National Space Science Center, China

Jun. 25, 2012, Santa Fe

Meridian Space Weather Monitoring Project

(Meridian Project) and the International

Collaboration

Guotao Yang

Overview of the Meridian Project (MP)

The Meridian Project Framework

Recent Development

International Collaboration of MP

-Overview of IMCP

-Scientific goals

-Progress

Outline

MP is a Chinese multi-station chain along 120ºE to monitor

space environment, starting from Mohe, the most northern

station in China, through Beijing、 Wuhan、Guangzhou and

extended to Chinese Zhongshan station in the Antarctic.

Many basic physical

processes occur along the

meridian circle.

With the rotation of the

Earth, we can make global

measurements of the space

environment.

Scientific Principles

Station Distribution

Observatories 15 Stations Selected, No new station will be built ： (develop/purchase new instruments, upgrade existing equipment, get all

stations connected, build central data base, organize research and

application activities)

120°E Meridian Chain (10 stations)：Mohe、Manzhouli、

Changchun、Beijing、Xinxiang、Hefei、Wuhan、

Guanzhou、Hainan、Zhongshan；

30°N Chain (5 stations)：Shanghai（Hangzhou）、

Chongqing、Chengdu、Qujing、Laasa。

Among them, Beijing、Wuhan、Hainan、Zhangsan are

multi-tasking stations.

No Station Lat. Lon. Types of Observations

01 Mohe 53.5N 122.4E Geomagnetic, Ionospheric

02 Manzhouli 49.6N 117.4E Geomagnetic, Ionospheric

03 Changchun 44.0N 125.2E Geomagnetic, Ionospheric

04 Beijing 40.3N 116.2E Geomagnetic, Ionospheric, Lidar, MST Radar, IPS, Cosmic Rays，

HF Doppler Array , All-sky Airglow Imager、F-P interferometer

05 Xinxiang 34.6N 113.6E Geomagnetic, Ionospheric

06 Wuhan 30.5N 114.6E Geomagnetic, Ionospheric, Lidar, MST Radar，HF Doppler

Array ，Meteor Radar ，

07 Hefei 33.4N 116.5E Lidar

08 Guangzhou 23.1N 113.3E Geomagnetic, Ionospheric, Cosmic Rays

09 Hainan 19.0N 109.8E Geomagnetic, Ionospheric, Lidar、All-sky Airglow Imager 、VHF

Radar、Sounding Rocket

10 Zhangshan 69.4S 76.4E Geomagnetic, Ionospheric ，HF Radar，Aurora

11 Shanghai 31.1N 121.2E Geomagnetic，Ionospheric

12 Chongqing 29.5N 106.5E Geomagnetic, Ionospheric

13 Qujing 25.6N 103.8E Incoherent Scattering Radar

14 Chengdu 31.0N 103.7E Geomagnetic, Ionospheric

15 Lhasa 29.6N 91.0E Geomagnetic, Ionospheric

Parameters Observed

Earth Surface：Geomagnetic field、Geoelectronic

field 、Cosmic Rays；

Middle-Upper Atmosphere：density、temperature、

composition、electric current；

Ionosphere：density of electron and proton,

temperature, irregular structures, electric current

Interplanetary Space：solar wind plasma speed

Spatial Coverage

By

The Meridian Project

Geo-

Magnetic

Radio

Space Environment Monitoring System

… …

Data and Communication System

Research and Forecast System

Domestic Data

Exchange

International

Data Exchange

Public User

Sounding

Rocket

Professional User

FR

AM

EW

OR

K

Optical

atmospheric

I . Geomagnetic Monitoring Subsystem

To measure the variation of the geomagnetic (geoelectric)

field

To study the response of the geomagnetic (geoelectric)

field to interplanetary disturbances

Instrument

Geomagnetic Measurement

Relative Measurement Absolute Measurement

Proton Precession

Magnetometer: F

Overhauser magnetometer

F

DI-fluxgate

magnetometer: D. I

Induction

Magnetometer

Fluxgate Magnetometer:

H, D, Z

Geomagnetic Stations

No.

Station

Geomagnetic Geoelectric

DI OVERHAUSER

PPM Fluxgate Induction

Atmospheric

Geoelectric

1 Mohe 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

2 Manzhouli 1 1 1

3 Zhangchun 1 1

4 Beijing 1 1 1 1 1 1

5 Zhenzhou 1 1 1

6 Wuhan 1 1 1 1

7 Shaoyang 1 1

8 Zhaojing 1 1 1

9 Qionzhou 1 1 1 1

10 Sanya 1 1 1 1

11 Zhongshan 1 1 1 1 1

12 Hangzhou 1 1 1 1 1

13 Chendu 1 1 1

14 Lasha 1 1 1

Total 6 13 4 14 10 4 4

II. Radio Monitoring Subsystem

To measure the physical parameters of the middle-upper

atmosphere, ionosphere and the interplanetary space by

use of remote sensing technique.

