SWS Riometer Data, Four Stations in Southern Hemisphere / Antarctica (1987 onwards)

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Data Summary

Title: SWS Riometer Data, Four Stations in Southern Hemisphere / Antarctica (1987 onwards)
Status: onGoing
Start Time: 1987-09-11
End Time: now
Geographical Extent (deg):
West: 55.8984375
East: 164.17968750000003
South: -79.8046875
North: -39.0234375

Data Details

Abstract

The SWS WDC ( World Data Centre ) archives Riometer data obtained from Casey, Davis, Mawson and Macquarie Island in Antarctica. The first Riometer data file was obtained on 11/09/1987 from Macquarie Island . Precise start dates per station (as well as the decimal degrees and Glat/Glong) are available from: [ http://www.sws.bom.gov.au/World_Data_Centre/2/4 ]. A riometer (relative ionospheric opacity meter) (30 MHz) is an instrument used to quantify the amount of electromagnetic wave ionospheric absorption in the atmosphere.[1] As the name implies, a riometer measures the "opacity" of the ionosphere to radio noise emanating from distant stars and galaxies. In the absence of any ionospheric absorption, this radio noise, averaged over a sufficiently long period of time, forms a quiet-day curve. Increased ionization in the ionosphere will cause absorption of radio signals (both terrestrial and extraterrestrial), and a departure from the quiet-day curve. The difference between the quiet-day curve and the riometer signal is an indicator of the amount of absorption, and is measured in decibels. Riometers are generally passive radio antenna operating in the VHF radio frequency range (~30 MHz). Previously the cosmic radio noise was typically measured at around 20-50 MHz with wide-beam antennas. Lately, however, a new generation of imaging riometers has appeared. They consist of an array (8 x 8 or so) of wire dipoles forming narrow antenna beams which cover, in total, an area of 100 km x 100 km or more at 90 km altitude. See Detrick and Rosenber (1990) for more discussion on riometer techniques. Data frequency :Daily file;
Supplementary Information:
Map of all SWS stations [ http://www.sws.bom.gov.au/World_Data_Centre/2/1/1 ]. Documentation about Riometer data format [ http://www.sws.bom.gov.au/World_Data_Centre/2/8/7 ]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Data Parameter details: ++++++++ParameterDetailsNumber 1 ParameterName Raw Description: Cosmic noise intensity measured with a riometer. Caveats n/a Cadence PT10S Units DU ValidMin -2047 ValidMax 2047 FieldQuantity Electromagnetic ++++++++ParameterDetailsNumber 2 ParameterName QDC(quiet-day curve) Description A QDC is defined as the signal intensity that is observed with a quiet and undisturbed ionosphere. The QDC thus defined is subjected to seasonal and even shorter-term variations. A QDC determined for a given period is therefore only valid for that particular period of time. Caveats n/a Cadence PT10S Units DU ValidMin -2047 ValidMax 2047 FieldQuantity Electromagnetic ++++++++ParameterDetailsNumber 3 ParameterName Absorption Description Absorption = (QDC – Raw) / obliquity factor. Caveats n/a Cadence PT10S Units dB ValidMin -20 ValidMax 20 FieldQuantity Electromagnetic ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purpose:
Riometers are used to measure variation in the cosmic radio noise absorption taking place in the D-region ionosphere (50-90 km). The variations are caused by changing ionization levels of the D-region, either because of auroral disturbances or solar particle events (especially over the polar caps, see PCA events). Because of the low altitude of the absorption region, the auroral events are created by higher energy particles than the visible aurora. This dataset supports the Bureau's Space Weather Services ( SWS ) Program.
Keywords: (Type: theme)
  • Riometer
  • DataType-Observations
  • MeasurementType-Waves.Active
  • Space Weather
  • DataParam-Riometer-Waves.Active
Keywords: (Type: place)
  • Observed regions -Earth.NearSurface
  • Ionosphere
Keywords: (Type: theme; Thesaurus: GCMD science keywords)
  • Earth Science | Sun-Earth Interactions | Ionospher/Magnetosphere Dynamics

