1st Equatorial SuperDARN: Nigeria's huge scientific achievement

Over the years, space weather hazards, high-frequency signals in oceangoing vessels and aircraft, global broadcast communications, and short-wave radio communication have been subjects of continuous monitoring and advanced research.

Worldwide, only a few countries have Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) sites for such atmospheric investigations, the latest being Nigeria.

For Nigeria, this changed on Nov. 4, when Vice President Yemi Osinbajo inaugurated the Virginia Tech-Nigerian Bowen Equatorial Aeronomy Radar (VT-NigerBEAR) at Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State.

The project involves local and international teams and institutions, including the Virginia Tech SuperDARN HF radar group, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, Bowen University, and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

Osinbajo said it was worthy of note that the facility was the first and currently the only deployment of an equatorial-low-latitude SuperDARN in the world.

According to him, the VT NigerBear is the 36th SuperDARN in the world.

"The SuperDarn, as we have heard, is a network of High Frequency (HF) radars that look into Earth's upper atmosphere.

"The radars operate round the clock and they observe the motion of charged particles (plasma) in the ionosphere and other effects that provide scientists with information on Earth's space environment.

"Their work provides insights into space weather hazards. So all long distance High Frequency signals such as in ocean going vessels, aircraft, global broadcast communications and short wave radio communication may be affected by irregularities in the ionosphere.

"These irregularities degrade HF and GPS signals; the SuperDarn discovers these irregularities so that remedial action may then be taken," he said.

He said that the first SuperDARN monitoring conditions of the near-Earth space environment in the high latitude regions achieved its official status in 1995.

Osinbajo said that in 2005, the "mid-latitude'' SuperDARN began operating at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia, U.S.

He said that the second was deployed in Hokkaido, Japan in, 2006.

"Today, there are 21 mid-latitude SuperDARN radars across the world, providing immense technology advantages at the mid-latitude regions.

"But irregularities in the ionosphere are also found in the lower latitudes, the equatorial low latitudes, and because there was no SuperDARN, the causes of degrading HF and GPS signals have remained a mystery.

"Now our own SuperDARN radar, the VTNigerBear will resolve that mystery.

"The VTNigerBear is the first and currently the only deployment of an equatorial-low-latitude SuperDARN anywhere in the world.

"This is a major leap forward in finding solutions to degradation of HF and GPS signals and will directly impact so many aspects of life and commerce.

"The extensive experience of the SuperDARN creates opportunities for Nigeria to leverage existing expertise, information and data as she joins a global network with experience spanning decades."

Osinbajo said the project could radically transform communications – infrastructure, space research, equipment design, geo-mapping, forecasting and prediction of atmospheric, climatic and oceanic conditions within Nigeria and the near low latitudes.

The vice president said it could be useful for offshore oil exploration activities, support the activities of the navy by measuring ocean wave heights, surface currents, and surface wind directions over vast, remote areas on Nigerian waterways.

"And it can also significantly change the quality of our communications, telecommunications devices, global positioning systems, satellite communications, military communications, aerial surveillance.

"And in particular the data obtained from the VT-NigerBEAR will be useful in the design of resilient equipment for Nigeria's communications industry, and for the work of Government agencies such as NASRDA and Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC).

"The data will also be useful for forecasting and prediction purposes for equipment manufacturers, because Nigeria's growth in technology will also leave us vulnerable to space weather effects.

"With the Canadian SuperDARN for example, Canada utilizes the data obtained from it to plan ahead for challenges such as pipeline corrosion, damage to electrical power grids, degradation of satellite navigation accuracy, loss of radio communications, and damage to telecommunications satellites that facilitate billions of dollars of business every day.

"The SuperDARN is also an important part of the Canadian Space Agency's Geospace Observatory, working with some institutions of higher learning, and public/private sector partners, the SuperDARN team makes significant contributions to space science research to understand the complex parts of the Space Weather system."

He said that Nigeria joined the SuperDARN, and must take advantage of the data collected by SuperDARN worldwide.

Osinbajo said Nigeria must utilise the data obtained and in collaboration with the network to contribute to the understanding of space weather, its benefits and disadvantages and impact on operations such as radio and satellite communications, oil pipelines and power grids.

"But perhaps more importantly the success of this project will serve as a template for other high-level research and scientific collaborations between Nigerian and international partner institutions by connecting results to industry and converting data to useful information for commercial and social good projects.

"We are all extremely proud of Bowen University and the team that has worked on this project, placing Nigeria on the SuperDARN global map and in the network of nations that play host to the international scientific radar network," he said.

The vice president commended the Vice-Chancellor, Bowen University, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, for his leadership on the project.

He also acknowledged the Principal investigator of the project, Dr Olawale Bolaji, of University of Lagos, Prof. Babatunde Rabiu of NASRDA and other partners of the project for their support.

An elated Ogunwole spoke glowingly of the accomplishment.

Ogunwole said the project had scientifically placed Nigeria on the pedestal of recognition.

"I want to congratulate Nigeria for this incredible feat; as this makes Nigeria the 12th country participating in this international scientific collaboration in the entire world.

"It gladdens my heart that the vice president is here in our midst to commission this noble facility.

"This shows the disposition that the leadership of the country has for cutting-edge technology.''

The vice chancellor said the VT NigerBear was a product of hunger industry, relevant research and development his administration.

He said that when his administration assumed leadership, it communicated that there would be research direction for Bowen University.

"In doing this, the university was open to ideas and initiatives that will help to crystalise this vision.

"Today, the university is doing remarkably well in the area of research; as research, collaborations and partnerships are already becoming common among staff and students.

"One of such collaborations is the SuperDARN facility that we are commissioning today,'' he said.

Espousing the project, Bolaji said that a lot of SuperDARNs were located in the upper and middle latitude region in the U.S and Canada; scanty at the Asian sector and few of them in the Australian sector.

According to him, Bowen is in the low latitude around the whole and there has never been any before.

"So, this is the first of its kind in the whole world and it is going to revolutionalise our communication because obviously, some of us that are into research, we find out that there is a lot of problem in terms of communication here.

"Some of the designs brought here are not meant for us; they are meant for middle latitude and high latitude but we are using them to make sure we are communicating but this facility is going to change the status quo and we will be communicating very well.

"So, we need a lot of partners to go into this; I will be leading the research and everyone is welcome for collaboration,'' Bolaji said.

Perceptive analysts hold that hosting the 1st Equatorial SuperDARN is a no mean feat as it will make Nigeria a critical stakeholder in international scientific radar network.