Scientific and societal
opportunities of AMISR for African
universities
1,2Babatunde
Rabiu
1National Space Research & Development Agency
NASRDA, Abuja, Nigeria
2Federal University of Technology,
Akure, Nigeria
Email: tunderabiu@yahoo.com
AMISR Workshop 1-3 March 2012 Boston College, USA
Africa !
• A continent
• 54 individual nations
• Multi-lingual structure
• English, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Spanish
• ~ 30 billion km2
• ~ 850 million people
• ~14% of the World population
Nigeria: Heart of Africa
• Largest producer of
oil in Africa
• 167 million people
• ¼ of African
Population
• About 1 million km2
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African Universities
• More than 400
• As at March 2012, AAU has 270 members
from 46 African countries
Nigerian Universities 123
• Public 73
• Private 50
• March 2012
Space Research in Africa
Observational studies mainly
anchored by int’l cooperation
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IGY
IEEY
IHY
ISWI
Int’l Institutional support
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ICTP
UNOOSA
Boston College
NASA
Kyushu University
PSU
UCLA
Standford University
Etc
Benefits of such support
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Instruments
Conferences/workshops
Fellowships: short- & long- terms
Staff exchange
Conference attendance support
Thematic summer-schools ICTP-BC GNSS
Training Opportunities
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PhDs.
M.Sc.
Research publications
Enhancement of technical know-how
What we have benefited from all of
these support and shall be
applicable to AMISR
African Gains
 Knowledge & technological transfer
 Positive collaboration
 Availability of Research facilities for
internationally competitive research.
 Control of brain drain
 Publication of scholarly articles
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African Gains
 Windows of postgraduate opportunities
 Development of Research in Space Science
 Capacity building
 Bridge between North & South
 strong intra–continental partnerships amongst
African scientists
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Students at
the IHY
viewing
center in
Legon,
Ghana.
Rabello-Soares et al., (2007)
Dr. Davila sets up the
eclipse experiment in
the Libyan desert.
IHY Final Report
Dr. Davila giving a public
talk in Tunis
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Nigeria
Cape
verde
Climbing the stairs
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Annual VTEC variation at Akure, Nigeria
•
pre-dawn minimum for a
short period of time followed
by steep early morning
increase.
•
Attain maximum between
14.00UT and 16.00UT.
•
maximizes during Equinox
months, minimizes during
winter months
The semiannual variation of
TEC is asymmetry with
maximum in spring Equinox
•
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AMISR Workshop 1-3 March 2012 Boston College, USA
Geomagnetic Field variation
STATN
AAB
NAB
ASW
DES
DRB
FYM
HER
KRT
LSK
MPT
Gmag Lat
0.18
-10.65
15.2
-16.26
-39.21
16.1
-42.29
5.69
-26.06
-35.98
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Latitudinal
variation of Sq
along 96° MM
at noon
95
85
Sq H (nT)
75
65
55
45
SqH has one outstanding
peak almost at magnetic
equator
Dip equator crosses the
geographic meridian
somewhere between 10 and
15 degrees North
35
25
15
5
-60
-40
-20
-5 0
Geomagnetic Latitudes (deg)
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20
EEJ in Africa
OBS
GMLat◦ GLong
◦ E
GLat◦
ILR
-1.82
4.67
8.50◦N
LAG
3.43
3.42 N
AAB 0.18
38.77
9.04◦N
NAB
36.80
1.16◦S
◦
Axis A
West
Separation of axes, ∆ L = 33.735° = 3744.585 km
AMISR Workshop 1-3 March 2012 Boston College, USA
Axis B
East
Enhanced Sq at EEJ stations is due to EEJ field
Western EEJ appears weaker than Eastern EEJ!
It is as if there is a process of re-injection of energy as Jet flows eastward
Comparison of IRI and observed TEC
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Locations
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Akure
Lagos
Nsukka
Ile-Ife
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The IRI Underestimate and
over estimate the
values of TEC at
different times of
all the seasons
considered.
IRI & Observed TEC at Akure
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The IRI Underestimate and
over estimate the
values of TEC at
different times of
all the seasons
considered.
IRI & Observed TEC at Nsukka
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The IRI Underestimate and
over estimate the
values of TEC at
different times of
all the seasons
considered.
IRI & Observed TEC at Ile-Ife
25
% deviation of IRI from observed TEC at Akure
IRI -2010 Model gives poor prediction during 0200-0600 hrs LT
when compared with predictions at other times and the ∆TEC
having values greater than 50% during all seasons.
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Some findings
• There is variability in the ionospheric processes over African even
along same meridian
• The enhanced field variation at equatorial region is due to the EEJ
current
• The EEJ appear stronger in East than West Africa
• There is spatial variation of geomagnetic field across Africa
• Variability of EEJ parameters
• It is as if there is a process of re-injection of energy as Jet flows
eastward
• IRI TEC is not in accord with those measured at about all local times.
• IRI -2010 Model gives poor prediction during 0200-0600 hrs LT
AMISR
African new Window of
Opportunities
AMISR Workshop 1-3 March 2012 Boston College, USA
AMSIR: Opportunities
• 1st time observation of long range altitudinal
profile of ionosphere
• Graduate training
• Intensive research
• Better understanding of ionospheric processes
• Partnerships & participation
• Job opportunities
• Spin offs
• Forerunner of African-funded ISR
THANK YOU
AMISR Workshop 1-3 March 2012 Boston College, USA
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