CAS Sudden Ionospheric Disturbance  (SuperSID) System

Welcome to Cincinnati Astronomical Society SuperSID Monitor Website
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

39.1919° N, 84.7108° W

NOTE- Monitor was down for repairs Feb 26-March 9 2024

The CAS Space Weather Monitoring Program

Stanford University's Solar Center has developed space weather monitors.  These monitors detect changes to the Earth’s ionosphere caused by solar flares and other disturbances. We built our own 4x4 foot square loop antenna. Data collection and analysis is handled by a local PC. Stanford provides the centralized data repository. Here users can see and compare data from sites around the world

 

 

 

 

 

What is a Space Weather Monitor?

Our space weather monitor measures the effects on Earth of solar flares by tracking changes in very low frequency (VLF) radio transmissions as they bounce off Earth’s ionosphere. The VLF radio waves come from a Naval Submarine Transmitter in Cutler Maine. Signal strength of these VLF waves changes as the Sun affects Earth’s ionosphere, adds ionization, and thus alters where the waves bounce. Our monitors track these changes in signal strength.

 

 

 

 

 

What does SID Data Look Like?

To the left is our SID data graph for October 10,2023 to compare to the GOES ( Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite ) X RAY Flux. The y-axis of the graph indicates signal strength, and the x-axis time, in this case 24 hours. Note the change of the signal strength at sunrise and at sunset. Also note the Moderate M class and two Low C class solar flares.

 

 

What mechanisms affect the signal?

 

How does a Solar Flare effect the ionosphere?

 

How does the CAS SuperSID system work?

How do you access and analyze the SUPERSID data for possible solar flare events?

Want to find out more? Click here

 

 



 

 

Contact our team!

Emmy Bursk            Lois Oxley                 Jeff Rodriguez

 

SPACE WEATHER LINKS

SPACE WEATHER .COM                  GOES XRAY Flux Data                     Solar Dynamic Observatory               Current solar sunspot cycle         SPACE WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER NOAA

Stanford SUPERSID Monitor Data Access                Stanford Space Weather Monitor Program