenomena and their effects on GNSS-based applications:

• Research on ionospheric plasma structure and dynamics, with emphasis on ionospheric disturbances and effects on Comm/Nav systems
•  Development of services to help GNSS users in mitigating the ionospheric effects on GNSS-based applications