Atmosphere (Dec 2023)
The Status of Space Weather Infrastructure and Research in Africa
- Paul Baki,
- Babatunde Rabiu,
- Christine Amory-Mazaudier,
- Rolland Fleury,
- Pierre J. Cilliers,
- Joseph Adechinan,
- Anas Emran,
- Aziza Bounhir,
- Claudio Cesaroni,
- J. Bienvenue Dinga,
- Patricia Doherty,
- Idrissa Gaye,
- Hassen Ghalila,
- Franck Grodji,
- John-Bosco Habarulema,
- Bruno Kahindo,
- Ayman Mahrous,
- Honoré Messanga,
- Patrick Mungufeni,
- Bruno Nava,
- Melessew Nigussie,
- Joseph Olwendo,
- Patrick Sibanda,
- René Tato Loua,
- Jean Uwamahoro,
- Naima Zaourar,
- Jean-Louis Zerbo
Affiliations
- Paul Baki
- Department of Astronomy and Space Science, Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi P.O. Box 52428-00200, Kenya
- Babatunde Rabiu
- United Nations African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education—English, Ile-Ife 220882, Nigeria
- Christine Amory-Mazaudier
- Sorbonne University, Polytechnic School, Paris Saclay University, Laboratory of Plasma Physics (LPP), 75005 Paris, France
- Rolland Fleury
- Laboratory Lab-STICC, UMR 6285, Institut Mines-Telecom Atlantique, CEDEX 3, 29288 Brest, France
- Pierre J. Cilliers
- South African National Space Agency, Hermanus 7200, South Africa
- Joseph Adechinan
- Physics Department, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou 01 BP 526, Benin
- Anas Emran
- CRASTE-LF, Rabat 10090, Morocco
- Aziza Bounhir
- High Energy Physics and Astrophysics Laboratory, Oukaïmeden Observatory, Cadi Ayyad University, FSSM, Marrakesh B.P. 2390, Morocco
- Claudio Cesaroni
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, 40128 Bologna, Italy
- J. Bienvenue Dinga
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics, Marien Ngouabi University, Brazzaville BP 69, Congo
- Patricia Doherty
- Institute for Scientific Research (ISR), Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
- Idrissa Gaye
- Institute of Technology, University of Thiès, Thiès BP 967, Senegal
- Hassen Ghalila
- Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Atomique, Moléculaire et Applications (LSAMA), Faculty of Science, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis P.O. Box 2092, Tunisia
- Franck Grodji
- Material Sciences and Solar Energy Laboratory (LASMES), Division of Aeronomy and Geomagnetism, Abidjan 01 BPV 34 01, Côte d’Ivoire
- John-Bosco Habarulema
- South African National Space Agency, Hermanus 7200, South Africa
- Bruno Kahindo
- Engineering Faculty, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa XI P.O. Box 202, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ayman Mahrous
- Institute of Basic and Applied Sciences, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), Alexandria 21500, Egypt
- Honoré Messanga
- Department of Geomatics, Higher Technical Teacher Training College, University of Ebolowa, Bambili P.O. Box 39, Cameroon
- Patrick Mungufeni
- Physics Department, Muni University, Arua City P.O. Box 725, Uganda
- Bruno Nava
- The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, 34137 Trieste, Italy
- Melessew Nigussie
- Washera Geospace and Radar Science Research Laboratory, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar P.O. Box 79, Ethiopia
- Joseph Olwendo
- Department of Physics, Pwani University, Kilifi P.O. Box 195-80108, Kenya
- Patrick Sibanda
- Kwame Nkrumah University, P.O. Box 80404, Kabwe, Zambia
- René Tato Loua
- National Institute of Meteorology, Conakry BP 566, Guinea
- Jean Uwamahoro
- Department of Mathematics and Science, College of Education, University of Rwanda, Kigali 3446, Rwanda
- Naima Zaourar
- Laboratory of Geophysics, FSTGAT, B.P.32 USTHB, Bab-Ezzouar, Algiers 16123, Algeria
- Jean-Louis Zerbo
- University of Nazi Boni, Bobo-Dioulasso 01 BP 1091, Burkina Faso
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14121791
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 14,
no. 12
p. 1791
Abstract
Space weather science has been a growing field in Africa since 2007. This growth in infrastructure and human capital development has been accompanied by the deployment of ground-based observing infrastructure, most of which was donated by foreign institutions or installed and operated by foreign establishments. However, some of this equipment is no longer operational due to several factors, which are examined in this paper. It was observed that there are considerable gaps in ground-based space-weather-observing infrastructure in many African countries, a situation that hampers the data acquisition necessary for space weather research, hence limiting possible development of space weather products and services that could help address socio-economic challenges. This paper presents the current status of space weather science in Africa from the point of view of some key leaders in this field, focusing on infrastructure, situation, human capital development, and the research landscape.
Keywords
