Original: 14 July 2021
Welcome to the STCE's space weather (SWx) acronym webpage! This non-exhaustive list of nearly 1500 acronyms is based on existing listings from the Space Weather Introductory Course (SWIC) and the STCE Annual Reports (2011-present), and further expanded with a few listings from publications and reviews. This page will be regularly updated. Feel free to send us (swec@stce.be) any acronym you may find relevant for this SWx acronym list.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I |
| J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R |
| S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0α |
A
A (1) Area ; (2) Article ; (3) Ampère ; (4): Mount Wilson : a magnetically unipolar sunspot group (alpha)
Å Ångström (0.1 nm or 10-10 m)
A/C Aircraft
aa, AA A 3-hour and daily geomagnetic index (nT) based on two antipodal stations (Canberra and Hartland)
AAR Auroral Acceleration Region
AAS American Astronomical Society
aBG Above background
ABL Atmospheric Boundary Layer
ABOVE Array for Broadband Observations of VLF/ELF Emissions (Canada)
Ac Corrected area (e.g. for line-of-sight)
ACCESS-A Australian Community Climate and Earth-System Simulator (version -A)
ACE Advanced Composition Explorer
ACFJ Australia, Canada, France and Japan consortium
ACM Asteroids, Comets and Meteors conference
ACRIM Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (SMM and other satellites)
ACVE Atmospheric Composition Validation and Evolution
ADA Astronomical Data Analysis
ADEOS-2 Advanced Earth Observing Satellite 2 (aka Midori-2 ; failed 25 Oct 2003)
ADF Active Day Fraction
ADU Analog to Digital Units
AE Auroral Electrojet
Ae Effective Area
AERONET AErosol RObotic NETwork
AFB Air Force Base
AFFECTS Advanced Forecast For Ensuring Communications Through Space
AFRL Air Force Research Laboratory
AFS Arch Filament System
AFWA Air Force Weather Agency
AGACC Advanced exploitation of Ground based measurements Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate applications
AGN Active Geodetic Network
AGU American Geophysical Union
AGW Acoustic Gravity Waves (drivers of TID)
AH-64 Apache military helicopter
AIA Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (SDO)
AIAA American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
AIP American Institute of Physics
AIRS Atmospheric Infra-Red Sounder
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
ak, Ak Resp. a 3-hour and daily geomagnetic index for a specific station k, ranging from 0 (quiet) to 400 nT (extremely severe storm)
Al Aluminum
ALADIN Aire Limitée Adaptation Dynamique Développement International
ALARO ALADIN and AROME combined model
ALC Automatic LIDAR Ceilometer
ALF faint narrow-band radio bursts from sources propagating with velocities close to the local Alfvén velocity
AlGaN Aluminium gallium nitride
ALIS Auroral Large Imaging System
AlN Aluminum Nitride
ALTEA Anomalous Long Term Effects on Astronauts
ALTIUS Atmospheric Limb Tracker for Investigation of the Upcoming Stratosphere
AM Amplitude Modulation
AMRVAC Adaptive Mesh Refinement – Versatile Advection Code
AMS American Meteorological Society
AMTD Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussion
anaprop Anomalous Propagation
ANeMoS Athens Neutron Monitor Station
AOCS Air Operations Control Station
AOD Aerosol Optical Depth
AOGS Asia Oceania Geosciences Society
AOSWA Asia-Oceania Space Weather Alliance
ap, Ap Resp. a 3-hour and daily geomagnetic index, ranging from 0 (quiet) to 400 nT (extremely severe storm)
ApJ The Astrophysical Journal
APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day (NASA)
AP-RASC Asia-Pacific Radio Science Conference
APS (1) Active Pixel Sensor ; (2) American Physical Society
APSOLUTE APS Optimized for Low-noise and Ultraviolet Tests and Experiments
APV Approach with vertical guidance
APWC Antennas and Propagation in Wireless Communications
AR Active Region
Ar Argon
ARCAS Augmented Resolution Callisto Spectrometer
ARMAS Automated Radiation Measurements for Aerospace Safety program (NASA)
AROME Application de la Recherche à l'Opérationnel à Meso-Echelle
ARTEMIS Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of the Moon’s Interaction with the Sun
ASCA Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ka ASTRO-D ; failed on 14 July 2000)
ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange
ASEC Applied Space Environments Conference
ASFC Australian Space Forecast Center (SWS)
ASGARD An educational space programme for schools (no acronym)
ASH Amateur Sterrenkundigen van Herentals
ASIC Application Specific Integrated Circuit
Asl, ASL above sea level
ASOPOS Assessment of Standard Operating Procedures for OzoneSondes
ASPIICS Association of Spacecraft for Polarimetric and Imaging Investigation of the Corona of the Sun (PROBA-3)
ASTRA Atmospheric & Space Technology Research Associates
ASTRON Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy - Stichting Astronomisch Onderzoek in Nederland
ATC Air Traffic Control
ATLAS Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications & Science
ATM (1) Air Traffic Management ; (2) Apollo Telescope Mount (SkyLab)
ATMOS Advances in Atmospheric Science and Applications
AT-RASC Atlantic Radio Science meeting
ATST Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (old name for DKIST ; NASA)
ATV Automated Transfer Vehicle
AU, au Astronomical Unit; about 150 million km
avg. average
AVIDOS Aviation Dosimetry
AVL ASIMUT-(V)LIDORT model (IASI)
AWACS Airborne early Warning And Control Station
AWDA Automatic Whistler Detector and Analyzer
AWG Astronomy Working Group
AZA Auroral Zone Absorption
B
B (1) Magnetic field (strength) ; (2): Mount Wilson classification: a bipolar sunspot group with distinct magnetic polarities (beta)
B.USOC Belgian User Support and Operation Center
B/G, B/Gr Background
B0 Heliographic latitude of the central point of the solar disk (The range of B0 is +7.23°)
BAMC - UKMHD British Applied Mathematics Colloquium UK Magnetohydrodynamics
BATSE Burst And Transient Source Experiment (CGRO)
BBC British Broadcasting Corporation
BBC-SWS Balkan, Black Sea, and Caspian Sea Regional Network on Space Weather Studies
BBSO Big Bear Solar Observatory (USA)
BDE Bidirectional beams of suprathermal (> 100 eV) electrons
BE Belgium
BeiDou Chinese GNSS
BELARE Belgian Antarctic Expeditions
BELSPO Belgian Science Policy Office
BeNELux Belgium, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg
BER Backscatter-to-Extinction Ratio
BESSY Berliner Elektronenspeicherring-Gesellschaft für Synchrotronstrahlung
BEZA-com A networking project from BELSPO and its South African homologue NRF
BG Mount Wilson classification: a bipolar sunspot group with a complex magnetic configuration (beta-gamma)
BGS British Geological Survey
BIPM Bureau International des Poids et Mesures
BIRA Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Ruimte-Aëronomie
BISA Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy
BKG Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie
BLH Boundary Layer Height
BMD Ballistic Missile Defense
BNCAR Belgian National Committee on Antarctic Research
BNCGG Belgian National Committee on Geodesy and Geophysics
BOLD Blind to Optical Light Detectors
BOS Bolometric Oscillation Sensor
BRAIN-be Belgian Research Action through Interdisciplinary Networks (BELSPO)
BRAMS Belgian RAdio Meteor Stations
BSI Back-Side Illuminated
BSS (International) Beacon Satellite Symposium
BUKS Belgium, UK, and Spain
Bz Component of the IMF perpendicular to the ecliptic (“north-south” component)
C
C Capacitor
c Speed of light
C/N0 Carrier-to-Noise density (dB-Hz)
c0 Speed of light in vacuum
Ca II H A blue line in the solar spectrum at 396.85 nm
Ca II K A blue line in the solar spectrum at 393.37 nm
CA COST Action (COST)
CAAPC Cercle d'Astronomes Amateurs du Pays de Charleroi
CACTus Computer Aided CME Tracking software
CaF2 Calcium fluoride
CALLISTO Compound Astronomical Low frequency Low cost Instrument for Spectroscopy and Transportable Observatory
CAMS Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service
CAS Chinese Academy of Sciences
CASSIS Coordination Action for the integration of Solar System Infrastructures and Science
CB Central Bureau (EPN)
CBH Cloud Base Height
CCD Charge-Coupled Device
CCDF Complementary Cumulative Distribution Function
C-class flare Common x-ray flare
CCMC Community Coordinated Modeling Center
CCSOM Constraining CMEs and Shocks by Observations and Modelling
CCT Communautés de Compétences Techniques (CNES)
CDAW Coordinated data analysis web (NASA/GSFC)
CDS Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer (SOHO)
