The International Reference Ionosphere and NeQuick – Improving the Representation of the Real-Time Ionosphere | (smr 4105) (29 September 2025

Administration

Description

The call for applications is open.

For “students”
Please apply here
The deadline is: 30/05/2025

For “experts”
Please apply here to submit your abstract

The deadline is: 11/07/2025

With more and more of our daily life depending on space technology it is critically important to have an accurate and reliable representation of Earth’s geospace environment.

The ionosphere is a particularly important part because of the detrimental impact it can have on many technical infrastructures, such as satellite communications and positioning systems.

Any technique that uses a probing signal traveling through this region needs to account for the retarding and refractive effect that the ionosphere imposes on the signal. Accurate remote sensing of Earth parameters from space depends on such signals, as well as satellite navigation, telecommunication, and the GNSS technology. Predicting the real-time ionosphere has been a special focus of recent research and will be a central part of the workshop. Assimilation of ground and space measurements into models are helping to achieve this goal and several presentations at the workshop are expected to discuss and report on this topic. The objective of this two-week training and capacity building workshop is to teach attendees the basics of ionospheric monitoring and modelling and familiarize the students with IRI and NeQuick ionospheric models and with the most important online data bases of ionospheric ground and space data.

Topics:

Ionosphere monitoring and modelling
Ionosphere real-time predictions and forecast
Usage of ionospheric models
Model evaluation and assessment
Assimilation of data into ionospheric models
Updating ionospheric models to real-time conditions

Grants: A limited number of grants are available to support the attendance of selected participants, with priority given to participants from developing countries. There is no registration fee.

Material

Abstract Templates Poster Preliminary list of Experts Preliminary list of Students

The International Reference Ionosphere and NeQuick – Improving the Representation of the Real-Time Ionosphere | (smr 4105)

Go to day

Monday, 29 September 2025

08:30 - 09:00 Registration

09:00 - 17:30

09:00 Welcome Remarks by Workshop Organizers 30'

Speaker:

Bruno Nava (ICTP, Italy), Dieter Bilitza (George Mason University, USA), Sharafat Gadimova (UNOOSA, Austria), John Bosco Habarulema (South African National Space Agency, South Africa)

09:30 Introduction to Korea Aerospace Research Institute 30'

Speaker: Inae Jung (Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), Republic of Korea)
10:00 Group photo & Coffee/Tea 30'
10:30 IRI-Introduction and latest developments 1h0'

Speaker: Dieter Bilitza (George Mason University, USA)
11:30 NeQuick-Introduction and different uses 1h0'

Speaker: Bruno Nava (ICTP, Italy)
12:30 Lunch 1h30'
14:00 Forming teams and assigning research tasks 15'
14:15 Team work with support from advisor and other lecturers 1h15'
15:30 Coffee/Tea 30'
16:00 Team work with support from advisor and other lecturers 1h30'

Tuesday, 30 September 2025
- 09:00 - 17:30
  - 09:00 Access and usage of NeQuick 30'
    
    Speaker: Yenca Migoya-Orue (ICTP, Italy)
  - 09:30 A general description and introduction to CCMC 30'
    
    Speaker: Min-Yang Chou (CCMC, NASA, USA)
  - 10:00 Access and usage of IRI at CCMC 30'
    
    Speaker: Min-Yang Chou (CCMC, NASA, USA)
  - 10:30 Coffee/Tea 30'
  - 11:00 Ionosondes and the measurements they take 30'
    
    Speaker: Ivan Galkin (University of Massachusetts Lowell, USA)
  - 11:30 GIRO and GAMBIT: access to ionosonde data 30'
    
    Speaker: Ivan Galkin (University of Massachusetts Lowell, USA)
  - 12:00 IRTAM and Real-Time IRI 30'
    
    Speaker: Ivan Galkin (University of Massachusetts Lowell, USA)
  - 12:30 Lunch 1h30'
  - 14:00 Team work with support from advisor and other lecturers 1h30'
  - 15:30 Coffee/Tea 30'
  - 16:00 Team work with support from advisor and other lecturers 1h30'
Wednesday, 1 October 2025
- 09:00 - 17:30
  - 09:00 GNSS data and ionospheric studies 1h0'
    