1. Incoherent Scattering Radar（ISR）

The most powerful equipment in MP

ISR is located in Qujing, Yunnan Province (25.6°N，

103.8°E)。

To measure physical parameters of the middle-upper

atmosphere and ionosphere from 70 up to 1000 km.

ISR has a peak transmission power of ~3MW.

Four Parts

2. Radar Chain

Instrument Detecting Content Sites

MST Radar Wind parameters of troposphere, stratosphere and

mesosphere

Beijing、

Wuhan

HF Coherent

Scattering Radar

（HF Radar）

To detect the motion of the ionospheric structure

within a azimuth angle of 52º and 3000 km height

by use of the scatter features of the ionospheric

irregular structures

Zhongshan

Station at

South Pole

VHF Coherent

Scatter Radar

（VHF Radar）

To detect the irregular structure and drift (electrical

field) in the ionospheric E lay, and to detect intensity

and drift of the spread F, by measuring the intensity

and Doppler Shift of the echo from the field aligned

irregular bulk.

Hainan

Meteor Radar To detect the wind field and diffusive coefficient of

the atmosphere, the flux, position and velocity of the

meteors between 70~110 km by tracing the meteors

Wuhan

Mehe

• Digisonde (5)

Mohe (new) – Beijing (new) – Wuhan (upgrade)-Hainan

(upgrade) – Zhangshan (upgrade)

• Traditional Ionosonde (4)

Manzhouli – Changchun – Ghuanzhou – Chongqing - Lasha

3. Ionosode Chain

4. Real time monitor chain of space environment

Instrument Purpose Site

Interplanetary

Scintillation (IPS)

Monitor

To monitor the interplanetary disturbance and

obtain information about the solar wind

velocity and plasma irregular structures

Beijing

Cosmic Ray

Monitor

To detect the solar energetic particles and cosmic

rays

Beijing, Guanzhou

GPS-TEC To monitor the ionospheric TEC and scintillation

in real time

Mohe, Beijing,

Xinxiang, Wuhan,

Hainan,

Shanghai(Hangzhou)

HF Doppler Drift

Monitor

To monitor multi-scale ionospheric disturbance

propagation, by use of a long baseline system

including a 3 HF Doppler antenna array in

Beijing and a HF Doppler monitor in Wuhan

Beijing, Wuhan

III. Optical-Atmospheric Monitoring Subsystem

Instrument Content Sites

Lidar Temperature , density, and wind profiles of

the middle atmosphere

sodium density

Beijing,

Wuhan, Hefei,

Hainan

Fabry-Perot

Interferometer

Wind and temperature of atmosphere in the

mesopause region and F2 layer

Beijing

All-sky Airglow

Imager

The horizontal structure and transmitting

feature of gravity waves in the mesopause

region and the thermosphere

Beijing,

Hainan

Aurora

Spectrometer

Aurora spectrum, the atmospheric chemical

species, the energetic spectrum of the

energetic particles from the solar wind and

the magnetosphere

Zhongshan

Station in

South Pole

IV. Rocket Sounding Subsystem

To make in-situ measurements of temperature, density,

pressure, wind etc. in the height of 20~200 km.

Radio tower

Satellite dish

Satellite

GPS

receiver Radar Telemetry

Digisonde

Optical-atmospheric

instruments

Hainan Station: Low-latitude Multipurpose Station (20 N)

Rocket Sounding Base

8 types of ground based equipments

Ground-Based Instruments in Hainan Station

1. DPS-4 digisode

2. GPS- TEC Monitor

3. Ionospheric Scintillation Monitors

4. Lidar

5. All-sky Airglow Imager

6. CHIMAG Fluxgate Magnetometer

7. Geoelectric Monitor

8. Meteor radar

Data and Communication System

Collect, transfer, process, store and distribute

data

International and domestic data exchange

Three-layer-

Structure:

Station-Node-Center

Coordinate observations, research and

management

Carry out research and model

Jointly make space weather forecast

Promote international collaboration

Research and Forecast System

Research and Forecast

Center System has been

constructed.