CELIAS Charge, Element, and Isotope Analysis System (SOHO)
CEN Centre d'étude de l'énergie nucléaire
CERES Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy System (radiometer)
CESPM China-Europe Solar Physics Meeting
CESRA Community of European Solar Radio Astronomers
CGRO Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (NASA)
cgs Metric system based on the centimeter, the gram, and the second
CGU Canadian Geophysical Union
CH Coronal Hole
CHAIN Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Network
CHAMP CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload
CHARM Contemporary physical challenges in Heliospheric and AstRophysical Models
CIMI Comprehensive Inner-Magnetosphere Ionosphere model (NASA/GSFC)
CIOMP Changchun Institute of Optics, fine Mechanics and Physics (China)
CIR Co-rotating Interaction Region
CIS Cluster Ion Spectrometry (Cluster)
CISM Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling
Cluster ESA/NASA mission to study the Earth’s magnetosphere (no acronym)
CLW Coronal Loops Workshop
cm centimeter
CM Central Meridian
CMA China Meteorological Administration
CMD Central Meridian Distance
CME Coronal Mass Ejection
CMOS Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor
CMOSIS CMOS Image Sensor
CMP Central Meridian Passage
CNES Centre national d'études spatiales (France)
CNRS Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France)
CNSS COMPASS Navigation Satellite System
CO2 Carbon Dioxide
Co60 Cobalt 60
CODE Center for Orbit Determination
CODE Center for Orbit Determination in Europe
COLAGE Congreso Latinoamericano de Geofísica Espacial
COMESEP COronal Mass Ejections and Solar Energetic Particles (Alert System)
CoMP Coronal Multi-channel Polarimeter
COMPTEL Compton Telescope (CGRO)
COMPASS Chinese navigation satellite system
CONUS Continental/Contiguous United States (Lower 48 states in USA with/without Alaska)
COPUOS COmmittee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN)
COR (1/2) Coronagraph (Inner/Outer) onboard STEREO
CORDEX COordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment
CORONAS Complex ORbital Observations Near-Earth of Activity of the Sun (series of Russian satellites)
CORS Continuously Operating Reference Stations (GNSS)
COSPAR COmmittee on SPAce Research
COST (European) COoperation in Science & Technology
COSTEP Comprehensive SupraThermal and Energetic Particle analyser (SOHO)
COTS Commercial off-the-shelf
CP Coronagraph/Polarimeter (SMM)
CPCP Cross-Polar Cap Potential
CPD Coarse Pointing Device
CPG Centre de Physique du Globe (Geophysical center Dourbes)
CPPA Conference on Plasma Physics and Applications
CR Carrington Rotation
CRaTER Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (LRO ; NASA)
CRC (1) Control and Reporting Center ; (2) Cyclotron Research Centre (in Louvain-La-Neuve)
CRCM Comprehensive Ring Current Model (NASA/GSFC)
CRF Cosmic Ray Flux
CRRES Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (NASA)
CSEM Center of Space Environment Modeling (Switzerland)
CSHKP Carmichael, Sturrock, Hirayama, Kopp and Pneuman (standard model for solar flares)
CSL Centre Spatial de Liège
CSPM Coimbra Solar Physics Meeting
CSWFC Canadian Space Weather Forecast Center
CTIM Coupled Thermosphere-Ionosphere Model
CTIPe Coupled Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Plasmasphere-electrodynamic model
CTM Continuum storm (radio)
CubeSat A small satellite measuring 10cm x 10cm x 10cm
CW Continuous Wave
D
D (1) Directivity of an antenna; (2) ionospheric layer ; (3) Mount Wilson classification: a suffix called that can be added to the other types (B, BG, G) in case of two opposite magnetic polarity umbrae that are less than 2° from each other within the same penumbra (delta).
D/SCI ESA Science Directorate
D/TEC ESA Technology, Engineering and Quality Directorate
D2D Digisonde-to-Digisonde
D3S Distributed Space weather Sensor System
DAU Data Acquisition Unit
dB (1) Decibel ; (2) change in magnetic field amplitude ; (3) Disparition Brusque (DSF)
dB-Hz decibel-Hertz (bandwidth relative to 1 Hz)
dBi dB with reference to an isotropic antenna
dBm dB with reference to 1 mW
dBW Decibel Watt
dBZ decibels relative to Z (reflectivity)
DCBs Differential Code Biases
Dcx Corrected Dst (and Dxt) for non-storm component and extended until 1932
DEM Differential Emission Measure
DeMeLab Detector Measurements Laboratory
DGPS Differential Global Positioning System
DH Decametric-Hectometric
DIARAD DIfferential Absolute RADiometer
DIAS Digital Upper Atmosphere Server
DIDBase Digital Ionosonde network DataBase
Digisonde Digitally Integrating Goniometric IonoSONDE
DIGISUN A software application for digitization of scanned sunspot drawings
DIono Ionospheric delay
DKIST Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (USA ; 4m aperture)
DLR Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (German Aerospace Center)
DMI Danish Meteorological Institute
DMSP Defense Meteorological Satellite Program
DMVTEC Daily Mean VTEC
DN Digital Number (pixel values not calibrated into physically meaningful units)
DNL Distant Neutral Line
DOI Digital Object Identifier
DOP Dilution Of Precision
DOT Dutch Open Telescope (45cm aperture)
DoY, DOY Day of Year
DPD Debrecen Photographic Data
DPM Data Processing Model
DPS (1) Division for Planetary Sciences (EPSC) ; (2) Digital Portable Sounder
DPS4D Digisonde-Portable-Sounder-4D
DPTIS Double-Probe and Topside Ionospheric Sounder
DR Dynamic Range
Dr. (US: Dr) Doctor
DRAO Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory (Canada)
D-RAP D-Region Absorption Predictions (NOAA/SWPC)
DSCOVR Deep Space Climate Observatory
DSF Disappearing Solar Filament (H-alpha)
DSLP Dual Segmented Langmuir Probe (PROBA2)
DSN Deep Space Network
DSP Digital Signal Processing
Dst Disturbance Storm Time index; an hourly geomagnetic index (nT)
DSW Data Science Workshop
DTropo Tropospheric delay
DTU Technical University of Denmark
DUSTER Dust Study, Transport and Electrostatic Removal (for exploration missions)
Dxt Reconstructed and extended Dst index (up to 1932)
E
E (1) Electric field; (2) Electrical efficiency of an antenna; (3) Energy; (4) ionospheric layer; (5) East
e- electron
E1, E5a Galileo frequencies: E1 = 1575.42 MHz , L2 = 1176.45 MHz
EBAF Energy Balanced And Filled
EC European Commission
ECA European Cockpit Association
e-Callisto extended Compact Astronomical Low-cost Low-frequency Instrument for Spectroscopy and Transportable Observatory
ECC Electrochemical Concentration Cell
ECMWF European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts
E-corona Emission corona (EUV)
ECS European CubeSat Symposium
ECSIM(-CYL) Energy Conserving Semi-Implicit Method (Cylindrical)
ECUVM European conference on solar UV monitoring
ECV Essential Climate Variable
ed. Edition
EDACs Error-detection-and-correction algorithms
EDAS EGNOS Data Access Service
EDP Electron Density Profile
Eds. Editors
EEJ Equatorial ElectroJet current
EESC Equivalent Effective Stratospheric Chlorine
EFR Emerging Flux Region
EGNOS European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service
EGNSS European GNSS
EGRET Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (CGRO)
EGU European Geosciences Union
E-GVAP EUMETNET GNSS water Vapour Programme
eHEROES Environment for Human Exploration and RObotic Experimentation in Space
EHF Extreme High Frequency
EIA Equatorial Ionization Anomaly
EIG Economic Interest Grouping
EIS Extreme-Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (Hinode)
EISCAT European Incoherent SCATter scientific association
EIT Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SOHO)
EIT-wave A coronal wave named after the EIT instrument
EIWG Earth ionosphere waveguide
ELF Extremely Low Frequency (3-30 Hz)
ELIS ELISabeth, Belgium station/receiver in Antarctica
EM (1) Electromagnetic (2) Engineering Model
EMBRACE Brazilian Studies and Monitoring of Space Weather
EMFISIS Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suit and Integrated Science (VAP)
EMIC ElectroMagnetic Ion Cyclotron
EMP Electromagnetic pulse
EMUF E-layer MUF (ionosphere)
ENEON European Network of Earth Observation Networks (H2020)
ENLIL Sumerian god of wind and storms (NOT an acronym)
ENTSO-E European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity
ENV Environnement atmosphérique et spatial (CNES)
ENVISAT Environmental Satellite (ESA)
EPAM Electron, Proton, and Alpha Monitor (ACE)
EPB Equatorial Plasma Bubble
EPCARD European Program Package for the Calculation of Aviation Route Doses
EPD Energetic Particle Detector (SolO)
EPEAD Energetic Proton Electron and Alpha Detector (GOES / SEM)
EPN EUREF Permanent Network