    Speaker: Andrzej Krankowski (University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland)
  - 10:00 Access to GNSS data 30'
    
    Speaker: Andrzej Krankowski (University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland)
  - 10:30 Coffee/Tea 30'
  - 11:00 Incoherent scatter radar and ionospheric studies 1h0'
    
    Speaker: Shunrong Zhang (MIT, Millstone Hill, USA)
  - 12:00 Access to incoherent scatter data 30'
    
    Speaker: Shunrong Zhang (MIT, Millstone Hill, USA)
  - 12:30 Lunch 1h30'
  - 14:00 Team work with support from advisor and other lecturers 1h30'
  - 15:30 Coffee/Tea 30'
  - 16:00 Team work with support from advisor and other lecturers 1h30'
- 18:30 - 19:30 Welcome reception
  
  Location: Adriatico Guest House - Cafeteria
Thursday, 2 October 2025
- 09:00 - 17:30
  - 09:00 Introduction to ionospheric irregularities studies 45'
    
    Speaker: Lucilla Alfonsi (INGV, Rome, Italy)
  - 09:45 Ionospheric modelling with ML 45'
    
    Speaker: Yenca Migoya-Orue (ICTP, Italy)
  - 10:30 Coffee/Tea 30'
  - 11:00 Representation of plasma temperatures in IRI 30'
    
    Speaker: Vladimir Truhlik (Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Prague, Czech Republic)
  - 11:30 Representation of ion composition in IRI 30'
    
    Speaker: Vladimir Truhlik (Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Prague, Czech Republic)
  - 12:00 Access to satellite data 30'
    
    Speaker: Vladimir Truhlik (Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Prague, Czech Republic)
  - 12:30 Lunch 1h30'
  - 14:00 Team work with support from advisor and other lecturers 1h30'
  - 15:30 Coffee/Tea 30'
  - 16:00 Team work with support from advisor and other lecturers 1h30'
Friday, 3 October 2025
- 09:00 - 17:30
  - 09:00 Global 3-D electron density reconstruction: Combining ionosonde and radio occultation datasets 45'
    
    Speaker: John Bosco Haburalema (South African National Space Agency, South Africa)
  - 09:45 Dry run of student presentation – Team 1 15'
  - 10:00 Dry run of student presentation – Team 2 15'
  - 10:15 Dry run of student presentation – Team 3 15'
  - 10:30 Coffee/Tea 30'
  - 11:00 Dry run of student presentation – Team 4 15'
  - 11:15 Dry run of student presentation – Team 5 15'
  - 11:30 Dry run of student presentation – Team 6 15'
  - 11:45 Dry run of student presentation – Team 7 15'
  - 12:00 General Discussions and Recommendations 30'
  - 12:30 Lunch 1h30'
  - 14:00 Team work with support from advisor and other lecturers 1h30'
  - 15:30 Coffee/Tea 30'
  - 16:00 Team work with support from advisor and other lecturers 1h30'
Monday, 6 October 2025
- 08:30 - 09:30
  - 08:30 Registration 30'
  - 09:00 Welcome Remarks 30'
- 09:30 - 11:00 Model Introduction
```
Chair: Andrzej Krankowski (University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland)
```
  - 09:30 The International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) - Current Status and Plans for the Future 30'
    
    Speaker: Dieter Bilitza (George Mason University, USA)
  - 10:00 The NeQuick Model: Recent Developments and Future Prospects 30'
    
    Speaker: Bruno Nava (ICTP, Italy)
  - 10:30 Group picture and coffee break 30'
- 11:00 - 14:00 High Latitude Studies
```
Chair: Vladimir Truhlik (Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Prague, Czech Republic)
```
  - 11:00 ATRIO-Antarctic Thermosphere Retrieved from Ionospheric Observations 30'
    
    Speaker: Loredana Perrone (INGV, Italy)
  - 11:30 The use of NeQuick and IRI models in support of NanoMagSat mission design and prospect on its ionospheric data 30'
    
    Speaker: Pierdavide Coisson (Université Paris Cité, France)
  - 12:00 Auroral oval spread modelling based on IGS ROTI product 15'
    