Recent Development

High Performance

Computing Equipment

Operation Center

Data Center

Recent Advances

High Performance

Computing Equipment

ISR Radar has been developed

Emitting

system

Cover of

antenna

Cooling

system

Control

room

All the detection equipments have

bee developed

ISR Radar observed results

MST radar are also been developed

WH

MS

T

BJ

MST

Doppler Velocity（m/s）

Heig

ht（

Km）

2011-03-15 07:39:28 L E

-50 0 500.075

2.325

4.575

6.825

9.075

11.325

13.575

15.825

18.075

PS

D (

dB）

160

180

200

220

240

Doppler Velocity（m/s）

Heig

ht（

Km）

2011-03-15 07:39:28 L W

-50 0 500.075

2.325

4.575

6.825

9.075

11.325

13.575

15.825

18.075

PS

D (

dB）

160

180

200

220

240

Doppler Velocity（m/s）

Heig

ht（

Km）

2011-03-15 07:39:28 L S

-50 0 500.075

2.325

4.575

6.825

9.075

11.325

13.575

15.825

18.075

PS

D (

dB）

160

180

200

220

Doppler Velocity（m/s）

Heig

ht（

Km）

2011-03-15 07:39:28 L N

-50 0 500.075

2.325

4.575

6.825

9.075

11.325

13.575

15.825

18.075

PS

D (

dB）

160

180

200

220

240

Doppler Velocity（m/s）

Heig

ht（

Km）

2011-03-15 07:39:28 L H

-50 0 500.075

2.325

4.575

6.825

9.075

11.325

13.575

15.825

18.075

PS

D (

dB）

160

180

200

220

240

Doppler Velocity（m/s）

Heig

ht（

Km）

2011-03-15 07:39:28 L L

-50 0 500.075

2.325

4.575

6.825

9.075

11.325

13.575

15.825

18.075

PS

D (

dB）

160

180

200

220

240

Power spectra

-60 -40 -20 0 20 40 600.975

1.725

2.475

3.225

3.975

4.725

5.475

6.225

6.975

7.725

8.475

9.225

9.975

10.725

Zonal Wind（m/s）

Heig

ht（

Km）

2011-03-15 07:33:26 L

-60 -40 -20 0 20 40 600.975

1.725

2.475

3.225

3.975

4.725

5.475

6.225

6.975

7.725

8.475

9.225

9.975

10.725

Meridional Wind（m/s）

He

igh

t（K

m）

2011-03-15 07:33:26 L

Winds in the lower atmosphere

MST雷达中模式回波功率谱图

Doppler Velocity（m/s）

Heig

ht（

Km）

2011-03-16 08:41:00 M E

-50 0 500.3

9.3

18.3

27.3

36.3

PS

D (

dB）

140

160

180

200

Doppler Velocity（m/s）

Heig

ht（

Km）

2011-03-16 08:41:00 M W

-50 0 500.3

9.3

18.3

27.3

36.3

PS

D (

dB）

140

160

180

200

Doppler Velocity（m/s）

Heig

ht（

Km）

2011-03-16 08:41:00 M S

-50 0 500.3

9.3

18.3

27.3

36.3

PS

D (

dB）

140

160

180

200

Doppler Velocity（m/s）

Heig

ht（

Km）

2011-03-16 08:41:00 M N

-50 0 500.3

9.3

18.3

27.3

36.3

PS

D (

dB）

140

160

180

200

Doppler Velocity（m/s）

Heig

ht（

Km）

2011-03-16 08:41:00 M H

-50 0 500.3

9.3

18.3

27.3

36.3

PS

D (

dB）

140

160

180

200

220

Doppler Velocity（m/s）

Heig

ht（

Km）

2011-03-16 08:41:00 M L

-50 0 500.3

9.3

18.3

27.3

36.3

PS

D (

dB）

140

160

180

200

220

20 30 40 50 603.3

4.5

5.7

6.9

8.1

9.3

10.5

11.7

12.9

14.1

15.3

16.5

17.7

18.9

20.1

21.3

22.5

Wind Velocity（m/s）

Heig

ht（

Km）

2011-03-15 07:02:08 M

3.5 4 4.5 53.3

4.5

5.7

6.9

8.1

9.3

10.5

11.7

12.9

14.1

15.3

16.5

17.7

18.9

20.1

21.3

22.5

Wind Direction（°）

He

igh

t（

Km）

2011-03-15 07:02:08 M

Power spectra Winds in the middle-lower atmosphere

HF radar in Antarctic

雷达回波强度、电离层对流速度和雷达速度谱展宽

图

VHF Radar

后端处理系统

Meteor Radar

Meteor radar observation

Observed wind

Observed meteors

Meteor radar observation:

tidal winds

: Observation

: GSWM02

Recent Advances

Cosmic Ray Detector has

been constructed

50米天线 控制室

IPS

激光光束直指苍穹 数据采集单元

发射激光绚丽耀眼

探测结果：Na回波光子

数

Lidar

子午工程最新进展点滴

分辨率（166秒, 96米)

Simultaneously Observation of sodium layer and

potassium layer

Recent Advances

Lidar

All Sky imager

子午工程兴隆全天空气辉成像仪

子午工程海南全天空气辉成像仪

1. ASAI ---- Observation Data

2. FPI ---- at Beijing

Sound Rocket Launching

The first observation of the space environment respond

to solar wind by Meridian Project （2010/08/03)