Citation Details

Title: SWS Riometer Data, Four Stations in Southern Hemisphere / Antarctica (1987 onwards)
Resource Date: 2017-06-30 (creation)
Identifier:
Code: http://www.bom.gov.au/metadata/19115/ANZCW0503900480
Party To Be Cited:
Organisation: Australian Bureau of Meteorology
Role: originator
Party To Be Cited:
Organisation: Australian Antarctic Division
Role: originator
Credit: Australian Antarctic Division have kindly provided past Riometer-related observations data from Casey, Davis, Mawson and Macquarie Island.

Point Of Contact For Dataset

Point Of Contact: WDC Manager, WDC manager; Space Weather Services, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
Email: sws_wdc@bom.gov.au
Web: Bureau of Meteorology, Space Weather Services website [http://www.sws.bom.gov.au/World_Data_Centre/1/8/] (WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link) , Function: information
Custodian: Australian Bureau of Meteorology
Owner: Australian Bureau of Meteorology
Owner: Australian Antarctic Division

Data Extent

Extent Description: Earth.NearSurface Riometers only are installed in four stations (Macquarie island, Mawson, Casey and Davis sttaions) which are located within the following geographic bounding box.
Geographical Extent (deg):
West Bound Longitude: 55.8984375
East Bound Longitude: 164.17968750000003
South Bound Latitude: -79.8046875
North Bound Latitude: -39.0234375
Temporal Extent:
Start Time: 1987-09-11
End Time: now
Description: 1987-09-11 to now

Dataset Constraints

Dataset Legal Constraints:
Use Constraints: copyright; otherRestrictions
Use Limitation: The riometer data has had very limited quality control.
Other Constraints: DATA LICENCE: Data resources freely available from the Bureau of Meteorology website and ftp site, which are described in this metadata record are licensed under the Bureau's "Default terms of use", which are explained at the following url [ http://www.bom.gov.au/other/copyright.shtml ]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ATTRIBUTION: We request that attribution is "Australian Bureau of Meteorology, and Australian Antarctic Division; (date), (Title); [ http://www.bom.gov.au/metadata/19115/ANZCW0503900480 ]; Downloaded from (url) on (date-of-download). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DISCLAIMER: Please refer to [ http://www.bom.gov.au/other/disclaimer.shtml ] for disclaimer details. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Data Information

Data Distribution Information

DownloadableData : Daily Riometer data from 4 Antarctic stations. View plot and get daily data file and link to data availability chart. [http://www.sws.bom.gov.au/World_Data_Centre/1/8] (WWW:DOWNLOAD-1.0-http--download) , Function: download
Online viewer of real time Riometer data from all 4 stations [http://www.sws.bom.gov.au/HF_Systems/6/3] (WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link) , Function: information
DownloadableData : FTP access to the station Riometer data data of Casey and a README file. [ftp://ftp-out.sws.bom.gov.au/wdc/wdc_rio/] (WWW:DOWNLOAD-1.0-ftp--download) , Function: download
SPASE metadata records [SPASE format], per station/data-type [http://www.sws.bom.gov.au/World_Data_Centre/3/1/31] (WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link)
Point of truth URL of this metadata record (19115) [http://www.bom.gov.au/metadata/19115/ANZCW0503900480] (www link) , Function: information

Data Quality

Scope:
Level: dataset
Lineage:
Statement: The Riometer data are processed data and are uncalibrated. The riometer data has had very limited quality control. In 2005 and 2006, Mawson had some unreliable data due to instrument problems. Some data files are unavailable due to instrument problems or power outages.
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Metadata Information

Metadata Identifier: ANZCW0503900480
Hierarchy Level: dataset
Hierarchy Level Name: Data Asset Audit record