    Speaker: Andrzej Krankowski (University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland)
  - 12:15 Study of Ionospheric TEC discrepancies over Svalbard archipelago, Norway and comparison with NeQuick model 15'
    
    Speaker: Kutubuddin Ansari (Karadeniz Technical University, Turkey)
  - 12:30 Lunch break 1h30'
- 14:00 - 16:15 Comparisons and Assessments
```
Chair: David Russel Themens (University of Birmingham, UK)
```
  - 14:00 Assessment of improvement of the IRI model over Kenya for the modeling of the variability of TEC during the period 2020 – 2024 15'
    
    Speaker: Nahum Ndunge Maundu (Pwani University, Kenya)
  - 14:15 Evaluating Long-Term Ionospheric Model Performance at Mid- and High-Latitudes Using foF2 Observations from 1950 – 2022 15'
    
    Speaker: Emma-Claire Gurney (University of Birmingham, UK)
  - 14:30 Evaluating the NeQuick model and IRI-2020 hmF2 model options with Digisonde, COSMIC-2 over South Africa during solar cycle 25 15'
    
    Speaker: Mahmoud Hassan Ahmed Yassen (Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, BAS, SERL, Egypt)
  - 14:45 Comparing the Ne-Profiles from the IRI2020, NeQuick2 and 3D EDD Models with the COSMIC2 Measurements over Europe 15'
    
    Speaker: Ola Ahmed Mustafa Abuelezz (Helwan University, Egypt)
  - 15:00 Spatio-Temporal Reconstruction of TEC Maps Using Singular Value Decomposition 15'
    
    Speaker: Feza Arikan (Hacettepe University Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Turkey)
  - 15:15 Assessment of the accuracy of IRI-2016 model at the equatorial-, low-, mid-, and high-latitudes ionosphere along 30-45oE meridian lines during minimum (2009) and maximum (2013) phases of solar cycle 24 15'
    
    Speaker: Andrew Oke-Ovie Akala (University of Lagos, Nigeria)
  - 15:30 Coffee break 30'
- 16:00 - 17:00 TEC Algorithms and Radio Occultation
```
Chair: Michael Pezzopane (INGV, Italy)
```
  - 16:00 Single Frequency GPS TEC Model 30'
    
    Speaker: Prasert Kenpankho (King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Thailand)
  - 16:30 Optimizing GNSS Positioning by Integrating Regional Ionospheric Variability into Correction Algorithms 15'
    
    Speaker: Trisani Biswas (GeoImaging Ltd., Cyprus)
  - 16:45 Study of Ionospheric Total Electron Content over Thailand Using BeiDou Satellites 15'
    
    Speaker: Samatchaya Maichuen (King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Thailand)
Tuesday, 7 October 2025
- 09:00 - 11:00 Real-Time IRI and NeQuick
```
Chair: Haris Charalambous (Frederick University, Cyprus)
```
  - 09:00 Real time IRI and NeQuick Data Assimilation with TOMIRIS and AIDA 30'
    
    Speaker: David Russel Themens (University of Birmingham, UK)
  - 09:30 Near-real time modeling of the ionospheric electron density based on satellite and ionosonde observations 30'
    
    Speaker: Chao Xiong (Wuhan University, China)
  - 10:00 Spatial Prediction Properties of IRTAM and Ionosonde Placement Recommendations 30'
    
    Speaker: Ivan Galkin (University of Massachusetts Lowell, USA)
  - 10:30 Coffee break 30'
- 11:00 - 14:00 Plasma Temperatures, Ion Composition and Ion Drift
```
Chair: Chao Xiong (Wuhan University, China)
```
  - 11:00 Validation of the New Global electron Temperature Model Using ISR and Satellite Data 30'
    
    Speaker: Vladimir Truhlik (Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Prague, Czech Republic)
  - 11:30 A New Global Climatological Model of Ionospheric Vertical ExB Drift: Integrating Ground-based Magnetometer, Radar, and Satellite Observations 30'
    
    Speaker: John Bosco Haburalema (South African National Space Agency, South Africa)
  - 12:00 The Re-calculation of Ionospheric Upper Transition Height from C/NOFS Ion Composition Measurements 15'
    