-100

-50

0

50

100

Declination angle [min]

Man

Zh

ou

Li Lat=49.57 Lon=117.43

400

450

500

550

600

H component [nT]

40

60

80

100

Z component [nT]

0

50

100

150

Ch

an

gC

hu

n Lat=44.08 Lon=124.86

-100

-50

0

50

100

20

40

60

80

-150

-100

-50

0

Ch

en

gD

u Lat=30.91 Lon=103.73

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

220

240

260

280

-50

0

50

100

Wu

Han

Lat=30.5 Lon=114.5

-1000

-950

-900

-850

-800

200

220

240

260

-50

0

50

Lh

asa

Lat=29 Lon=91

-1050

-1000

-950

-900

-850

200

220

240

260

-250

-200

-150

-100

Qu

an

Zh

ou Lat=25 Lon=118.5

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

-20

0

20

40

-200

-150

-100

Qio

ng

Zh

on

g

Lat=19 Lon=109.8

-150

-100

-50

0

160

180

200

220

50

100

150

2010.8.3-5Ch

on

gM

ing

San

Lie

Lat=0 Lon=0

-250

-200

-150

-100

-50

2010.8.3-5100

120

140

160

2010.8.3-5

Magnetic data ionosphere

Strong Ionospheric disturb observed by MP, after

Mar.11, 2011 Earthquake in Japan

International Collaboration

– The International Space Weather Meridian Circle Program (IMCP)

① -Overview of IMCP

② -Scientific goals

③ -Progress

The International Space

Weather Meridian

Circle Program (IMCP),

proposal to connect

120ºE and 60ºW

meridian chains of

ground based monitors

and enhance the ability

of monitoring space

environment worldwide.

International Collaboration

USA

Canada

Russian

Brazil

Australia

Japan

etc

International ground-base

observation system

IMCP

Geomagnetic circle

IPS Observation

net

Middle –upper

atmosphere circle

Ionosphere Circle

Cosmic ray circle

Aura observation

net

Proposed Frame of IMCP

1、俄罗斯25个台站； 2、加拿大7个台站； 3、澳大利亚10个台站； 4、美国17个台站； 5、中国15个台站

1、测高仪 2、电离层吸收； 3、GPS-TEC； 4、HF-Radar； 5、非相干散射雷达

1、激光雷达LIDAR 2、光学干涉仪FPI； 3、全天空气辉成像仪

ASAI； 4、流星雷达 5、 MST radar

1、澳大利亚： Canberra、Culgoora；

2、墨西哥：Michoacan 3、日本4个台站 4、中国：北京

1、俄罗斯5个台站； 2、加拿大7个台站； 3、澳大利亚Mawson和

Kingston台站； 4、美国Thule台站； 5、阿根廷Pierre Auger台站 6、中国北京和海南台站

1、加拿大Schefferville，Goose Bay，Kapuskasing 台站；

2、澳大利亚South pole 3个台站； 3、美国Wallops Island台

站；

Scientific Goals

1. Use diverse instrumentation to observe physical

parameters that pertain to the global space weather

system, as well as its coupling to the Earth’s atmosphere,

with a special emphasis on the collection of data and

information from all latitudes along a meridian circle

2. Cooperate with appropriate space missions with a view

toward characterizing the near-Earth space weather

system as a coupled three-dimensional entity

3. Understand the behavior of the geospace-atmosphere

system under conditions of major magnetic storms and

particle radiation

Scientific Goals

4. Understand the coupling and feedbacks between

geospace and the atmosphere in a global context

5. Develop models and numerical capabilities to

simulate and predict space weather in the geospace-

atmosphere system covered by IMCP

6. Produce space weather information and data

products to improve related research in the

participating countries and global community

7. Use the collective resources of IMCP to promote

awareness, public outreach, and education about

space weather.

Running method

An IMCP Scientific Committee are established to

promote and coordinate cooperative activities, by engage in

the following activities:

• Promote space weather monitoring and research

through coordinated ground-based observations

• Support the International Space Weather Initiative

(ISWI) and similar international programs

• Organize biennial IMCP scientific workshops

• Coordinate collaborative research activities within

IMCP, as well as externally.

Cooperation agreements have been singed between

Meridian Project and the above countries:

Progress of IMCP

Russian

Canada

Brazil

Australia

American(intend)

Japan(intend)

…

Meridian Project is a ground-based network program to monitor space environment , which consists of a chain of ground-based observatories with multiple instruments.

International collaboration will make it possible to constitute the first complete environment monitoring chain around the globe.

Summary

谢谢指正！ Thank You !