Airborne monitoring of space weather and radioactivity
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Reading
Department Name: Meteorology
Abstract
The sun emits high energy particles, some of which have the capacity - particularly during episodes of disturbed Space Weather - to cause damage to the natural and artificial world. In the natural world, as the particles enter the atmosphere, they release electric charge from the air, which it is thought may have an effect on ice and water clouds in the atmosphere. To investigate this effect, which may have a small effect on climate, measurements of the charges generated at the same levels in the atmosphere where the clouds form are needed. A cost-effective way of doing this is to use a weather balloon which has been specially equipped to detect the high energy particles, as such balloon-carried measurement system are released by meteorological services around the world regularly every day.
This project will test out a new low cost approach to harnessing weather balloons for the high energy particle measurements, which will allow many new measurements to be made at little additional expense to that already invested in the weather balloon network. Some electronic systems are required for this which will be developed specially, but the method to be studied is so cheap as to be disposable as needed for a non-recoverable weather balloon. After the electronic circuits have been developed and tested using radioactivity available in a laboratory, a series of real test flights will be made. By choosing two locations at different latitudes, the effect of the earth's magnetic field on changing the energy of the particles which get down into the atmosphere can be used to test the new sensor.
An additional aspect is that radioactivity in the atmosphere above the surface can also be measured simply with the same instrumentation: as these balloons can be released easily from different places, this provides a capability to respond to nuclear accidents and terrorism, in monitoring the dispersal of the hazardous material without the complication of a powered aircraft.
In Russia an important measurement sequence of high energy atmospheric particles has been made using balloon systems since 1957, but, as the instruments become obsolete, this is not expected to be sustained within Russian science funding. By adapting the balloon measurement systems already used by meteorological services everyday, measurements of the high energy particles will be able to be continued cheaply, as well as providing the opportunity to monitor natural radioactivity for which there is an ever-heightened awareness.
This project will test out a new low cost approach to harnessing weather balloons for the high energy particle measurements, which will allow many new measurements to be made at little additional expense to that already invested in the weather balloon network. Some electronic systems are required for this which will be developed specially, but the method to be studied is so cheap as to be disposable as needed for a non-recoverable weather balloon. After the electronic circuits have been developed and tested using radioactivity available in a laboratory, a series of real test flights will be made. By choosing two locations at different latitudes, the effect of the earth's magnetic field on changing the energy of the particles which get down into the atmosphere can be used to test the new sensor.
An additional aspect is that radioactivity in the atmosphere above the surface can also be measured simply with the same instrumentation: as these balloons can be released easily from different places, this provides a capability to respond to nuclear accidents and terrorism, in monitoring the dispersal of the hazardous material without the complication of a powered aircraft.
In Russia an important measurement sequence of high energy atmospheric particles has been made using balloon systems since 1957, but, as the instruments become obsolete, this is not expected to be sustained within Russian science funding. By adapting the balloon measurement systems already used by meteorological services everyday, measurements of the high energy particles will be able to be continued cheaply, as well as providing the opportunity to monitor natural radioactivity for which there is an ever-heightened awareness.
Planned Impact
The impact of this work will be in providing new capability where none previously existed in the UK and cost-effective increased utilisation of established measurement networks nationally and, potentially, internationally. Radiosondes with research sensors have shown themselves able to be deployed during national emergencies (for example during the iceland volcano incident by the PI and CoI), hence extension of their capability to radioactivity measurement facilitates a new potential response to radioactivity released maliciously or accidentally.
DSTL, the British Navy and Vaisala have all expressed interest in the use of novel sensors on radiosondes, as users of radiosondes are interested in carrying additional sensors on their standard flights because of the value-added aspect. The new sensor systems to be employed offers spin-out potential for commercial activities, both with the radiosonde manufacturer Vaisala and the UK company BIRAL, based in Bristol with whom the Reading scientists have well-established links.
In addition, the UK Met Office is increasingly involved in Space Weather analysis, since it became identified on the National Risk Register. Through the work proposed, the measurement network already run for meteorology can be extended to provide new information on energetic particles in the atmosphere arising from Space Weather.
DSTL, the British Navy and Vaisala have all expressed interest in the use of novel sensors on radiosondes, as users of radiosondes are interested in carrying additional sensors on their standard flights because of the value-added aspect. The new sensor systems to be employed offers spin-out potential for commercial activities, both with the radiosonde manufacturer Vaisala and the UK company BIRAL, based in Bristol with whom the Reading scientists have well-established links.
In addition, the UK Met Office is increasingly involved in Space Weather analysis, since it became identified on the National Risk Register. Through the work proposed, the measurement network already run for meteorology can be extended to provide new information on energetic particles in the atmosphere arising from Space Weather.
Publications
Aplin K
(2017)
Measuring ionizing radiation in the atmosphere with a new balloon-borne detector New Detector for Atmospheric Ionization
in Space Weather
Harrison R
(2014)
Vertical profile measurements of lower troposphere ionisation
in Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics
Harrison R
(2022)
Measuring electrical properties of the lower troposphere using enhanced meteorological radiosondes
in Geoscientific Instrumentation, Methods and Data Systems
Harrison RG
(2013)
Note: Geiger tube coincidence counter for lower atmosphere radiosonde measurements.
in The Review of scientific instruments
Harrison, R.G.
(2012)
Space weather balloon measurements in the upper troposphere lower stratosphere region
in EPSC
Nicoll K
(2014)
Space weather influences on atmospheric electricity
in Weather
Nicoll K
(2016)
Stratiform cloud electrification: comparison of theory with multiple in-cloud measurements Stratiform Cloud Electrification
in Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society
Nicoll KA
(2014)
Detection of lower tropospheric responses to solar energetic particles at midlatitudes.
in Physical review letters
Yaniv R
(2016)
Balloon measurements of the vertical ionization profile over southern Israel and comparison to mid-latitude observations
in Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics
Description | I have had enquiries from School science students about the use of the technology, and how this compares with technology they are using for project work. International weather services are also interested in acquiring this technology |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Education,Environment |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | Evora |
Organisation | University of Evora |
Country | Portugal |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Contributed seminar to University of Evora Doctoral Training programme |
Collaborator Contribution | Running the Doctoral Training programme |
Impact | Educational interactions with University of Evora doctoral students |
Start Year | 2015 |
Title | Geigersonde development |
Description | The Geigersonde developed as part of this project has been developed further into a production version, for manufacture in quantity in the UK. |
Type Of Technology | Detection Devices |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Impact | This device is now available in quantity for routine use by the international weather services and the broader scientific community. |
URL | http://pic.twitter.com/AicqCsAyMY |
Description | IET Seminar, Stornoway, 17th September 2013 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk stimulated discussion from attendees invited by the Institute of Technology, and reports in local newspapers Discussion of space weather measurements amongst interested engineers |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
URL | http://mycommunity.theiet.org/communities/events/item/151/77/4898 |
Description | Met Expo 2013 talk, Brussels, 16th Oct 2013 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Keynote/Invited Speaker |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Commercial awareness of the technology developed Manufacturers explained latest developments |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
Description | MetTech article |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Paper Presentation |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Preparatory article for invited public talk at MetExpo trade exhibition Attendance at exhibition talk; interest of commercial manufacturers |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
URL | http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/f088b3fc#/f088b3fc/80 |