Thermosphere Ionosphere Plasmasphere Modeling

The Coupled Thermosphere Ionosphere Plasmasphere Electrodynamics Model (CTIPe) is a state of the art research tool used at the Space Weather Prediction Centre to study thermosphere-ionosphere phenomena in order to develop nowcasting and forecasting algorithms for space weather. The objectives are to understand and quantify the importance of the upper-atmospheric mechanisms that affect human activities and to develop new monitoring and predicting techniques.

Rationale

The reliance of our society on technologies that are sensitive to space weather disturbances has increased in the last few decades. New systems being designed today require more and more accurate knowledge of the space environment in order to fulfil their missions.

The size and the complexity of the thermosphere-ionosphere system make it impossible to measure all relevant parameters continuously. However, the available measurements can be sucesfully used to constrain the results of physically-based numerical models which in turn can supply the missing information.