Evaluation of Links Between Terrestrial Weather and Sporadic-E (Invited Tutorial)

Abstract: The recent development of an experimental probability index for Es has enabled a more focussed approach to investigating the value of weather data in the troposphere as a geographical marker for Es in the ionosphere. Some early verification studies of this work will be presented together with examples of alternative graphical visualisations of ionosonde data to provide insights into the development of an Es event. The presentation will conclude with a discussion of the issues of verifying regional scale Es with isolated fixed site ionosonde data and suggest an outline for the next steps in the search for improved locational predictability of Es using meteorological forecast data.

 

Bio: The invited amateur radio tutorial will be presented by Mr. Jim Bacon G3YLA and will focus on the influences of Terrestrial Weather on radio propagation and the ionosphere. Mr. Bacon is a well-known retired meteorologist from the United Kingdom and is the recent recipient of the Radio Society of Great Britain Les Barclay Memorial Award to recognize those who have made excellent contributions to propagation research and understanding. Mr. Bacon actively develops the PropQuest website, which provides real-time Sporadic E Probability Index (EPI) that incorporates the factors of tropospheric weather, atmospheric gravity waves, meteors, wind shears, and atmospheric semi-diurnal tides.