@article{ab82b9cfb8fc4efc9addee46a0f726d7,
title = "From COST 271 to 296 EU actions on ionospheric monitoring and modelling for terrestrial and Earth-space radio systems",
abstract = "The ionospheric community has long been aware that co-operative research on an international basis is essential to deal with temporal and spatial changes in the ionosphere that influence the performance of terrestrial and Earth-space radio systems. The EU COST (Co-operation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research) 271 Action on {"}Effects of the Upper Atmosphere on Terrestrial and Earth-space Communications{"} has had during the period of October 2000-August 2004 the following main objectives: (1) to evaluate the influence of upper atmospheric conditions on terrestrial and Earth-space communications, (2) to develop methods and techniques to improve ionospheric models over Europe for telecommunication and navigation applications and (3) to transfer the results to the appropriate radiocommunication study groups of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-R) and other national and international organizations dealing with the modern communication systems. At the beginning of 2005 the new 296 Action in the COST Telecommunications, Information Science and Technology domain on {"}Mitigation of Ionospheric Effects on Radio Systems (MIERS){"} was approved for the period 2005-2009. The main objectives of the MIERS are: (a) to support and enhanced the existing European facilities for historical and real-time digital ionospheric data collection and exchange; (b) to develop an integrated approach to ionospheric modelling, create the mechanism needed to ingest processed data into models, extend and develop suitable mitigation models and define the protocols needed to link models together; and (c) to strengthen the areas of expertise that already exist by stimulating closer cooperation between scientists and users, focusing the scope of all the previous COST ionospheric related studies to the mitigation of ionospheric effects on radio systems. This paper summarises briefly how the major objectives of the COST271 Action have been achieved and what are the most important activities to be undertaken in the follow-on COST296 Action.",
keywords = "Ionosphere, Monitoring and modeling, Radiocommunication",
author = "B. Zolesi and Cander, {Lj R.} and D. Altadill",
note = "Funding Information: Results of the COST271 Action and activities in the COST296 Action are particularly relevant to the following Europe-based activities: - ESA Space Weather Pilot Projects. - ESA studies on ionospheric effects impacting on EGNOS (The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) and GALILEOSAT (The European Satellite Navigation System). - DIAS (Digital Upper Atmosphere Server) project, currently funded under the EU eContent framework. - The European Solar Terrestrial and Atmospheric Research (E-STAR) programme considered within the ESF. Space weather aspects of the COST296 Action address important technological problems for telecommunications, which are complementary to and are not considered in the ongoing COST724 Action in the Meteorology domain on “Developing the Scientific Basis for Monitoring, Modelling and Predicting Space Weather”. The objectives of COST724 Action are to develop within a European framework the science underpinning space weather applications, as well as explore methods for providing a comprehensive range of space weather services to a variety of users, based on modelling and monitoring of the Sun–Earth system. The activities of both Actions, COST296 and COST 724 are equally significant in the global context and are expected to feed into: - Research on atmospheric and ionospheric occultation techniques, as the HIgh RAte measuring Campaign (HIRAC/Sol Max, from 23 to 27 April 2001) of the International GPS Service (IGS) and validation of the CHAMP satellite results. - International collaborations such as the International Reference Ionosphere (a project sponsored by the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) and the International Union of Radio Science (URSI)). - Regulatory bodies such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-R). - URSI Commission G activities such as the Beacon Satellite Group (WG2); - The IGS Iono Network. - Solar-Terrestrial World Data Centres (National Geophysical Data Center, RAL, etc.). Funding Information: The main objective of the COST296 Action is to develop an increased knowledge of the effects imposed by the ionosphere on practical radio systems, and for the development and implementation of techniques to mitigate the harmful effects of the ionosphere on such systems. Further objectives of the Action are to: * Support and enhance the existing European facilities making historical and real-time ionospheric data collections accessible to all. * Exchange information on methods and algorithms to mitigate the effects of ionospheric perturbations and variations on advanced terrestrial and space-based communication services by creating an effective computing infrastructure. * Develop an integrated approach to ionospheric modelling. * Create the mechanism needed to ingest measured parameters into models, extend and develop suitable mitigation models and define the protocols needed to link models together. * Make applicable results available to the ITU-R and promote the research aspects to EU funding agencies such as European Space Agency (ESA), European Science Foundation (ESF), EU Econtent and EU Framework Program (FP) 6/7. * Many aspects of this Action are relevant to the future European Space Programme (ESP), and a specific aim is to elaborate inputs for the preparation of this programme. * Strengthen the existing areas of expertise by stimulating closer cooperation between scientists and users. * Focus the scope of all the previous COST ionospheric related studies on the mitigation of ionospheric effects on specific radio systems that are in operational use, or in the development stage. The main benefit from the research and development to be undertaken within the Action will be value-added products applicable to current and new generations of radio systems operating in, or affected by, the near-Earth plasma environment. Other benefits of the Action are as follows: * Continuation of the ionospheric and other relevant data collection and dissemination for nowcasting, forecasting and mitigation purposes. * Dissemination and correlation of results, ideas and information among existing participants as well as others who may wish to participate in the future. * Significant increase in performance of operational and future radio systems thus providing valuable support to European research centres, industry and users. The research programme is defined under three topic areas, as follows. 3.1 ",
year = "2007",
doi = "10.1016/j.asr.2006.03.046",
language = "English",
volume = "39",
pages = "899--903",
journal = "Advances in Space Research",
issn = "0273-1177",
publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",
number = "5",
}