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Description

This workshop aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on the scientific and technological applications related to Space Weather phenomena, with a special focus on the ionosphere and its effects on space-borne and ground-based technological systems. This initiative seeks to strengthen national competencies and enhance ionospheric and Space Weather research particularly in Africa.

Space Weather refers to the interaction between the Sun and the Earth's near-space environment and has far-reaching impacts on various technologies. Phenomena such as cosmic radiation, solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and geomagnetic storms can significantly affect modern technological infrastructures. 
The workshop will address research in the field of Space Weather, examinig the properties and interactions of the coupled Magnetosphere-Ionosphere-Thermosphere (MIT) system and its forcing by energy inputs from the Sun, the underlying atmosphere and the solid Earth. The objective of the different lectures is to introduce the ionosphere and plasmasphere up to the plasmapause, including magnetic fields, solar radiation and solar wind. Particular attention will be devoted to the study of Space Weather effects on services and infrastructures related to satellite communication, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)-based positioning, aviation, satellite operations, Earth observation, and power-grid management.

Topics:
  • Space Weather and MIT coupling
  • GNSS fundamentals
  • Ionospheric irregularities
  • Ionospheric monitoring and modelling
  • Impact of Geomagnetic Disturbances on Power Transmission Networks


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

International School and Workshop on Space Weather | (smr 4236)
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  • Monday, 14 September 2026
    • 08:30 - 09:00 Registration & administrative formalities
    • 09:00 - 18:30
      • 09:00 Opening Ceremony 30'
        Speaker: Jens Berdermann (DLR, Germany), Sharafat Gadimova (UNOOSA, Austria), Vadym Paznukhov (Boston College, USA), Bruno Nava (ICTP, Italy)
      • 09:30 Versatility of the ionosonde for sensing multiple space weather processes 1h0'
        Speaker: Vadym Paznukhov (Boston College, USA)
      • 10:30 Coffee break and group photo 30'
      • 11:00 The Equatorial Ionosphere 1h0'
        Speaker: Babatunde Rabiu (NSEE)
      • 12:00 Discussion 30'
      • 12:30 Lunch 1h30'
      • 14:00 Ionospheric monitoring using altimeter derived TEC data 1h0'
        Speaker: Francisco Azpilicueta (University of La Plata - CONICET)
      • 15:00 Discussion 30'
      • 15:30 Coffee break 30'
      • 17:00 Discussion 30'
      • 17:30 Machine Learning and prediction of space weather phenomena 1h0'
        Speaker: Frank Heymann (DLR, Germany)
  • Tuesday, 15 September 2026
    • 09:00 - 14:00
      • 09:00 Introduction to Space Weather: From Observation to Forecast 1h0'
        Speaker: Jens Berdermann (DLR, Germany)
      • 10:00 Discussion 30'
      • 10:30 Coffee break 30'
      • 11:00 Empirical modelling of ionosphere and plasmasphere 1h0'
        Speaker: Mainul Hoque (DLR, Germany)
      • 12:00 Discussion 30'
      • 12:30 Lunch 1h30'
    • 14:00 - 16:00 Session 1: Equatorial and Low-Latitude Ionosphe
      • 14:00 A First-Principles Approach to Modeling Ionospheric TEC/Range Errors over the Equatorial and Low-Latitude Region: Insights from an Extreme Space Weather Event 15'
        Speaker: Arya Ashok (Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Trivandrum, India)
        Material: Abstract
      • 14:15 Assessing the contribution of Eastward Electric Field estimates to Artificial Neural Network modelling of the Swarm derived Equatorial Electrojet 15'
        Speaker: Daphine Ayebare (Mountains of the Moon University, Fort Portal, Uganda)
        Material: Abstract
      • 14:30 Investigation on Variation of the Ionospheric F2-Layer Bottomside Thickness Parameter at Selected Stations During Different Levels of Solar Activity 15'
        Speaker: F. U. Salifu (University of Ilorin, Nigeria)
        Material: Abstract
      • 14:45 Comparative Modelling of MUF Across Low and Mid Latitude Regions 15' 
        Pre-recorded video
        Speaker: Hira (University of Karachi, Pakistan)
        Material: Abstract
      • 15:00 Discussion 30'
      • 15:30 Coffee break 30'
    • 16:00 - 17:30 Session 2: Ionospheric Response to Space Weather
      • 16:00 Multi-instrument analysis of the ionospheric response to the May and October 2024 geomagnetic storms over the East and West African longitude sectors 15'
        Speaker: Valence Habyarimana (Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda)
        Material: Abstract
      • 16:15 Storm-Time Variability of GNSS-Derived Ionospheric VTEC over East Africa during Four major Geomagnetic Storms of Solar Cycle 24 15'
        Speaker: George Omondi (Maseno University, Kenya)
        Material: Abstract
