Early Japanese contributions to space weather research (1945–1960)

Major contributions by Japanese scientists in the period of 1945 to 1960 are reviewed. This was the period when the foundation of the space weather research was laid by ground-based observations and theoretical research. Important contributions were made on such subjects as equatorial ionosphere in...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:History of Geo- and Space Sciences
Main Author: A. Nishida
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2010
Subjects:
Q
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.5194/hgss-1-1-2010
https://doaj.org/article/0f2d70fcda7447bf9c63830e58e02003
Description
Summary:Major contributions by Japanese scientists in the period of 1945 to 1960 are reviewed. This was the period when the foundation of the space weather research was laid by ground-based observations and theoretical research. Important contributions were made on such subjects as equatorial ionosphere in quiet times, tidal wind system in the ionosphere, formation of the F2 layer, VLF propagation above the ionosphere, and precursory phenomena (type IV radio outburst and polar cap absorption) to storms. At the IGY (1957, 1958), research efforts were intensified and new programs in space and Antarctica were initiated. Japanese scientists in this discipline held a tight network for communication and collaboration that has been kept to this day.