EPOS(-PL) European Plate Observing System (- Poland)
EPOS-IP European Plate Observing System – Implementation Phase
E-PROFILE EUMETNET Profiling Programme
EPS European Physical Society
EPSC European Planetary Science Congress
EPT Energetic Particle Telescope (PROBA-V)
EQE External Quantum Efficiency
ERA ECMWF re-analysis
ERAI ERA-Interim
ERB(S) Earth Radiation Budget (Satellite)
erg unit of energy (1 erg = 10−7 J)
ERNE Energetic and Relativistic Nuclei and Electron experiment (SOHO)
ES Earth System (Science and Environmental Management (COST)
Es Sporadic E (ionosphere)
ESA European Space Agency
ESAC European Space Astronomy Centre
ESC Expert Service Centre (ESA/SSA)
ESCAPE European SpaceCraft for the study of Atmospheric Particle Escape
ESD Electrostatic Discharge
ESERO European Space Education Resource Office
ESF Equatorial Spread F
ESIO EUV Solar Imager for Operations
ESLAB European Space Research Organisation Laboratory
ESO European Southern Observatory
ESOC European Space Operations Centre
ESP (1) EUV SpectroPhotometer (SDO) ; (2) Energetic Storm Particle event
ESPAS European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (FP7)
ESPM European Solar Physics Meeting
ESRIN European Space Research Institute
EST European Solar Telescope (4m aperture ; under construction)
ESTEC European Space Research and Technology Centre
ESWC European Space Weather Community
ESWP European Space Weather Portal
ESWW European Space Weather Week
ETH Zürich Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
ETRS European Terrestrial Reference System
EU European Union
EUCARA European Conference on Amateur Radio Astronomy
EUHFORIA European Heliospheric Forecasting Information Asset
EUI Extreme-Ultraviolet Imager (SolO)
EUMETNET European Meteorological services Network
EUMETSAT European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites
EUNADICS-AV European Natural Airborne Disaster Information and Coordination System for Aviation
EURAVIA European Association of Aerospace Students
EUREF EUropean Reference Frame
EURISGIC European Risk from Geomagnetically Induced Currents project (FP7)
EUV Extreme Ultraviolet
EUVI Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (STEREO/SECCHI; LGRRS)
EUVM EUV Monitor (MAVEN)
eV electronvolt (1.6 . 10-19 Joule)
EVA Extravehicular activity
EVE Extreme ultraviolet Variability Experiment (SDO)
EWC Early Warning Capability
EXIS EUV and X-ray Irradiance Sensors (GOES)
ExoMars Exobiology on Mars (ESA, Roscosmos)
F
F Force
f frequency
F1, F2 Ionospheric layers
F10.7 cm Solar radio flux at 10.7 cm wavelength
F10.7P Proxy for F10.7 cm solar radio flux (= (F10.7 + F10.7A)/2, with F10.7A the average over the previous 81 days
F2 Main ionospheric layer
F30 Solar radio flux at 30 cm wavelength
FAA Federal Aviation Administration
FAC Field Aligned Current
FADEC Full Authority Digital Engine Control
FAM First Attendees Meeting
FAS Frequency-Angular-Sounding
FC Faraday Cup (DSCOVR)
FCS Flat Crystal Spectrometer (SMM)
F-corona Fraunhofer corona (dust particles)
FD Forbush Decrease
Fe xvi Fifteen times ionized iron
FeIX 8 times ionized iron
FFT Feature Finding Team
FHNW Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland)
FIG Fédération Internationale des Géometres (International Federation of Surveyors)
FIP First Ionization Potential
FITS Flexible Image Transport System
FLEPOS Flemish POsitioning Service
FLEXPART FLEXible PARTicle dispersion model
FLIP FLuid Implicit Particle
FLRW Field line random walk
FM (1) Flight Model ; (2) Frequency Modulation
FMI Finnish Meteorological Institute
FN False Negative
FNRS Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique
f-number the ratio of the system's focal length to the diameter of the entrance pupil
foE Critical frequency E-layer
foF1 Critical frequency F1-layer
foF2 Critical frequency F2-layer
FORMOSAT-2 From “Formosa” (Taiwan) and satellite (Taiwan)
FOT Frequency of Optimum Transmission (ionosphere)
FOV Field-Of-View
FP False Positive
FP7 Framework Programme 7 (EU)
FPGA Field-Programmable Gate Array
FReSWeD Future Research on Space Weather Drivers
FRi3D Model of a flux rope in 3D
FRS (1) Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique ; (2) Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique
FS Forward shock
FSI Full Sun Imager (SolO/EUI)
FSL Fluid Science Laboratory
FST Facility Science Team (ISS-SOLAR)
FTE (1) Fast Transit Event ; (2) Full-Time Equivalent
FTS Fourier Transform Spectrometer
FU Frederick University
FUV Far Ultraviolet
FWC Full Well Capacity
FY3E FengYun: 5th satellite in the 3rd series of Chinese weather satellites
G
G (1) Gauss (1 G = 100.000 nT; 1 T = 10.000 G) ; (2) NOAA’s scale for geomagnetic storms; (3) Gain of an antenna ; (4): Mount Wilson classification: a complex sunspot group with magnetic polarities so irregularly distributed there’s no longer a bipolar structure present (gamma)
g number of sunspot groups
G4SUW Geant4 Space Users Workshop
GAGAN GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (India)
Galileo European GNSS
GAMIT GPS Analysis at MIT
GaN Gallium nitride
GAW Global Atmospheric Watch (WMO)
GB Gigabyte (109 bytes)
GBAS Ground Based Augmentation System
GBO Ground-Based Observatory
GCOS Global Climate Observing System
GCR Galactic Cosmic Rays
GCS Graduated Cylindrical Shell
GDM-TEC Global daily mean Total Electron Content
GEANT-4 GEometry ANd Tracking (simulation platform)
GEEO Global Environmental Earth Observation
GEN General Data Service (SN-I)
GEO Geostationary Earth orbit (at altitude of 35.786 kilometers)
GEONET GNSS/GPS Earth Observation NETwork system
GeodesyML Geodesy Markup Language
GEOSS Global Earth Observation System of Systems
GERB Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (radiometer)
GeV Giga electronvolt (109 . 1.6 . 10-19 Joule)
GF Geometric-Free
Gfg2 GNSS for GEEO and GEOSS
GFZ Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum (German Research Centre for Geosciences)
GHOST name of WG5 of the TOSCA project (no acronym)
GHz Gigahertz (109 Hz)
GIC Geomagnetically induced current
GIE Geomagnetically induced Electric field
GIM Global Ionospheric Mapping
GIOVE Galileo In-Orbit Validation Element
GIRO Global Ionosphere Radio Observatory
GTIM Global ionosphere Thermosphere Model
GLASS GNSS Linkage Advanced Software System
GLE Ground Level Enhancement
GLONASS GLObal NAvigation Satellite System (Russia)
GmbH Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (Company with limited liability)
GMC Geostationary Magnetopause Crossing
GMDSS Global Maritime Distress and Safety System
GMS Geomagnetic Storm
GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System
GNSS4SWEC Advanced GNSS tropospheric products for the monitoring of Severe Weather Events and Climate
GNSS-MR GNSS multipath reflectometry
G-nut/Tefnut Software library for GNSS data
GOES Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite
GOLF Global Oscillation at Low Frequency (SOHO)
GOME Global Ozone Monitoring experiment (SCIAMACHY)
GOMESCIA GOME/SCIAMACHY/GOME-2
GONG Global Oscillation Network Group
GOP Geodetic Observatory Pecný
GP-B Gravity Probe B (2004-2010)
GPS Global Positioning System (USA)
GRAPE GNSS Research and Application for Polar Environment
GRETSI Groupe d’Etudes du Traitement du Signal et des Images
GRUAN GCOS Reference Upper-Air Network
GRS Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (SMM)
GSAC GPS Seamless Archive Centers
GSE Geocentric Solar Ecliptic (coordinate system)
GSEQ Geocentric Solar EQuatorial (coordinate system)
GSFC Goddard Space Flight Center
GSM (1) Global System for Mobile Communications (2) Geocentric Solar Magnetospheric (coordinate system)
GSO Geosynchronous orbit
GSSAC German Space Situational Awareness Center
GSTP General Support Technology Programme (ESA)
GTO Geostationary Transfer Orbit
GUI Graphical user interface
GUVI Global Ultraviolet Imager (TIMED)
Gy Gray (J/kg ; absorbed radiation dose)
H
h (1) hour ; (2) Planck’s constant (6.62607004 × 10-34 m2 kg / s)
H (1) Hydrogen ; (2) Heat flux
H2 Molecular hydrogen
h’ virtual height (ionogram)
H2020 Horizon 2020; EU Research and Innovation program (2014 to 2020)
H2O Water, water vapour
HAARP High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program
HAC Hvar Astrophysical Colloquium
H-alpha (Hα) A red visible spectral line at 656.28 nm created by Hydrogen
HAO High Altitude Observatory
HaSTeNet H-alpha Solar flare patrol TElescopic NETwork
hc Critical height
H-component Horizontal component of the MF
HCS Heliospheric Current Sheet
He Helium
HEIDI Hot Electron and Ion Drift Integrator code (RC model)
HEK Heliophysics Events Knowledgebase
HELCATS HELiospheric Cataloguing, Analysis and Techniques Service
