SWIC4PECASUS is a series of formal courses for meteorologists working in the meteo room of the
Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium (RMI) to become a full space weather interpreter/operator.
The STCE space weather interpreters/operators working at the SWXC advisory production hub need to be trained to
perform space weather monitoring and forecasting duties,
monitor the functioning of the Expert Groups,
interpret the alert, data and products of the Expert Groups,
make the correct decision for given space weather conditions, in other words,
correctly escalate from quiet to moderate and severe conditions,
edit the outgoing Advisories.
An interpreter is familiar with the vocabulary of space weather and space weather impacts.
An interpreter is able to interpret the combined information of solar data (flares, radio bursts, radiation levels),
solar wind data resulting in geomagnetic storms (Coronal Mass Ejections, Coronal Holes, Sector Boundary Crossings),
galactic cosmic rays and ionospheric indices.
In a later stage, the course will include an evaluation to see if the required competences are met.
First series of SWIC4PECASUS
When, where and content
December 2017 and January 2018, five 2 hour course were organised for half of the team of the RMI operators at the STCE headquarters.
The training
Introduced PECASUS.
Discussed the ingredients and the impact of space weather: geomagnetic storms, radio blackouts and radiation storms,
with a visit of the STCE solar dome, the radio astronomy headquarters of the STCE, the STCE GNSS and Radiation expert centre.
Discussed the information, alerts and products provided by the EG SOL, GNSS, Radiation and HF.
Following the procedures defined by ICAO, a space weather case was simulated. A person from the EG SOL, EG GNSS and EG radiation
were present and provided the alerts and information relevant for this case.
Solar Monitor pictures solarmonitor.org - easy to use, shows solar pictures with coronal holes, active regions, classifications of active regions, ....
More references: Space Weather Introductory Course (SWIC) for mil.nl and KNMI
event page
The SWIC was intended for space weather operators of Koninklijke Luchtmacht van Nederland (KLN) and KNMI. In the meanwhile, KLN
has set up a space weather room for their users, i.e. military.
