Development of an autonomous monitoring and forecasting capacity for the Space Weather, through the sharing of experiences and the launch of joint initiatives: this is the objective at the center of the collaboration agreement signed on Thursday 4 February by the president of INAF (National Institute of Astrophysics), prof. Marco Tavani, by the president of the INGV (National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology), prof. Carlo Doglioni and the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force, general of the air squad Alberto Rosso.
In the context of a rapidly evolving strategic sector both nationally and internationally, the initiative constitutes a precious opportunity for growth for all those involved, crucial for guaranteeing an effective adaptation to the evolution of the space and aerospace sector.
The Air Force has for some time already developed an operational capacity for the AM Meteorological Service Space Weather, based on the re-processing of data and information exclusively dependent on third countries. From today, the INAF and INGV resources available on the national territory and the mutual sharing of data, products, algorithms, models and services, will allow the consolidation of a more reliable and timely national operational capacity.
The collaboration agreement, in particular, provides for the sharing of real-time data, products and information from in situ or remote sensing observation systems, as well as the use of algorithms, procedures and numerical models for analysis and graphic processing. of analysis and forecast information for the Space Weather and for their operational use.
As part of the collaboration, the Air Force will participate in the development of new algorithms, methods and operating procedures by exploiting its human and infrastructural resources, based on the high specialization acquired in the sector, in order to continuously produce information that can be used for military purposes. or civilians. On the other hand, INGV, by virtue of its consolidated experience in the acquisition and management of monitoring data, will contribute as a service provider in the field of Space Weather to large institutional users.
"The agreement signed today is part of the broader national policy of sharing the best skills and competences in the Space sector - commented the air squad general Alberto Rosso. "The important results are obtained thanks to an increasingly inclusive participation between institutions, universities and research centers that know how to put together professionalism and knowledge, in a path of strengthening the country system, which the Air Force is proud of. to contribute through its particular skills ".
