From the Editors
In Memoriam of Editor Jennifer L. Gannon
Dr. Jennifer Gannon passed away suddenly on 2024 May 2 in Greenbelt, MD. Dr. Gannon had served as an editor for the Space Weather journal since April 2019, and she was the longest-serving editor on the current board, having started under the previous editor-in-chief, Dr. Delores Knipp.
Featured Special Collection
Submission deadline: January 10, 2026
Feedback between science and operations, also known as the Research to Operations to Research (R2O2R) pipeline, is a critical activity within the space weather enterprise that links model development with real world hazards and impacts. This special collection, initiated by Space Weather Editor Jenn Gannon, focuses on the progress, challenges, and future of the space weather R2O2R pipeline. Relevant contributions include case studies of existing or potential operational models, analysis of operationally relevant data stream, model validation studies and Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs), Observing System Experiments (OSEs), and perspectives on the current and future state of R2O2R. Additionally, manuscripts discussing Dr. Gannon’s contributions to the space weather fields are welcome.
Research Articles
Assessing Thermospheric Neutral Density Models Using GEODYN’s Precision Orbit Determination
Precision orbit determination programs are employed in both operational and research capacities to provide high-fidelity orbit trajectories of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Here, Z. Waldron et al. from CU Boulder Space Weather Technology, Research, and Education Center introduce an updated interface for the GEODYN-II precision orbit determination software, leveraging high-precision satellite trajectory data from global navigation satellite system-enabled low-Earth orbiting satellites to investigate satellite drag and assess upper atmosphere density models. Five different models are tested for the precise orbit solution of one specific satellite. It is found that all five models benefit from some scaling of the modeled density to better match the drag and the measured precise orbits.
A Framework for Evaluating Geomagnetic Indices Forecasting Models
Geomagnetic indices are used to quantify the severity of space weather disturbances. Machine learning and deep learning approaches are increasingly used to forecast geomagnetic indices. Here, Armando Collado-Villaverde et al. from the Universidad de Alcalá, Spain introduce a a metric designed to provide a rigorous and complete evaluation of such model performance across the different intensity levels of a geomagnetic storm. The authors suggest using preliminary data from the ACE satellite to evaluate models' performance in settings close to an operational real-time scenario.
Intersatellite Comparisons of GOES Magnetic Field Measurements
NOAA Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) have been in operation since 1975 with the GOES-R series of satellites, starting with GOES-16 in 2016 the latest GOES satellites. Each GOES-R satellite has a pair of magnetometers, one mounted on the end and the other part-way down a long boom. Here, Frederick Rich et al. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology demonstrates the relative accuracy and stability of the GOES-R magnetometer measurements on a daily and long-term (yearly) basis and compare them with those from the previous generation of GOES satellites.
Different Response of the Ionospheric TEC and EEJ to Ultra-Fast Kelvin Waves in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere
Kelvin waves are planetary-scale waves, and ultra-fast Kelvin waves have periods of 2-5 days and propagate into the mesosphere and lower thermosphere and can affect Earth’s ionosphere. Here, Ruidi Sun, Sheng-Yang Gu et al. from Wuhan University, China studied the response of ionospheric total electron content (TEC) and equatorial electrojet to the ultra-fast Kelvin wave at the equator. They identified various types of responses in the TEC and equatorial electrojet and that they depend on the background winds and the period of the waves.
Characterization of Radiation Exposure at Aviation Flight Altitudes Using the Nowcast of Aerospace Ionizing Radiation System (NAIRAS)
Aircraft flying at commercial altitudes are exposed to constant flux of high-energy charged particles and secondary neutrons, which can have adverse effects on human health, especially airline crews. Here, Daniel Phoenix et al. from NASA Langley Research Center present the Nowcast of Aerospace Ionizing RAdiation System (NAIRAS), a real-time, global, physics-based model that is used to assess such radiation exposure. They characterize radiation exposure at aviation flight altitudes using the NAIRAS model and compare with 45 flight trajectories from a database of flight measurement inventory.
Thermospheric Wind Response to March 2023 Storm: Largest Wind Ever Observed With a Fabry-Perot Interferometer in Tromsø, Norway Since 2009
Large winds in the thermosphere can occur during geomagnetically disturbed conditions. An intense geomagnetic storm occurred in March 2023 and S. Oyama et al from Nagoya University, Japan reported that it caused the highest thermospheric wind speed measured from Tromsø, Norway since 2009. The authors also present comparisons with magnetometer readings in Scandinavia that showed that a large amount of electromagnetic energy was transferred to the ionosphere-thermosphere system during this storm as well as total electron content (TEC) maps that suggested an enlarged auroral oval.
Modeling Geomagnetically Induced Currents in the Alberta Power Network: Comparison and Validation Using Hall Probe Measurements During a Magnetic Storm
During space weather events, geoelectric fields can be induced by geomagnetic disturbances and drive geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) through electrically-grounded power transmission lines. GIC-monitoring devices were recently installed at five substation transformer neutrals in Alberta. Here, Darcy Cordell et al. from the University of Alberta, Canada reports on a model-data comparison during a moderate storm in 2023 April 24. They found that the model, while performing reasonably well, underestimated peak GIC values by as much as a factor of 2.