    Speaker: Shunzu Gao (School of Earth and Space Science and Technology, China)
  - 12:15 Evaluating the Performance of IRI and NeQuick Models in HF Ray Tracing for Real-Time Ionospheric Representation 15'
    
    Speaker: Yushau Muhammad Sulaiman (Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Nigeria)
  - 12:30 Lunch break 1h30'
- 14:00 - 16:00 Lower Ionosphere
```
Chair: John Bosco Habarulema (South African National Space Agency, South Africa)
```
  - 14:00 Enhancing E and F layer irregularity detection over midlatitude European ionosphere 30'
    
    Speaker: Haris Charalambous (Frederick University, Cyprus)
  - 14:30 Global Empirical Model of Sporadic-E Occurrence Rates: GEMSOR 30'
    
    Speaker: Daniel J. Emmons (Air Force Institute of Technology, USA)
  - 15:00 Height and Intensity Variations of mid-latitude Sporadic E Layers observed by FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC and Ionosondes 15'
    
    Speaker: Xu Yan (Wuhan University, China)
  - 15:15 Comparison of Sporadic E Occurrence using COSMIC and Ionosonde data in Thailand region 15'
    
    Speaker: Pornchai Supnithi (King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Thailand)
  - 15:30 Coffee break 30'
- 16:00 - 17:15 Topside and Plasmasphere
```
Chair: Bruno Nava (ICTP, Italy)
```
  - 16:00 Improving the NeQuick model in the topside ionosphere and plasmasphere through COSMIC-1 radio occultation and POD TEC observations 30'
    
    Speaker: Alessio Pignalberi (INGV, Italy)
  - 16:30 Enhanced Ionosphere Topside Electron Density Profile Modeling via Improved Thickness Parameter 30'
    
    Speaker: Yenca Migoya-Orue (ICTP, Italy)
  - 17:00 Assessment of Empirical Plasmasphere Models for Inclusion in IRI 15'
    
    Speaker: Dieter Bilitza (George Mason University, USA)
Wednesday, 8 October 2025
- 09:00 - 11:00 Modelling Storms and Irregularities I
```
Chair: Shunrong Zhang (MIT, Millstone Hill, USA)
```
  - 09:00 Ionospheric modelling: irregularities and impact 30'
    
    Speaker: Biagio Forte (University of Bath, UK)
  - 09:30 Towards a Global Climatological Spread F Model 15'
    
    Speaker: Krishnendu Sekhar Paul (Frederick University, Cyprus)
  - 09:45 Construction of an Empirical Ionospheric Scintillation Model Based on Swarm Satellite Plasma Density and Phase Screen Propagation Theory 15'
    
    Speaker: Yuhao Zheng (Wuhan University, China)
  - 10:00 Temporal Variations in Nighttime Scintillation Near MUF Communication Link at the Equatorial Region 15'
    
    Speaker: Aghogho Ogwala (Eko University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Nigeria)
  - 10:15 Latitudinal Signatures of Ionospheric TEC Disturbances During Intense Geomagnetic Storms in the Ascending Phase of Solar Cycle 25 Over Thailand 15'
    
    Speaker: Thapanan Namniwong (King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Thailand)
  - 10:30 Coffee break 30'
- 11:00 - 19:30 Modelling Storms and Irregularities II
```
Chair: Mainul M. Hoque (German Aerospace Center DLR, Germany)
```
  - 11:00 The May 2024 Mother's Day superstorm: an ionosonde synoptic view 30'
    
    Speaker: Michael Pezzopane (INGV, Italy)
  - 11:30 The Impact of the Mother's Day Storm on Low-Latitude Ionospheric Irregularities and IRI 2020 model validation of Ionospheric storm conditions: A Case Study over the East African Sector 15'
    
    Speaker: Mary Dusabe-Waweru (Kenya Space Agency (KSA), Kenya)
  - 11:45 Integration Magnetospheric, Ionospheric and Ground station data for Geomagnetic Storm Case study event: 01 January 2025 15'
    
