How do space weather research and operation activities in Asia-Oceania contribute to the world?
Abstract
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) is the only institute in Japan for researching information technology. Space Weather Forecast in Japan has been delivered to society on a daily basis since 1988. Since 2002, NICT has been seeding the space weather research and activities in Asia-Oceania. Regarding that, SEALION (SouthEast Asia Low-latitude IOnospheric Network), was established in 2003 with various observation equipment in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The AOSWA (Asia Oceania Space Weather Alliance) was initiated in 2010 accordingly. Ionosphere is considered as an entrance to space from the Earth. Day-to-day variation of the ionosphere strongly affects GNSS-based precise positioning technology. Ionosphere has local characteristics, and it is the reason why we need to have ionospheric observatories across the world to fully monitor the ionosphere. With the full real time information of the ionosphere, positioning error of the precise positioning technology can be expected to decrease. Regarding ICT social infrastructure that is being established, it is foreseen that the precise positioning technology will become the top priority in space weather business in coming years. Space weather is a global challenge and its effect is borderless. Therefore, international cooperation is a key to success. In this presentation, I would like to share our information on space weather research and operation activities in Asia-Oceania and encourage fostering a close cooperation among Asia-Oceania parties on space weather research and operation.