Second PITHIA-NRF Training School

The “Second Training School of the PITHIA-NRF Plasmasphere Thermosphere and Ionosphere Integrated Research Environment supported by T-FORS Machine Learning models” was held in KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, from 5 to 9 February 2024The school offered:

  • lectures on the physical mechanisms acting in the Earth’s Ionosphere, Thermosphere and Plasmasphere as parts of the coupled Sun-Earth system;
  • theoretical lectures on the TIDs triggering mechanisms and detection methodologies and practical courses on the data processing methodologies for TID detection and forecast models;
  • hands-on session on accessing data collections and models, and analysing the results.

The school addressed research scientists and engineers at all levels. The participation of PhD students and early career scientists was specifically encouraged.

Please view below or visit the dedicated webpage for detailed information.


Programme

The Programme is available below and here in pdf (downloadable) format.

Time (CET) Mon, 5 February 2024 Tue, 6 February 2024 Wed, 7 February 2024 Thu, 8 February 2024 Fri, 9 February 2024 Time (CET)
08:30 08:30
Walk in Walk in Walk in Walk in
08:45 08:45
09:00 09:00
09:15 09:15
09:30 09:30

"Foundamentals in thermosphere"

Sean Bruinsma (CNES)

aula 00.08

"LSTIDs: sources, propagation characteristics, detection techniques"

David Altadill (OE)

aula 00.08

"MSTIDs: sources, propagation characteristics, detection techniques"

Sivakandan Mani (IAP-L)

aula 00.08

Work Groups in Action

aula 00.08 & Dijlezaal M00.A1

09:45 09:45
10:00 10:00
10:15 10:15
10:30 10:30
Coffee Break Coffee Break Coffee Break Coffee Break
10:45 10:45
11:00 11:00

"ML-AI"

Giovanni Lapenta (KU Leuven)

aula 00.08

"Ionospheric data assimilation models"

Ivan Galkin (BGD)

aula 00.08

"TID nowcasting models - MSTIDs (focused on CDSS)"

Tobias Verhulst (RMI)

aula 00.08

Work Groups in Action

aula 00.08 & Dijlezaal M00.A1

11:15 11:15
11:30 11:30
11:45 11:45

"Themospheric models"

Sean Bruinsma (CNES)

aula 00.08

"TID forecasting models - MSTIDs"

Sivakandan Mani (IAP-L)

aula 00.08

12:00 12:00

Registration / Opening

Huis Bethlehem, KU Leuven, Auditorium Wolfspoort

"Instrumentation (ground and space)"

Tobias Verhulst (RMI)

aula 00.08

12:15 12:15
12:30 12:30

"Ionospheric irregularities & scintillations"

Luca Spogli (INGV)

aula 00.08

"RayTracing models"

Ivan Galkin (BGD)

aula 00.08

12:45 12:45
13:00 13:00

Lunch Break

STUK Art Centre Leuven

Lunch Break

STUK Art Centre Leuven

13:15 13:15

Lunch Break

STUK Art Centre Leuven

Lunch Break

STUK Art Centre Leuven

13:30 13:30
13:45 13:45
14:00 14:00

"Solar wind - magnetosphere interactions"

Stefaan Poedts (KU Leuven)

aula 00.08

"PITHIA-NRF e-Science Centre: how to discover, access, register data collections"

Tamas Kiss (UoW)

Raadzaal 00.18

Work Groups Presentations

aula 00.08

14:15 14:15

"EISCAT data collections"

Anders Tjulin (EISCAT)

aula 00.08

14:30 14:30
14:45 14:45

"Heliospheric data and model results"

Michaela Brchnelova (KU Leuven)

Raadzaal 00.18

15:00 15:00
Coffee Break

"GIM maps"

Manuel Hernandez-Pajares (UPC)

aula 00.08

Work Groups Introduction & Kick-off

aula 00.08 & Dijlezaal M00.A1

15:15 15:15
15:30 15:30

"Foundamentals in plasmasphere"

Fabien Darrouzet (BIRA-IASB)

aula 00.08

Coffee Break

Evaluation of Work Groups Results

aula 00.08

15:45 15:45
Coffee Break Coffee Break
16:00 16:00

"Ionospheric predictions for large scale storms"

Anna Belehaki (NOA)

Raadzaal 00.18

"TID nowcasting models - LSTIDs"

Antoni Segarra (OE)

aula 00.08

Work Groups in Action

aula 00.08 & Dijlezaal M00.A1

Announcement of Work Groups Evaluation

aula 00.08

16:15 16:15
16:30 16:30

"Fundamentals in ionosphere"

Luca Spogli (INGV)

aula 00.08

Farewell
16:45 16:45

"Dynamic kinetic model of the plasmasphere"

Viviane Pierrard (BIRA-IASB)

Raadzaal 00.18

"TID forecasting models - LSTIDs"

Claudio Cesaroni (INGV)

aula 00.08

17:00 17:00
17:15 17:15
17:30 17:30

Welcome Drink

Huis Bethlehem, KU Leuven, Reception Room

17:45 17:45
18:00 18:00

Social Dinner

DOMUS Leuven

18:15 18:15
18:30 18:30
18:45 18:45
19:00 19:00
19:15 19:15
19:30 19:30
19:45 19:45
20:00 20:00
20:15 20:15
20:30 20:30
20:45 20:45
21:00 21:00

Social Activity

Brewery Visit Stella Artois

21:15 21:15
21:30 21:30
21:45 21:45
22:00 22:00
22:15 22:15
22:30 22:30

  

The lectures given during the School are available to the PITHIA-NRF YouTube Channel. You can access them here.


Funds were available to support the travel of participants with an excellent CV accompanied by a motivation letter and a recommendation letter.

Key dates:

  • Registration opening: 28 September 2023
  • Application closing: 12 January 2024
  • Acceptance: 22 December 2023
  • Final program: 15 January 2024

Venue: KU Leuven, Auditorium Wolfspoort, Schapenstraat 34, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.

Practical information is available here.


Program Committee: Anna Belehaki (NOA, chair), Viviane Pierrard (BIRA-IASB), Stefaan Poedts (KU Leuven), Antoni Segarra (OE), Luca Spogli (INGV), Tobias Verhulst (RMI)

Evaluation Committee: Tobias Verhulst (RMI, chair), Lucilla Alfonsi (INGV), David Altadill (OE), Anna Belehaki (NOA), Viviane Pierrard (BIRA-IASB), Stefaan Poedts (KU Leuven), Jurgen Watermann (JFWCONSULT)

Local Organizing Committee: Stefaan Poedts (KU Leuven, chair), Fabien Darrouzet (BIRA-IASB), Viviane Pierrard (BIRA-IASB), Angeliki Thanasou (NOA), Joelke Vandoren (KU Leuven), Tobias Verhulst (RMI)