Operational Space Environment Network Display (OpSEND)

Abstract

, have implemented a new system of graphical products that provide easy-to-visualize displays of space weather effects on various radio systems operating through the ionosphere. By means of a three-level Web page, the user can select the radio system (UHF, HF, GPS, or radar), the map area (global or regional theater where the radio system is located), the time (nowcast or forecast), and additional options. This system, the Operational Space Environment Network Display (OpSEND), was first installed at the 55th Space Weather Squadron, Schriever Air Force Base (AFB), Colorado, and is now producing its first four products with a new Web format at the Air Force Weather Agency, Offutt AFB, Nebraska. Radar auroral clutter maps specify (nowcast) the estimated position and strength of the auroral oval relative to radar coverage regions. UHF Satcom scintillation maps nowcast and 2-hour forecast ionospheric scintillation and its potential degradation to UHF Satcom communication links. HF illumination maps nowcast and 1-hour forecast HF communication performance. Estimated GPS single-frequency error maps nowcast and 1-hour forecast positioning errors resulting from GPS constellation geometry and inaccurate ionospheric correction. Details and examples are presented.

Recent advances in real-time analysis of ionograms and ionospheric drift measurements with digisondes

“…Operational systems that rely on real-time input of sounding data products, eg. the operational space environment network display (Op-SEND) project at the US 55th space weather squadron producing HF illumination maps for DoD users (Bishop et al, 2004), were learned a hard lesson to be extra circumspect about the quality of live feeds that drive models of ionospheric plasma distribution such as the parameterized real-time ionospheric specification model (PRISM) (Daniell et al, 1995). The global assimilation of ionospheric measurements (GAIM) project (Schunk et al, 2004) is developing the next generation of ionospheric models seeking techniques to assimilate optimally the ionospheric data based on continuous evaluation of their accuracy prior to drive the model itself.…”

Validation of the Utah State University Global Assimilation of Ionospheric Measurements (GAIM) model predictions of the maximum usable frequency for a 3000 km circuit

“…AFWA uses an assimilative ionospheric model for making real‐time HF propagation predictions in its Operational Space Environment Network Display (OpSEND) suite of applications [ Bishop et al , 2004]. The USU GAIM model is currently being phased in to replace PRISM [ Anderson , 1993] for all OpSEND products.…”

Space weather effects on midlatitude HF propagation paths: Observations and a data‐driven D region model

“…Fadeouts are even more pronounced at high latitudes [ Hunsucker and Hargreaves , 2003]. This is timely because of renewed interest in the use of HF circuits by the military and civil defense [ Cook , 1997; Renfree , 2001; Bishop et al , 2004] and commercial users [ Goodman , 1992; Lanzerotti , 2001; Hunsucker and Hargreaves , 2003; Murtagh et al , 2004].…”