      • 16:30 Contrasting Storm Time Responses of TEC and Plasma Irregularities in East West Asian Low Latitude Ionosphere 15'
        Speaker: D. Pandit (St. Xavier’s College, Kathmandu, Nepal)
        Material: Abstract
      • 16:45 Assessing NeQuick 2 over the Brazilian Low-Latitude Ionosphere under Contrasting Solar and Geomagnetic Conditions 15'
        Speaker: S. P. Moraes-Santos (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
        Material: Abstract
      • 17:00 Discussion 30'
  • Wednesday, 16 September 2026
    • 09:00 - 16:00
      • 09:00 Estimation of ionospheric gradients from ground- and space-based measurements 1h0'
        Speaker: Mainul Hoque (DLR, Germany)
      • 10:00 Discussion 30'
      • 10:30 Coffee break 30'
      • 11:00 Thermosphere-Ionosphere perturbations caused by solar and geomagnetic forcing 1h0'
        Speaker: Frank Heymann (DLR, Germany)
      • 12:00 Discussion 30'
      • 12:30 Lunch 1h30'
      • 14:00 Ionospheric Scintillation Theory 1h0'
        Speaker: Dmytro Vasylyev (DLR, Germany)
      • 15:00 Discussion 30'
      • 15:30 Coffee break 30'
    • 16:00 - 17:30 Session 3: GNSS Ionospheric Monitoring, Modelling, and Space Weather Applications
      • 16:00 First Results from a Low-Cost GNSS VTEC Monitoring Station: Evaluation Against IRI and AfriTEC over ACCRA, Ghana 15'
        Speaker: Solomon Otoo Lomotey (UESD, Ghana)
        Material: Abstract
      • 16:15 Operational Short-Term TEC Forecasting and Anomaly Detection over Kenya 15'
        Speaker: Zipporah N. Margaret (Kenya Space Agency, Kenya)
        Material: Abstract
      • 16:30 PPP Analysis during the Mother’s Day Storm: A Case study of two Ugandan stations 15' 
        Pre-recorded video
        Speaker: Kyamulesire Bruno (University of Cape Town, South Africa / Kyambogo University, Uganda)
        Material: Abstract
      • 16:45 Assessment of SBAS Ionospheric Corrections 15'
        Speaker: Lahouaria TABTI (Algerian Space Agency, Algeria)
        Material: Abstract
      • 17:00 Monitoring the ionosphere with Low-cost GNSS receivers 30'
        Speaker: Bruno Nava (ICTP, Italy)
    • 18:45 - 20:00 Welcome reception
      Location: Cafeteria - Adriatico Guest House
  • Thursday, 17 September 2026
    • 09:00 - 16:00
      • 09:00 Estimation of Total Electron Content from GNSS measurements 1h0' 
        Online
        Speaker: Claudio Cesaroni (INGV, Italy)
      • 10:00 Discussion 30'
      • 10:30 Coffee break 30'
      • 11:00 Statistical models of ionospheric scintillation phenomena 1h0'
        Speaker: Dmytro Vasylyev (DLR, Germany)
      • 12:00 Discussion 30'
      • 12:30 Lunch 1h30'
      • 14:00 Impact of Geomagnetic Disturbances on Power Transmission Networks 1h0'
        Speaker: Jens Berdermann (DLR, Germany)
      • 15:00 Discussion 30'
      • 15:30 Coffee break 30'
    • 16:00 - 17:30 Session 4: Sun–Earth, Atmosphere–Ionosphere and Lithosphere–Ionosphere Coupling
      • 16:00 VLF Probing of the D-Region Ionosphere: Multi-Event Observations and LWPC Modeling 15'
        Speaker: Ahmed Ammar (ESPRIT School of Engineering and LSAMA Laboratory, University of Tunis El-Manar, Tunis, Tunisia)
        Material: Abstract
      • 16:15 Likely Relationship Between Gravity Wave Potential Energy and Sporadic-E Layers in the MLT 15'
        Speaker: Toyese Tunde Ayorinde (National Institute for Space Research (INPE), São José dos Campos, Brazil)
        Material: Abstract
      • 16:30 On the Response of the Mesosphere-Lower Thermosphere Region to 2025 M8.8 Kamchatka Peninsula Earthquake 15'
        Speaker: Shraddha Gurav (Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, Navi Mumbai, India)
        Material: Abstract
      • 16:45 Topside and Bottomside Ionospheric Signatures Preceding M ≥ 7.5 Earthquakes: A Statistical Analysis of Mid-Latitude Ionosonde Observations 15'
        Speaker: Racheal Foluke Oloruntola (Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria)
        Material: Abstract
      • 17:00 Response Patterns of Debris Flow Activity to Solar Proton Flares in Jiangjia Ravine, Yunnan, China 15'
        Speaker: Mingtao DING (Faculty of Geosciences and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China)
        Material: Abstract
      • 17:15 Discussion 15'
  • Friday, 18 September 2026
    • 09:00 - 15:00
      • 09:00 GNSS big data for ionospheric studies and applications 1h0'
        Speaker: Manuel Hernandez-Pajares (UPC)
      • 10:00 Discussion 30'
      • 10:30 Coffee break 30'
      • 11:00 Space Weather monitoring using GNSS 1h0'
        Speaker: Manuel Hernandez-Pajares (UPC)
      • 12:00 Discussion 30'
      • 12:30 Tribute to Professor Sandro Maria Radicella 30' 
        All the participants
        Speakers: Bruno Nava (ICTP), Babatunde Rabiu (NSEE)
      • 13:00 Lunch 1h0'
      • 14:00 Closing remarks 1h0'
        Speaker: Jens Berdermann (DLR, Germany), Vadym Paznukhov (Boston College, USA), Bruno Nava (ICTP, Italy)
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