HELIOS HELmet streamers In the solar corona and their OScillations
HELSTOP Harmonization and Evaluation of Lower Stratospheric and Tropospheric Ozone Vertical Profiles
HEO High Earth Orbit (altitude > 35.786 km)
HEOS-1, -2 Highly Eccentric Orbit Satellite (ESA)
HESPERIA High Energy Solar Particle Events forecasting and Analysis project
HF High Frequency (3-30 MHz)
HI Heliospheric Imager (STEREO)
Hi-C High Resolution Coronal Imager
HILDCAA High-Intensity Long-Duration Continuous Auroral Activities
Hinode A JAXA/NASA solar mission : Solar-B satellite (“sunrise”)
HiSPAC HIgh level Space Policy Advisory Committee (ESA)
hmF2 peak electron density height of F2-layer
HMI Heliospheric and Magnetic Imager (SDO)
HOME Advances in Homogenisation Methods of Climate Series: An Integrated Approach (COST)
HOP Hinode Operation Plan
HPL Horizontal Protection Level (FAA)
HPS Heliospheric Plasma Sheet
HQ Headquarters
hr hour
HRI High-Resolution Imager (SolO/EUI)
HSF Human Space Flight (SN-I)
HSRS Humain Solar Radio Spectrograph
HSS High Speed Stream
HUJO HUmanistische JOngeren
HuRAS Humain Radio Astronomy Station
HWP Half Wave Plate
HXIS Hard X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (SMM)
HXR Hard X-Rays
HXRBS HXR Burst Spectrometer (SMM)
HXT Hard X-ray Telescope (Yohkoh)
HyMeX HYdrological cycle in the Mediterranean EXperiment
Hz Hertz (per second)
I
I Intensity
i ion(s)
i.e. “id est” (that is)
I/Ps Ionosphere-Plasmasphere system
IAC International Astronautical Congress
IAG International Association of Geodesy
IAGA International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy
IAGOS In-service Aircraft for a Global Observing System (MOZAIC)
IAIN International Association of Institutes of Navigation
IAMAS International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences
IAP Interuniversity Attraction Pole
IAPSO International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans
IAS Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale (France)
IASB Institut royal d’Aéronomie Spatiale de Belgique
IASC International Arctic Science Committee
IASI Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer
IAU International Astronomical Union
IAUS IAU Symposium
IAW Inertial Alfvén Waves
IBUKS India, Belgium, UK, and Spain
ICAC International Conference on Aerosol Cycle
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization
ICEAA International Conference on Electromagnetics in Advanced Applications
IceCON Constraining Ice Mass Change in Antarctica
ICEM International Conference on Electronic Materials
ICG International Committee on GNSS
ICIP International Conference on Image Processing
ICME Interplanetary CME
ICNS (1) Integrated Communications Navigation and Surveillance (conference) ; (2) International Conferencing and Networking Solutions
ICNSP International Conference on Numerical Simulation of Plasmas
ICRC International Cosmic Ray Conference
ICSU International Council for Science
ICT Information and Communication Technologies
ICTSW Interprogramme Coordination Team on Space Weather (WMO)
IDL Interactive Data Language
IDM Internal Discharge Monitor (CRRES)
IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
IEH-3 International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker-03
IERS International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service
IES (1) Imaging Electron Spectrometer (Cluster) ; (2) Ionospheric Effects Symposium
IF (1) Intermediate Frequency; (2) Interface
IFF Identification Friend or Foe
IGACO-O3/UV Integrated Global Atmospheric Chemistry Observation - O3/UV
IGS International GNSS Service
IGSO Inclined geosynchronous orbit
IGY International Geophysical Year (1957-1958)
IIFR Interpolated In-Field Referencing
ILWS International Living With a Star (Program)
IMAGE Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration
IMC (1) International Meteor Conference ; (2) Inner Magnetosphere Coupling
IMF Interplanetary Magnetic Field
IMO International Meteor Organization
IMPACT In-situ Measurements of Particles and CME Transients (STEREO)
IMPALAS Investigation of MagnetoPause Activity using Longitudinally-Aligned Satellites
INAF Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (Italy)
INGV Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (Italy)
INPE National Institute for Space Research (Brazil)
InSight Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport
INSPIRE (1) International Satellite Program in Research and Education (consortium of space universities) ; (2) Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (EU)
INTEGRAL INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory
INTERMAGNET INTErnational Real-time MAGnetic Observatory NETwork
IOC International Ozone Commission
ION Institute Of Navigation
IOP Institute of Physics
IP Interplanetary
IPAG Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble
IPB Ionospheric Plasma Bubble
IPC (1) Industrial Policy Committee (ESA) ; (2) International Pyrheliometric Comparison
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
IPE Ionosphere-Plasmasphere Electrodynamics
IPELS Interrelationship between Plasma Experiments in Laboratory and Space
IPF International Polar Foundation
IPIM IRAP Plasmasphere Ionosphere Model
IPP Ionospheric Piercing Point
IPS (1) Interplanetary Scintillation ; (2) Ionospheric Prediction Service (old SWS)
IPSL Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace
IPT-SWeISS Inter-Programme Team on Space Weather Information, Systems and Services (WMO)
IPY International Polar Year (most recent: 2007-2009)
IR Infrared
IRACON Inclusive Radio Communication Networks for 5G and beyond
IRAP Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planetologie (France)
IRENE International Radiation Environment near Earth
IRI International Reference Ionosphere
IRIS Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (NASA)
IRM Institut Royal Météorologique
IRNSS Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (Regional system; India)
Irr. (1) Irradiance ; (2) Irregular
IRSN Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire
ISAS Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (Japan)
ISBN International Standard Book Number
ISC (1) International Science Council; (2) International Steering Committee
ISEE International Sun-Earth Explorer program (ESA/NASA)
ISES International Space Environment Service
ISEST International Study of Earth-Affecting Solar Transients
ISIS International Satellites for Ionospheric Studies
ISN International Sunspot Number ( = k . (10 . g + s))
ISOON Improved Solar Observing Optical Network (USAF/AFWA)
ISROSES International Symposium on Recent Observations and Simulations of the Sun-Earth System
ISS International Space Station
ISS-a, -b Ionosphere Sounding Satellite (-a , -b ; Japan)
ISSI International Space Science Institute
ISSN International Standard Serial Number
ISSS (1) International School of Space Science; (2) International School/Symposium for Space Simulations
ISTP International Symposium on Tropospheric Profiling
ISU International Space University
ISUAL Imager of Sprites and Upper Atmospheric Lightning (FORMOSAT-2)
ISWI International Space Weather Initiative
IT Information Technology
ITRF International Terrestrial Reference Frame (IERS)
ITU International Telecommunication Union
IUAP Intra-University Attraction Pole network
IUGG International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics
IUMRS International Union of Materials Research Societies
IUWDS International URSIgram and World Days Service (previous name of ISES)
I-V Current-Voltage
IVOA International Virtual Observatory Alliance
IWV Integrated Water Vapor
J
J Joule
JAXA Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency
JBP Jet Bright Point
JGR Journal of Geophysical Research
jHV jHelioViewer
JMG Joint Meteorological Group
JOREM Jupiter Radiation Environment and Effects Models and Mitigation
JOSIE Jülich Ozonesonde Intercomparison Experiment
JPEG Joint Photographic Experts Group
JSWSC Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate
JUICE JUpiter ICy moons Explorer
JWG Joint Working Group
K
K (1) Local K-index: A 3-hour geomagnetic index, ranging from 0 (quiet) to 9 (extremely severe storm) ; (2) degrees Kelvin
K* Local 1-minute resolution K index
Ka-band “Kürz above”: Radio frequency band from 27-40 GHz
KAW Kinetic Alfvén Waves
KBVE Koninklijke Belgische Vereniging der Elektrotechnici
K-Cor K-coronagraph (MLSO)
K-corona Kontinuierlich corona (electrons)
k-factor An observer specific scaling factor used for the computation of the ISN
keV kilo electronvolt (103 . 1.6 . 10-19 Joule)
kHz kilo Hertz (103 /second)