    Speaker: Mostafa Elsayed Abdelhafez Hegy (National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Egypt)
  - 12:00 Discussion 30'
  - 12:30 Lunch break 1h30'
  - 14:00 Excursion 4h0'
  - 18:30 Welcome reception 1h0' ( Adriatico Guest House - Cafeteria )
Thursday, 9 October 2025
- 09:00 - 11:00 New Inputs for IRI and NeQuick I
```
Chair: Ivan Galkin (University of Massachusetts Lowell, USA)
```
  - 09:00 25 Years of IGS Ionosphere Committee – Current Status and Path Forward 30'
    
    Speaker: Andrzej Krankowski (University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland)
  - 09:30 TIDAS: High-definition reconstruction of 3-D spatial variations of the regional ionospheric electron density with large gradients 30'
    
    Speaker: Shunrong Zhang (MIT, Millstone Hill, USA)
  - 10:00 Recent Developments in Modelling and Imaging of Ionospheric Parameters 30'
    
    Speaker: Feza Arikan (Hacettepe University, Turkey)
  - 10:30 Coffee break 30'
- 11:00 - 14:15 New Inputs for IRI and NeQuick II
```
Chair: David Russel Themens (University of Birmingham, UK)
```
  - 11:00 Ionosphere specification and long-term variability analysis based on the COSMIC-2 space weather products after 5 years in orbit 30'
    
    Speaker: Iurii Cherniak (University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, USA)
  - 11:30 Performance of TEC models aided by IRI and NEDM in single point positioning 30'
    
    Speaker: Mainul M. Hoque (German Aerospace Center DLR, Germany)
  - 12:00 Identification of Ionospheric Anomalies Prior to Moderate and Shallow Earthquakes during Quiet Solar Conditions 15'
    
    Speaker: Karima Benghanem (Research Center in Astronomy, Algeria)
  - 12:15 Optimizing BeiDou-3 BDGIM Broadcast Parameters for VTEC Modeling During High Solar Activity Using LEO Occultation Data 15'
    
    Speaker: Guangyuan Tan (Chinese Academy of Sciences, China)
  - 12:30 Lunch break 1h30'
- 14:00 - 16:40 Student Teams Presentations
```
Chair: Dieter Bilitza (George Mason University, USA)
```
  - 14:00 Group A 20'
  - 14:20 Group B 20'
  - 14:40 Group C 20'
  - 15:00 Group D 20'
  - 15:20 Coffee break 20'
  - 15:40 Group E 20'
  - 16:00 Group F 20'
  - 16:20 Group G 20'
Friday, 10 October 2025
- 09:00 - 11:00 IRI and NeQuick - Supporting Studies
```
Chair: Feza Arikan (Hacettepe University, Turkey)
```
  - 09:00 1990-2020, thirty years of ionospheric modelling at ICTP 30'
    
    Speaker: Sandro Radicella (Boston College, USA)
  - 09:30 Artificial Update of One-Day GIM-TEC Predictions Using the W-Index Map from the Preceding Hour 15'
    
    Speaker: Tamara Gulyaeva (Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Russia), presented by Feza Arikan (Hacettepe University, Turkey)
  - 09:45 Comparison of Neural Network-based predictions of foE with the IRI-2020 model over Chumphon, Thailand 15'
    
    Speaker: Noraset Wichaipanich (Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi, Thailand)
  - 10:00 Fengyun-3 and Tianmu Constellation Radio Occultation Detection and Ionospheric Applications 15'
    
    Speaker: Weihua Bai (Chinese Academy of Sciences, China)
  - 10:15 A Review on Ionospheric Bottomside Profile Parameters Specifications of the Ionosphere in the IRI Model 15'
    
    Speaker: Sampad Kumar Panda (Space Technology and Atmospheric Sciences Research Laboratory (STAR), India)
  - 10:30 Coffee break 30'
- 11:00 - 15:00 Final Discussions
```
Chairs: Dieter Bilitza (George Mason University, USA), Bruno Nava (ICTP, Italy)
```
  - 11:00 FINAL DISCUSSIONS: Future plans, Initiatives, Workshops 1h30'
  - 12:30 Lunch break 1h30'
  - 14:00 Students Receive their Certificates 30'
  - 14:30 Awarding Team Prizes 30'