How to Acknowledge use of SuperDARN data
The research enabled by SuperDARN is due to the efforts of teams of scientists and engineers working in many countries to build and operate radars, process data and provide access, develop and improve data products, and assist users in interpretation. Users of SuperDARN data and data products are asked to acknowledge this support in presentations and publications. A brief statement on how to acknowledge use of SuperDARN data is provided in the following link: http://vt.superdarn.org/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=376(external link) Users are also asked to consult with a SuperDARN PI prior to submission of work intended for publication. A listing of radars and PIs with contact information can be found at Radar Maps/Tables/Links

Welcome to SuperDARN!
SuperDARN stands for Super Dual Auroral Radar Network. The network consists of more than 30 low-power HF radars that look into Earth's upper atmosphere beginning at mid-latitudes and extending into the polar regions. The radars operate continuously and observe the motion of charged particles (plasma) in the ionosphere and other effects that provide scientists with information on Earth's space environment. The knowledge gained from this work provides insight into space weather hazards including radiation exposure for high-altitude travelers and disruptions to communication networks, navigation systems (GPS), and electrical power grids.

The SuperDARN Research Group at Virginia Tech (VT) collaborates with an international community of scientists and engineers to operate radars and share data. The VT Group operates five radars. For a summary of the radars and their affiliations, visit the Radar Maps/Tables/Links web page.

U.S. SuperDARN Collaboration
The U.S. component of SuperDARN is funded by the National Science Foundation under the Space Weather Research (SWR) Program as a collaboration between Virginia Tech (lead institution), Dartmouth College, Penn State University, and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). Click logos for access to the web sites of the U.S. partners.


International SuperDARN Collaborators
In addition to the U.S. partners, the SuperDARN collaboration counts many international partner institutions that share an interest in studies of the ionosphere and the relationship between the ionosphere and space weather. Click the logo below for access to the University of Saskatchewan SuperDARN site that features a real-time data display based on links to radars in North America.


Recent VT News

2023 Space Weather Simulations Summer School at University of Michigan (Opportunity: May 1, 2023)

By: miker  on: Tue., Mar. 21, 2023 12:24 PM EDT  (59 Reads)
Students, undergraduate, and early graduate students are invited to join the second Space Weather Simulation Summer School to be held at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, July 24 - August 5, 2023. The goal of the summer school is to prepare students to gain skills that are required for science researchers. Specifically, the school teaches coding and how to code well, as well as how to write simulations. One of the many things covered are reading real space instrument data and making plots in python, documentation, and solving non-linear equations on a grid. Financial support is available for students.
The deadline for applications is May 1st.
Link to online application form: https://forms.gle/fRroNi6CYcrm8mn16(external link)
For more information, please email Qusai Al Shidi
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ISR Summer School 2023 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks - deadline extended (Opportunity: March 24, 2023)

By: miker  on: Sun., Mar. 19, 2023 11:00 PM EDT  (282 Reads)
The NSF funded 2023 Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR) Summer School (in-person) is planned to be held at University of Alaska Fairbanks between July 17-22. The summer school’s goal is to train students in the theory and concepts of incoherent scatter radar, and allows for hands-on opportunities to design and run experiments at ISR facilities. This year’s school will focus on high-latitude / auroral observations using the Poker Flat ISR (PFISR) as a part of the NSF supported Geospace Facility.

We encourage graduate/advanced undergraduate students to apply for the school. The program funds participants from the U.S. institutions, and international students who wish to participate can apply if their university/organization is willing to cover their travel expenses. The program web site ishttps://amisr.com/school/(external link)
The deadline for application submission is March 24, 2023.
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Recent SuperDARN News

Website for the 2023 SuperDARN Workshop in South Africa, May 29 - June 2 now open

By: miker  on: Fri., Feb. 10, 2023 11:49 AM EST  (550 Reads)
The 2023 SuperDARN Workshop will be held, in-person, in South Africa at a resort in the Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg Park (a UNESCO World Heritage site), May 29 - June 2, hosted by the South African National Space Agency (SANSA). The organizers, Michael Kosch and Judy Stephenson, have announced that the Workshop web page is now live and accepting registrations and abstracts:
https://superdarn.ukzn.ac.za(external link)
Although virtual attendance is not possible, presentations may be submitted electronically.

Early bird registration: April 14, 2023
Abstracts deadline: May 1, 2023
Late bird registration: May 1, 2023
Upload video presentations: May 19, 2023

For a synosis of the SuperDARN Workshops, see 'Read More'
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Release of pyDARN v3.1 announced

By: miker  on: Thu., Jan. 26, 2023 10:51 AM EST  (932 Reads)
On behalf of the Data Visulaization Working Group, co-Chair Carley Martin has announced the release of a new version of pyDARN software, namely, pyDARN v3.1

The new version pyDARNio (with correction of patch release v1.2.1 dated 7-FEB-2023) can be installed via
pip3 install pydarnio​
or an existing installation can be updated via
pip3 install --upgrade pydarnio

A list of the new features via the 'Read More' link
In Carley's words: 'The DVWG is always looking for more help testing and developing, I'm more than happy to walk through how to test or review code from students/staff new to SuperDARN and python. If anyone is interested in helping out with development of pyDARN and/or pyDARNio, let me or one of the DVWG chairs know!

Thanks to all involved in the development of our new release,
Special thanks to Emma Bland, we wish you all the best in Australia!'
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VT SuperDARN Technical News

New VT SuperDARN website under development

By: miker  on: Fri., Feb. 10, 2023 03:18 PM EST  (338 Reads)
A new website displaying news and information is being developed by the Virginia Tech SuperDARN group. The principal authors are Virginia Tech undergraduate Ethan (Duke) Hill and Dr. Bharat Kunduri. Several new features are available there including a one-click real-time display of data from the Virginia Tech radars (derived from the University of Saskatchewan real-time display) and the draft of a website where users can easily generate an Acknowledgement statement for use of radar data. The link to the website is

http://vt.superdarn.com(external link)

Real-time display: 'Radars v Realtime Data'

Please note that this is an active work area with offline periods likely!
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Seeking undergrad students - Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project

By: miker  on: Fri., Dec. 09, 2022 11:39 AM EST  (323 Reads)
Do you want to be in the shadow of the next two US solar eclipses? We need students for a project sponsored by NASA Space Grant to live-stream the April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse from the edge of space. An information session will be held (with light refreshments) on Monday Dec. 12th 3-4pm in Goodwin 145 and on zoom. The project will officially kick-off in January, and no prior experience is required to join the project. Through this project you will learn the fundamentals of high-altitude ballooning and work on the design, assembly, verification, and testing of project equipment including a ground station, Raspberry Pi camera payload, cutdown mechanism, data collection units, tracking systems, and payloads of your own design.

If you think you might be interested in this project but cannot make this time, still fill out the interest form (https://forms.gle/NNJnN4jvhEf26wmu7) so we know to reach out to you before next semester.

We hope to see you at the information session!
Cheers,
Ginny Smith and Kevin Sterne
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