km kilometer
km/s kilometers per second
KMI Koninklijk Meteorologisch Instituut
KNMI Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut
KNVWS Koninklijke Nederlandse Vereniging voor Weer- en Sterrenkunde
Kp Planetary K-index; A 3-hour geomagnetic index, ranging from 0 (quiet) to 9 (extremely severe storm)
KPN Koninklijke PTT Nederland NV
KPNO Kitt Peak National Observatory (USA)
Ks Standardized K index
KSB Koninklijke Sterrenwacht van België
KSC Kagoshima Space Center (Japan)
KSO Kanzelhöhe Observatory for Solar and Environmental Research (Austria)
KSP Key Science Project
KU K unit (geomagnetic)
KUL Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
kV kiloVolt (103 Volt)
L
L (1) Letter (manuscript); (2) Length; (3) Loss
L* Set of Earth's magnetic field lines which cross the Earth's magnetic equator at * earth radii from the centre of the Earth (e.g. L = 2)
l/m2 Liter per square meter
L0 Heliographic longitude of the central point of the solar disk
L1, … , L5 First, … , fifth Lagrangian point
L1, L2 GPS frequencies: L1 = 1575.42 MHz, L2 = 1227.60 MHz
LAAS Local Area Augmentation System
LAC Local Analysis Centres (EPN)
LANL Los Alamos National Laboratory (USA)
LaRa Lander Radio science (ExoMars)
LaRC Langley Research Center
LASCO Large Angle Spectrometric Coronagraph (SOHO); small (C2) and wide (C3) field of view
LASP Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Lat Latitude
LATMOS Laboratoire ATmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (France)
LAU LAUnch operations (SN-I)
L-class Large class satellite (ESA)
LCS (1) Local Coronal Signature ; (2) Low-Coronal Signatures
LDE Long Duration Event
LDM-TEC Latitudinal Daily Mean TEC value
LEA Learmonth (RSTN, radio observatory)
LEMUR Large European Module for solar Ultraviolet Research
LEO Low Earth Orbit (160-2000 km altitude)
LEP Lightning induced Electron Precipitation
LET Linear Energy Transfer
LF Low Frequency (30-300 kHz)
LGRRS-EUVI LaGRange Remote Sensing instruments (EUVI)
LH Left-handed
LHCP Left Hand Circular Polarized
LIDAR LIght Detection And Radar
LIEDR Local Ionospheric Electron Density profile Reconstruction
LIF Light Ion radiation Facility (in Louvain-La-Neuve)
LMSAL Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory
LOC Local Organizing Committee
LOFAR Low-Frequency Array
LOL Loss Of Lock (GNSS)
Lon Longitude
LORAN Long Range Navigation
LOS Line Of Sight
LOUI-Base Lowell ObliqUe Incidence database
LPV Localizer performance with vertical guidance (WAAS)
LRO Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (NASA)
LRSP Living Reviews in Solar Physics
Ls Solar longitude
LSWC Lund Space Weather Centre (Sweden)
L-shell Set of planetary magnetic field lines (see L*)
LT Local Time
LUCE LUnar CubeSats for Exploration
LUF Lowest Useable Frequency
LVF Linear Variable Filter
LVNL Luchtverkeersleiding Nederland
LW Langmuir Wave
LWS Living With a Star
LYRA Large Yield RAdiometer, formerly called Lyman Alpha Radiometer (PROBA2)
LYRAFF LYRA Flare Finder
Ly-α Lyman-alpha, a spectral line in the VUV at 121.6 nm
M
m3 Cubic meter
M3G Metadata Management and distribution system for Multiple GNSS Networks
MAARBLE Monitoring, Analyzing and Assessing Radiation Belt Loss and Energization
MADAWG Modelling and Data analysis Working Group (SolO)
MAG Magnetometer instrument (ACE, DSCOVR, SolO)
MAGION-5 A Czech subsatellite
MAJIS Moons And Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer (JUICE)
MAO Main Astronomical Observatory of National Academy of Science of Ukraine (conference)
MARECS-A Maritime European Communications Satellite (Failed March 1991)
MARIE Mars Radiation Experiment (Mars Odyssey ; failed during Halloween storms)
MARSIS Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding
MASC Magnetic Activity of the Solar Corona
MASTER Meteoroid and Space Debris Terrestrial Environment Reference
MAVEN Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (NASA)
MB Megabyte (106 bytes)
mbar millibar
MC (1) Magnetic cloud ; (2) Management Committee
M-class flare Medium x-ray flare
M-class Medium class satellite (ESA)
MCM Management Committee Meeting
MDI Michelson Doppler Imager (SOHO)
MEGS-A Multiple EUV Grating Spectrograph A (SDO) - No longer operational
MEGS-B Multiple EUV Grating Spectrograph B (SDO)
MEO Medium Earth orbit (2000 - <35.786 km altitude)
MER Mars Exploration Rover
MESSENGER Mercury, Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging mission
METEOSAT Meteorological satellite
METIS Multi Element Telescope for Imaging and Spectroscopy (SolO)
METOC Meteorology and Oceanography
MetOffice Meteorological institute of the UK
MetOp Meteorological Operational satellite (ESA)
METRO MEteors TRajectories and Origins (BRAIN-be)
MeV Mega electronvolt (106 . 1.6 . 10-19 Joule)
MF (1) Medium frequency (300 kHz - 3 MHz); (2) Magnetic field
MgII singly ionized Magnesium
MH Millionths of a solar hemisphere (1 MH = ~ 3 million km2). Area Earth = ~167 MH
MHD Magnetohydrodynamics
MHF Medium High Frequency
MHKA Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst Antwerpen
MHz Megahertz (106/s)
MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MJD Modified Julian Day
MK Million degrees Kelvin
mks Metric system based on the meter, kilogram, and second
MLE Maximum Likelihood Estimate
MLH Mixing Layer Height
ML-Helio Machine Learning in Heliophysics
MLSO Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (USA)
MLT Magnetic Local Time
mm millimeter (10-3 meter)
MMS Magnetospheric MultiScale mission (NASA ; 4 spacecraft)
mm/s millimeter per second
MOF Magneto-optical filter
MoMo Model of Mars Ionosphere
MOSWOC Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre (UK)
MOZAIC Measurement of Ozone and Water Vapor by Airbus In-Service Aircraft
MP (1) Magnetopause ; (2) Materials, Physical and nanosciences (COST)
mph miles per hour
MPI Message Passing Interface
MPS Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research
MPS-LO Magnetospheric Particle Sensor – LOw energy range (GOES)
ms milliseconds (10-3 seconds)
MSAS MTSAT Satellite Augmentation System (Japanese SBAS)
MSCS McIntosh Sunspot Classification Scheme
MSFC Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA)
MSM (1) Metal-Semiconductor-Metal ; (2) Magnetospheric Specification Model
MSSL Mullard Space Science Laboratory
MSTID Medium-Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbance
MSU Moscow State University
mSv millisievert (10-3 J/kg ; dose equivalent radiation)
MTI Moving Target Indication
MTOF Mass Tome-of-Flight sensor (SOHO)
MTSAT Multifunctional Transport SATellite (Japan)
MUF Maximum Useable Frequency
MUSCA Multi-Utility Spacecraft Charging Analysis tool (JAXA)
MUV Mid Ultraviolet
mV milliVolt (10-3 V)
mW milliWatt (10-3 W)
Mw Moment magnitude (earthquake)
MWD Measurements While Drilling
MySQL My Structured Query Language
N
N (1) Density: particles per volume unit ; (2) North ; (3) Nitrogen
n neutral particles
N2 Molecular nitrogen
N2+ 1NG First Negative Group of ionized molecular nitrogen
nA nano-Ampère (10-9 Ampère)
NAIRAS Nowcast of Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation for Aviation Safety (NASA/LaRC)
NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASU National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
NatGeo National Geographic
NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NAVIC NAVigation with Indian Constellation (Regional; Indian GNSS)
NCAR National Center for Atmospheric Research
NCEI National Centers for Environmental Information
NDACC Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change
Ne (1) Electron density (e-m-3) ; (2) Number of electrons
Ne Neon
NEC Numerical Electromagnetic Code
NEMO Novel EIT wave Machine Observing
NENL Near-Earth Neutral Line
NEO Near Earth Objects
NeQuick Electron density Quick calculation model (ionospheric model)
Net-TIDE Pilot Network for Identification of Travelling Ionospheric Disturbances in Europe
NGDC National Geophysical Data Center (NOAA)
NICT National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (SWFC Japan)
NIR Near IR
NISP NSO Integrated Synoptic Program
NIST National Institute for Science and Technology (USA)
NITRO Nitrogen Ion TRacing Observatory (ESA)
NLFFF Non-Linear Force-Free magnetic Field
NOSWE NOrwegian centre for Space WEather
NJIT New Jersey Institute of Technology
NL The Netherlands
nm nanometer (10-9 meter)
NM Neutron Monitor
NMA Norwegian Mapping Authority
NMDB Neutron Monitor DataBase
NmF2 peak electron density of F2-layer
NO, NO+ Nitric oxide, ionized NO
No. Number of
NOA National Observatory of Athens
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (numbering of sunspots,...)
