The development of the Australian Space Forecast Centre (ASFC)

The Ionospheric Prediction Service (IPS) was formed in 1947 to provide monthly prediction services for high frequency (HF) radio, in particular to support HF communications with the United Kingdom. It was quickly recognized that to be effective such a service also had to provide advice when ionosphe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:History of geo- and space sciences 2018-05, Vol.9 (1), p.53-63
Main Authors: Wilkinson, Phil, Kennewell, John A, Cole, David
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Communication
Communications
Customer services
Government agencies
Methods
Organization formation
Powers and duties
Short term
Solar cycle
Solar physics
Weather forecasting
World War II
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Summary:The Ionospheric Prediction Service (IPS) was formed in 1947 to provide monthly prediction services for high frequency (HF) radio, in particular to support HF communications with the United Kingdom. It was quickly recognized that to be effective such a service also had to provide advice when ionospheric storms prevented HF communications from taking place. With the advent of the International Geophysical Year (IGY), short-term forecasts were also required for research programmes and the task of supplying the Australian input to these was given to Frank Cook, of the IPS, while Jack Turner, also of the IPS, supervised the generation of ionospheric maps to support high latitude HF communications. These two important IGY activities formed the platform on which all future IPS services would be built. This paper reviews the development of the Australian Space Forecast Centre (ASFC), which arose from these early origins.
ISSN:2190-5029
2190-5010
2190-5029
DOI:10.5194/hgss-9-53-2018