2023 EISCAT Radar School at the Heart of the Arctic

On 14–19 August 2023, Postdoctoral fellow Juan Carlos Araujo-Cabarcas participated in the EISCAT Radar School in Kilpisjärvi, Finland. He is a Postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Science and Mathematics Education at Umeå University. The participation was made possible by funding from Arctic Centre at Umeå University.

What is the EISCAT Radar School?

Araujo-Cabarcas starts by explaining that there are two important research sites close to Kilpisjärvi that are designed to collect atmospheric and ionospheric data using Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR) techniques: KAIRA and the newly built EISCAT_3D. They will both provide information about the complex systems in the atmosphere and the interaction between the Sun and the Earth.

– The International EISCAT Radar School is a training course for new users of Incoherent Scatter Radars at any stage of their research career. The course is a part of the preparation for EISCAT_3D. The school covers all essential aspects of the current Incoherent Scatter Radar systems, including the science programme. The course had strong focus on praxis, with activities such as working in groups of participants from all around the world on real data. There were dedicated radar experiments for every group, and the groups analysed data and presented their results under the guidance of an experienced team of instructors, Araujo-Cabarcas shares.

He continues to describe some details of the course.

– The course had an introduction to the electromagnetic properties of the Earth's atmosphere from a physical perspective, followed by a discussion on the details on Incoherent Scatter Radar theory and relevant topics about signal processing for measurements in the Ionosphere. Then there were a lot of practical elements where we had the opportunity to put into practice many of the technicalities regarding data acquisition and data post processing. We presented our analysis from real data, and we got valuable feedback from experts in the field.

Araujo-Cabarcas also adds that they got to visit the sites of KAIRA and EISCAT_3D.

– Getting to see the facilities allows participants to have a more complete understanding of the systems used for studying the Ionosphere.

What did you think of the course?

Araujo-Cabarcas shares that the course was very relevant.

– The set of lectures were designed so that participants from a broad background could understand the topics and be able to acquire deeper knowledge if needed.  The content of the school had a broader scope where different existing measurements systems were put into scope, which is very relevant for us analysts, he mentions.

How did the course benefit you as a researcher?

– Currently, I work with the Visualization of the Atmosphere (VisA) project, designing a platform for post-processing and visualization of authentic atmospheric EISCAT_3D data in the Arctic region. The concepts and tools learnt in the Radar School contributed towards strengthening my technical knowledge about the data acquisition from radar systems in the Arctic region in Fennoscandinavia. Additionally, I got to meet and have rewarding discussions with important leaders in the field of ionospheric science.

The study of the Ionosphere provides important understanding of space weather and has been proven critical in understanding current climate trends.

What significance did the course have for the Arctic?

Araujo-Cabarcas explains that the Arctic region is particularly important for the study of the atmosphere and the interaction between the Sun and the Earth.

– For example, it is in the Arctic region where we experience northern lights due to the coupling of the solar wind and the Earth's magnetosphere. The study of the Ionosphere provides important understanding of space weather and has been proven critical in understanding current climate trends. Correct modelling of ionospheric changes is a direct way of understanding the warming of the atmosphere and climate change.

He also mentions the benefits of the EISCAT_3D site, and of strengthening the Scandinavian infrastructure:

– The development of EISCAT_3D in the Arctic region will allow scientists to obtain valuable measurements for the understanding of northern lights, space weather, and climate among other interesting atmospheric phenomena. Additionally, the strengthening of the current Fennoscandinavian infrastructure allows scientists from universities in Sweden, Norway, and Finland to produce better science and play a leading role in atmospheric science, which promises to become a sustainable and self-driving loop.