NOMAD Nadir and Occultation for MArs Discovery (ExoMars)
NORAD North American Aerospace Defense Command (USA)
NoRP Nobeyama Radio Polarimeter
NORS Demonstration Network Of ground-based Remote Sensing observations in support of the Copernicus Atmospheric Service (FP7)
NOx Refers to NO and NO2
NRCan Natural Resources Canada
NRF National Research Foundation (South-Africa)
NRH Nançay Radioheliograph
NRL Naval Research Laboratory (USA)
NRT Near Real Time
ns nanosecond (10-9 second)
N-S North-South
n-SEU neutron induced SEU
NSMC National Satellite Meteorology Center (China)
NSO (1) National Solar Observatory (USA) ; (2) Non-Space systems Operations (SN-I)
NSREC Nuclear & Space Radiation Effects Conference
NSSDC National Space Science Data Center
NSWP National Space Weather Program (USA)
nT nanotesla (10-9 Tesla)
NTC Non-Thermal Continuum
NTRIP Networked Transport of RTCM via Internet Protocol
NUV Near Ultraviolet
NVBM Nederlandse Vereniging ter Bevordering van de Meteorologie
NWP Numerical Weather Prediction
O
O, O2 , O+ Oxygen, molecular oxygen, ionized oxygen
O3 Ozone
O3S-DQA Ozonesonde - Data Quality Assessment
OBEE Outer belt electron enhancements
OD Onderdepartement
ODC On Duty Center (PECASUS)
ODS Ozone Depleting Substances
OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
OGSE Optics Ground Support Equipment
OI Oblique Incidence
OIC Organization of Islamic Cooperation
OMI Ozone Monitoring Instrument
OML Orbital-Motion-Limited
OMNIweb No acronym ; from “omni” meaning various, all (solar wind database ; GSFC/SPDF)
Op Optical information (H-alpha classification)
OpenGGCM Open Geospace General Circulation Model (NOAA)
ORB Observatoire Royal de Belgique
ORFEES Observation Radio Fréquences pour l’Etude des Eruptions Solaires
OSCAR Observatories of the Solar Corona and Active Regions
OSO Orbiting Solar Observatories (8 satellites ; 1962-1989 ; NASA)
OSSE Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment (CGRO)
OSUC Observatoire des Sciences de l’Univers en region Centre-Val de Loire (France)
OTH Over The Horizon
OVATION Oval Variation, Assessment, Tracking, Intensity, and Online Nowcasting (Johns Hopkins University ; NOAA/SWPC)
OVRO Owens Valley Radio Observatory (USA)
P
P (1) The position angle between the geocentric north pole and the solar rotational north pole measured eastward from geocentric north. The range in P is +26.3° ; (2) Power
p+ proton
p-p chain proton-proton chain (energy production in the Sun and other stars)
P2SC PROBA2 Science Center
pA pico-Ampère (10-12 Ampère)
PAL Palehua (RSTN, radio observatory)
PAMIR Portal to Atmospheric and Marine Information Resources (BRAIN-be)
PANDOCA Professional Aviation Dose Calculator model
PAR Phased Array Radar
PARAFOG Predictive Alert of RAdiation FOG
PATH Particle Acceleration and Transport in the Heliosphere model
PB Petabyte (1015 bytes)
PBC Primary Backup-Center (PECASUS)
PbS Lead Sulfide
PC Polar Cap; a dimensionless geomagnetic index based on a single nearpole station (one for each pole)
PC1,…,5 Pulsation Continue (geomagnetic pulsations ; 1 thru 5 as a function of frequency)
PCA (1) Polar Cap Absorption ; (2) Principal Component Analysis
PCAF PCA forecast
PCB Printed Circuit Board
PCO Phase Center Offset
PCTR Prominence-Corona Transition Region
PCV Phase Center Variation
PEA (1) Post-eruption arcade (2) Princess Elisabeth Antarctic
PECASUS Partnership for Excellence in Civil Aviation Space weather User Services (ICAO)
PEN Penticton (DRAO, radio flux)
PFRR Poker Flat Research Range
PFSS Potential Field Source Surface
pfu particle (proton) flux unit: the number of particles registered per second, per square cm, and per steradian (1 pfu = 1 particle / cm-2s-1sr-1)
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
PHI Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (SolO)
PI Principal Investigator
PICASSO PICo-satellite for Atmospheric and Space Science Observations
PIL Polarity Inversion Line (magnetic neutral line)
PITHIA-NRF Plasmasphere Ionosphere Thermosphere Integrated Research Environment and Access services: a Network of Research Facilities
PlasMag Plasma Magnetometer onboard DSCOVR to measure solar wind
PLASTIC Plasma and Suprathermal Ion Composition (STEREO)
PLIP Polar Lights Imaging Polarimeter
PMOD Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos
PMT Photo Multiplier Tube
POES Polar Operational Environmental Satellite (NOAA, EUMETSAT)
POLENET POLar Earth observing NETwork
PoS, PotS Plane-of-the-Sky
POSKEN Positioning Knowledge Exchange Network
ppb parts per billion
PPEF Prompt Penetration Electric Field
ppm parts per million
PPP Precise Point Positioning (DGPS)
PREMOS PREcision MOnitoring Sensor
PRESTO Fast warning message for important SWx events issued by a RWC (no acronym)
PRF (1) Preliminary Report and Forecast of Solar Geophysical Data (the “Weekly”); (2) Pulse Repetition Frequency
PROBA PRoject for OnBoard Autonomy (series of ESA satellites)
PROBA-V PROBA-Vegetation
PROBE PROfiling the atmospheric Boundary layer at European scale (COST)
PRODEX PROgramme for the Development of scientific Experiments
ps picosecond (10-12 second)
PSF Point Spread Function
PSR Primary Surveillance Radar
Pt Transmitted power
PTB Physikalish-Technische Bundesanstalt (Germany)
PTC Photon Transfer Curve
PWOM Polar Wind Outflow Model
Q
q Charge
Q Quantity (e.g. e-, H2O,...)
