ISWI Newsletter - Vol.7 No.06
15 March 2015

Dear ISWI Participant:
The "2015 UN/Japan Workshop on Space Weather" concluded on 6 March 2015. In the words of Dr T. Doi (who, as the UN Expert on Space Applications, Office for Outer Space Affairs, United Nations, was responsible for this workshop on the UN side), the workshop "was a huge success".

It was a success because of the sagacity of the SOC and the sweat of the LOC -- there are too many names to mention here. (In this issue, some photos are introduced. More photos will be introduced in future issues.)

However, three names must be mentioned:

• - The Chair of the SOC was Dr Nat Gopalswamy, NASA.
• - The Chair of the LOC was Dr Akimasa Yoshikawa, Kyushu University.
• - The hands-on administrator on the UN side was Dr Werner Balogh.

All of us worked under their kind and well-thought guidance.

We have all the presentation files from this workshop. We will try to make them available at a website -- so stay tuned to this newsletter.

I also ask that you ask your colleagues to subscribe to this newsletter. It does not cost them any money to subscribe. And it provides info on all ISWI events and activities. Don't be in the dark. Subscribe -- and follow the ISWI.

CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE

[1] International Conference of VarSITI SCOSTEP "Superflares and Activity of the Sun in the Cycle Formation Epoch" (read it)

[2] COSPAR Capacity-Building Workshop from November 2-13, 2015, on KMITL Campus, Bangkok, Thailand. (read it)

[3] Photos of the SOC dinner...............March 3, Day 2 (read it)

[4] ISWI Certificates of Appreciation......March 6, Day 5, Closing Ceremony (read it)

[5] Random photos of the Ice Breaker.......March 2, Day 1. (read it)

[1] International Conference of VarSITI SCOSTEP "Superflares and Activity of the Sun in the Cycle Formation Epoch" 28 April-1 May 2014, Katsrin&Tel Aviv, Israel

Please see the first attached PDF

[2] COSPAR Capacity-Building Workshop from November 2-13, 2015, Bangkok, Thailand

We are pleased to announce that the COSPAR and King Mongkut’s Insitute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL), Thailand, will host a COSPAR Capacity-Building Workshop from November 2-13, 2015 on KMITL Campus, Bangkok, Thailand. The website for the Workshop is at http://www.iri2015.kmitl.ac.th. This Program consists of

1. Training session: November 2-6, 2015 and
2. International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) 2015 Workshop: November 9-13, 2015

The intent of the Training Session is to teach graduate students and young researchers the basics of ionospheric monitoring and modelling and familiarize the attendants with the most important online databases of ionospheric ground and space data such as LEO satellites, incoherent scatter radar, GNSS and web interfaces to ionospheric models. The course includes lectures *in the first week* covering issues related to the equipment and data analysis used to monitor the ionosphere from the ground and from space and the representation of ionospheric parameters in models like the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI). Lectures will be supplemented by hands-on tutorials and teams of 3-4 students will work on specific modeling problems. The teams will report their activities and present their results in a dedicated session at the end of the workshop. The *second week* will be organized as a regular IRI Workshop with scientists presenting their newest research related to improvements and additions to the IRI model and ionospheric modeling in general. This will provide the students with an opportunity to get to know the leading experts in the field and learn what are today the most pressing needs and goals in ionospheric model development.

Funding will be provided for accommodation and meals for the participants to attend both the Training session and IRI 2015 Workshop from November 1-13, 2015. Some travel expense will be covered for a limited number of applicants. The application is due to *May 15th, 2015.* It can be downloaded from the Workshop website.

The theme of the IRI 2015 Workshop is "Improved Accuracy in the Equatorial Region and Progress Towards a Real-time IRI Model." It aims to provide a venue to bring together of academics and researchers from around the world to meet and discuss the latest ideas and present the research results in ionopheric study and IRI models. related to the following topics: ??????

The authors of accepted abstract at the IRI 2015 Workshop are encouraged to submit the full paper to the special issue of Journal of "Advances in Space Research." after the Workshop.

[3] Photos of the SOC dinner

On Day 2 of the workshop, the SOC gathered for dinner. The Editor took some photos.

Please see the second attached PDF

[4] ISWI Certificates of Appreciation...... Closing Ceremony

During the Closing Ceremony, the Executive Director of ISWI, Dr Nat Gopalswamy, gave out some Certificates of Appreciation to those who are working hard on behalf of ISWI. All were present, except for Mitko who was not able to attend this workshop; a fellow Bulgarian accepted on his behalf. I can vouch that Mitko has really worked hard for ISWI since 2009 -- he does a great job for the ISWI website (http://www.iswi-secretariat.org/).

Please see the third attached PDF

[5] Random photos of the Ice Breaker

A thoroughly enjoyed social/cultural event of this workshop was the Ice Breaker on Day 1. It took place at an aquarium next door to the workshop venue/hotel.

Please see the fourth attached PDF

(1) International Conference of VarSITI SCOSTEP (First letter) 580 KB pdf, 2 pages (click )

(2) Photos of the SOC dinner 752 KB pdf, 4 pages (click )

(3) Photos of ISWI Certificates of Appreciation 1 409 KB pdf, 10 pages (click )

(4) Random photos of the Ice Breaker 1 702 KB pdf, 8 pages (click )