Research Projects: SERCHAM

SERCHAM - Variability of Solar Energetic Radiation and CHemical Aeronomy of the Mesosphere

In the X-ray and extreme UV (EUV) parts of the solar spectrum, the flux varies by several orders of magnitude, even during short-lived events such as solar flares.

In this project the Sodankylä Ion Chemistry (SIC) model was extended to use available X-ray data from the GOES satellites. This model is used in studying the effects of

• the highly variable X-ray and EUV fluxes during solar flares, compared with EISCAT and riometer data
• a solar eclipse, compared with ionosonde and EISCAT data
• the possible role of solar X rays in modulating polar mesospheric summer and winter echoes

Collaboration

The main collaborators have been

• Department of Communications Systems, Lancaster University, UK
• EISCAT Scientific Association

In this project we also continued the collaboration with the Finnish Meteorological Institute in Helsinki and with the international CHAMOS team.