Q&A Questions and Answers
QB50 A network of 50 cubesats to be launched simultaneously (FP7)
QPP Quasi-periodic pulsation
QR-code Quick Response code
QS Quiet Sun
QZSS Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (Regional system; Japan)
R
R (1) Radius ; (2) NOAA’s scale for Radio Blackouts; (3) Range ; (4) Resistor
R&D Research and Development
RAAF Royal Australian Air Force
RAC Radar Auroral Clutter
RACA Rencontre Astronomique Centre Ardenne
RADAR RAdio Detection And Ranging
RADECS RADiation Effects on Components and Systems
RaD-X Radiation Dosimetry Experiment (NASA ; stratospheric balloon)
RAE Royal Academy of Engineering (UK)
RAM Ring-current Atmosphere interactions Model
RAM-SCB RAM with self-consistent magnetic equilibrium solver
RAPID Research with Adaptive Particle Imaging Detector (Cluster)
RAS Royal Astronomical Society
RBR Radio burst (fixed frequency)
RC Ring Current
RC circuit An electric circuit composed of resistors and capacitors
RC time The time constant (in seconds) of an RC circuit
RCM (1) Regional Climate Modelling ; (2) Rice Convection Model (magnetosphere)
RCM-E RCM magnetic Equilibrium (magnetosphere)
RCS Radar Cross Section
RDA Range-Doppler Algorithm
RE Earth radius (6378 km)
R-ESC Space Radiation ESC
ReSourCE Radio Sciences Research on AntarCtic AtmosphEre
RF Radio Frequency
RFI Radio Frequency Interference
RGD Rarefied Gas Dynamics
RGO Royal Greenwich Observatory (UK)
RGP Réseau GNSS Permanent
RH Right-handed
RHCP Right Hand Circular Polarized
RHESSI Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager
Ri International sunspot number (old)
RINEX Receiver Independent Exchange Format
Riometer Relative Ionospheric Opacity Meter (originally: Relative Ionospheric Opacity Meter for Extra-Terrestrial Emissions of Radio noise)
RISE Rotation and Interior Structure Experiment (InSight)
RMI(B) Royal Meteorological Institute (of Belgium)
RMI-DPS-4D RMI-Digital Portable Sounder-4D
RMOC Rosetta Mission Operations Centre
RMS (1) Root Mean Square ; (2) Radiation Monitoring System (ISS)
RO Radio Occultation
ROB Royal Observatory of Belgium
ROMA Rank-Ordered Multifractal Analysis
Roscosmos Russian Space Agency
ROT Rate of TEC change
ROTEC Rate of TEC
ROTI ROT index
RPW Radio and Plasma Waves (SolO)
RRL Radio Research Laboratory (old NICT ; Japan)
RRR Rolling Requirement Review; WMO system for recording space weather requirements
RS (1) Reverse shock (2) Radiosonde
Rs Solar radius/radii
RSP Sweep-frequency radio burst
RSSB Royal Statistical Society of Belgium
RSTN Radio Solar Telescope Network (USAF)
Rsun Solar radius (~ 696,000 km)
RTADC Real-Time Automatic Data Correction
RTCM Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services
RTIM Real Time Ionosphere Monitoring
RTK Real Time Kinematics (DGPS)
RTSW Real-Time Solar Wind data (ACE)
RWC Regional Warning Center
RX Receiver
S
s (1) number of sunspots ; (2) second
S (1) Sub flare ; (2) NOAA’s scale for Solar radiation storms ; (3) South
S/C Spacecraft
S/N Signal-to-Noise
S4 Scintillation index (amplitude)
SAA South Atlantic Anomaly
SACS Support to Aviation Control Service
SAFIR Système d'Alerte Foudre par Interférométrie Radioélectrique
SAFIRE SolAr Flux monItoRing Equipment
SAG Sagamore Hill (RSTN, radio observatory)
SAID Subauroral Ion drifts
SAM Solar Aspect Monitor (SDO) - No longer operational
SAMP Simple Application Messaging Protocol
SAMPEX Solar Anomalous and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (NASA)
SANAE-IV South African National Antarctic Expedition IV (Antarctic research base)
SANSA South African National Space Agency
SAP Science Activity Plan
SAPS Subauroral polarization Streams
SAR (1) Superactive region; (2) Synthetic Aperture Radar
SARR Space Absolute Radiometer Reference
SASFF Self-Adjusted Solar Flux Forecasting tool
sat(s) satellite(s)
SATCOM Satellite Communications
S-band Radio waves with frequencies ranging from 2 to 4 GHz (IEEE)
SBAS Satellite (Space) -based augmentation systems
SBC (1) Secondary Backup-Center (PECASUS) ; (2) Sector Boundary Crossing
SBO Space-Based Observatory
SBUV Solar Backscatter UltraViolet
SC (1) Solar Cycle ; (2) Sudden Commencement
SC24, SC25 Solar Cycle 24, Solar Cycle 25
SCAR Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research
SCATHA Spacecraft Charging AT High Altitudes (P78-2 satellite ; USAF & NASA)
SCD Spacecraft Design (SN-I)
SCIAMACHY SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (ENVISAT)
SCINDA SCIntillation Network Decision Aid (AFRL)
SCIOPS SCIence OPerationS
SCK-CEN Studiecentrum voor Kernenergie - Centre d’Etude de l’Energie Nucléaire
S-class Small class satellite (ESA)
SCNA Sudden Cosmic Noise Absorption
SCO Spacecraft Operation (SN-I)
SCOPE Solar Coronagraph for OPErations
SCORE CME classification via speed (Slow-Common-Occasional-Rare-Extremely rare)
SCOSTEP Scientific Committee on Solar Terrestrial Physics
SDA Sudden Decrease of Atmospherics
SDO Solar Dynamics Observatory
SDU Silicon Detector Units
SDR Software Defined Radio
SEA Sudden Enhancement of Atmospherics
SEB Single-event burnout
SEC Space Environment Center (old name of SWPC)
SECCHI Sun Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation (STEREO)
SED Spectra Energy Distribution
SEE (1) Single Event Effect ; (2) Solar EUV Experiment (TIMED)
SEII Société Européenne des Ingénieurs et des Industriels
SEL Single-event latch-up
SEM (1) Solar EUV Monitor (SOHO) ; (2) Space Environment Monitor (GOES)
SEON Solar Electro-Optical Network (USAF)
SEP Solar Energetic Particle
SEPEM Solar Energetic Particle Environment Modelling (ESA)
SEPC Space Environment Prediction Center (China)
SES Sudden Enhancements of Signal
SESAR Single European Sky ATM Research
SESC Space Environment Services Center
SEU Single Event Upset (bit flip)
SEVIRI Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager
SFA Sudden Field Anomalies
SFD Sudden Frequency Deviations
SFE Solar Flare Effect (“magnetic crochet”)
SFU, sfu Solar Flux Unit (10-22 W m-2 Hz-1)
SGD Solar-Geophysical Data (NOAA)
SHADOZ Southern Hemisphere Additional Ozonesondes (JOSIE)
SHARP Stratospheric Change and its Role for Climate Prediction (SPARC)
SHF Super High Frequency
SHINE Solar Heliospheric & Interplanetary Environment
SHOCK Solar and Heliospheric Collisionless Kinetics
Si Silicon
SI Sudden Impulse
SI²N SPARC, IOC, IGACO-O3/UV and NDACC
SIC Seismoionospheric Coupling
SID Sudden Ionospheric Disturbance
SIDC Solar Influences Data analysis Center
SIGMA Solar Investigation using a Global coronal Magnetograph
SILSO Sunspot Index and Long-term Solar Observations
SIM Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SORCE)
SIMBA Sun-earth IMBAlance radiometer
SIP Solar Information Processing
SIPWork Solar Information Processing Workshop
SIR Stream Interaction Region
SIRTA Site Instrumental de Recherche par Télédétection Atmosphérique (IPSL)
SIS Solar Isotope Spectrometer (ACE)
SITEC Sudden increase of total electron content
SKA Square Kilometre Array
SLOL Signal LOL
SLP Sweeping / Segmented / Single/ Split / Spherical Langmuir Probe
SLT Solar Local Time
SM Spare Model
SMART-L Signaal Multibeam Acquisition Radar for Targeting, L-band
SMEI Solar Mass Ejection Imager (Coriolis)
Smin Minimal detectable signal
SMM Solar Maximum Mission (1980-1989)
SMOS Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (ESA)
sms short message service
SN-I Space Weather Segment Precursor Services –. Part-1: Definition and Service Consolidation (ESA)
SN, Sn (1) Sunspot Number ; (2) Space weather and Near-earth objects
SNAP Spring – Negative – Autumn – Positve (CHs)
SNN Space Surveillance Network
SNR Signal-to-Noise Ratio
SO5 Solar Orbiter Workshop 5
