Sudden Ionospheric Disturbance

The MBO SID is located in the cabin in the RAG rack. The data acquisition is performed using ‘Sky-pipe’ and an Audio USB interface. The system is similar to the second-generation systems developed at Stanford solar center. The receiver is analog and is tuned to the NWC (North West Cape) frequency of 19.8 kHz to detect changes in the opacity of the D layer of the ionosphere to detect solar flare events.

The input to the SID is an octagonal loop antenna – approximately 1.6 x 1.6 metres with 50 turns. The antenna is mounted on the cabin outer wall oriented in the E-W (a slight compromise in direction).

The purpose of the SID is to detect solar flare events for counting and as an additional input for geomagnetic storm calculations.