SOC (1) Science Operations Centre ; (2) Scientific Organizing Committee
SODA SOTERIA Data Archive
SoDIPE-RTK Software for Determining the Ionospheric Positioning Error on RTK
SODISM SOlar Diameter Imager and Surface Mapper (PICARD)
SoFAST Solar Flare Automated Search Tool
SoHe Meeting of the Italian Community in Solar and Heliospheric Physics
SOHO SOlar & Heliospheric Observatory
SOI Solar Oscillations Investigation (SOHO/MDI ; Stanford)
SOL-ACES SOLar Auto-Calibrating Extreme ultraviolet and ultraviolet Spectrometers (ISS-SOLAR)
SOLAR ESA project onboard ISS (Columbus Laboratory), controlled by B.USOC, and having 3 main instruments: SOVIM, SOLSPEC and SOL-ACES
SOLAR-ISS Name of the new Solar Reference Spectrum (from 165 to 3000 nm) based on SOLAR/SOLSPEC)
SOLARNET European network of solar physics researchers and facilities (H2020)
SOLCON SOLar CONstant radiometer
SOLID SOLar Irradiance Data exploitation (FP7)
SOLIS Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun (NSO)
SOLMEX SOLar Magnetism EXplorer
SOLMOD Solar Modeling (code)
SolO Solar Orbiter
SoloHI Heliospheric Imagers (SolO)
SOLSPEC SOLar SPECtral irradiance measurements (ISS-SOLAR)
SOLSTICE Solar Stellar Irradiance Comparison Experiment
SOLVAM SOLar VAriability Monitor
SOLVE Small spacecraft fOr near Lunar enViroment Exploration
SOON Solar Observing Optical Network (USAF/AFWA)
SOOPs Solar Orbiter Operation Plans
SOPs Standard Operating Procedures
SORCE Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment
SOT (1) Space Object Tracking ; (2) Solar Optical Telescope (Hinode)
SOTERIA Solar-Terrestrial Investigations and Archives (EU/FP7)
SOVA SOlar constant and VAriability
SOVAP SOlar VAriability Picard
SOVAR Refurbished SOVA1 radiometer
SOVIM Solar Variations and Irradiance Monitor (ISS-SOLAR)
SOWG Science Operations Working Group
SP Signal Processing
SPA Sudden Phase Anomalies
SPADE Small Phased Array DEmonstrator
SPARC Stratosphere-troposphere Processes And their Role in Climate
SPARX Solar Particle Radiation SWx
SPD Solar Physics Division (AAS)
SPDF Solar Physics Data Facility (GSFC)
SPE Solar Proton Event
SPENVIS (-NG) SPace ENVironment Information System (- Next Generation)
SPICE Spectral Imaging of the Coronal Environment (SolO)
SPIE Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers
SPM SWIFF Plasmasphere Model
SPoCA Spatial POssibilistic Clustering Algorithm
SPORT Solar Polar ORbit Telescope (China)
SPRING Solar Physics Research Integrated Network Group (SOLARNET)
SPS Science for Peace and Security (NATO)
SPWX Space Weather (military)
Sq Solar quiet (daily variations in the geomagnetic field)
SR Solar Regular
sr steradian
SRAM Static Random-Access Memory
SRB Solar Radio Burst
SRBE Société Royale Belge des Electriciens
SRC Space Research Center of the Polish Academy of Sciences
SREM Standard Radiation Environment Monitor (Integral, Rosetta)
SSA (1) Space Situational Awareness ; (2) Single Scattering Albedo
S-SAIL Solar System Atmospheres’ Investigation and exopLanets
SSB Solar Sector Boundary
SSBC Solar Sector Boundary Crossing
SSC (1) STEREO Science Center; (2) Storm Sudden Commencement
SSCC SSA Space Weather Coordination Centre
SSEWG Solar System Exploration Working Group
SSI Solar Spectral Irradiance
SSN (1) SunSpot Number ; (2) Smoothed Sunspot Number
SSNcorr Corrected series of sunspot numbers
SSNori Original series of sunspot numbers
SSR (1) Solid state recorder; (2) Secondary Surveillance Radar
SST (1) Space Surveillance and Tracking (SN-I) ; (2) Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope
ST-A, ST-B STEREO-A(head), STEREO-B(ehind) spacecraft
STAFF Solar Timelines viewer for AFFECTS
STCE Solar-Terrestrial Centre of Excellence
STCL Space Technology & Calibration Laboratories
STEC Slant TEC
STEPPS Solar Terrestrial and Experimental Plasma Physics Synergy
STEREO Solar-TErrestrial RElations Observatory
STET SuperThermal Electron Transport code
STIX Spectrometer Telescope for Imaging X-rays (SolO)
STM Structural Model
STORM Solar system plasma Turbulence: Observations, inteRmittency and Multifractals
STSM Short-Term Scientific Mission (COST)
SUMER Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SOHO)
SunPy software library for solar physics based on Python
SURFEX Surface Externalisée (surface model developed by Météo France)
SUVI Solar Ultraviolet Imager (GOES16-…)
Sv Sievert (J/kg ; dose equivalent radiation: equivalent biological effect of the deposit of a joule of radiation energy in a kilogram of human tissue)
SVI San Vito (RSTN, radio observatory)
SVW Sun Visibility Window
SW (1) Space weather ; (2) Solar wind
SW4E Space Weather for Engineers
SWA Solar Wind Analyser (SolO)
SWACI Space Weather Application Center – Ionosphere (DLR)
SWAMIS Southwest Automatic Magnetic Identification Suite
SWAN Solar Wind Anisotropies (SOHO)
SWANS Space Weather and Navigation Systems
SWAP Sun Watcher using APS detector and image Processing (PROBA2)
SWARM Three identical satellites measuring Earth’s MF (ESA)
SWAVES STEREO/WAVES instrument (STEREO)
SWE Space WEather
SWEC Space Weather Education Center (STCE)
SWEK Space Weather Event Knowledgebase
SWENET (European) Space WEather NETwork
SWEPAM Solar Wind Electron, Proton, and Alpha Monitor (ACE)
SWF ShortWave Fade
SWFC Space Weather Forecast Center
SWG Science Working Group
SWHV Space weather helioviewer (jHV)
SWIC Space Weather Introductory Course
SWIFF Space Weather Integrated Forecasting Framework
SWMF Space Weather Modeling Framework
SWOC Space Weather Operations Centre
SWOP Space Weather OPerations group (SIDC)
SWPC Space Weather Prediction Center (USA)
SWRC Space Weather Research Center
SwRI Southwest Research Institute
SWS Space Weather Services (Australia)
SWSC Space Weather and Space Climate journal
SWT Science Working Team
SWWT (European) Space Weather Working Team
SWx Space weather
SXI Solar X-ray Imager (GOES12-15)
SXR Soft x-rays
SXT Soft X-Ray Telescope (Yohkoh)
SYM-H A geomagnetic index (nT) similar to the Dst index, but with 1-min time resolution and different stations
SZA Solar Zenith Angle
T
T (1) Tesla (1 Tesla = 10.000 Gauss) (2) Temperature ; (3) Tenflare (SRB)
t Time
TACSAT Tactical Satellite Communications
TaD Topside sounder model profiler – assisted Digisonde
TAI Temps Atomique International
TAS Technology Applications and Science
TB Terabyte (1012 bytes)
TCS Thematic Core Services
TEC Total Electron Content
TEC-EES Space Environments and Effects section (ESA/ESTEC)
Tech-TIDE Warning and Mitigation Technologies for TIDs Effects
TECO TEchnical Conference on meteorological and environmental instruments and methods of Observation (WMO)
TECu TEC unit (1016e-m-2)
TEPA Thunderstorms and Elementary Particle Acceleration
TESS Triennial Earth-Sun Summit
tg Propagation time
TGO (1) Trace Gas Orbiter (Exomars) ; (2) Tromsø Geophysical Observatory
TGSE Thermic Ground Support Equipment
THEMIS Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (NASA mission)
THESOW Turbulence and Heating in the Solar Wind
THOR Turbulence Heating ObserveR
THz Terahertz (1012/s)
TID (1) Travelling Ionospheric Disturbance (2) Total Ionizing Dose
TIM Total Irradiance Monitor
TIMED Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (NASA satellite)
TiN Titanium nitride
TIO Trans-IOnospheric link (SN-I)
TL Tube Luminescent
TLE Transient Luminous Event
TMPU Thermal Plasma Measurement Unit (PROBA2)
TMR Triple-modular redundancy
TN True Negative
TOA Top Of Atmosphere
TOPERS Planets: Tracing the Transfer, Origin, Preservation, and Evolution of their ReservoirS
TOPROF Towards Operational ground based PROFiling with ceilometers, doppler lidars and microwave radiometers for improving weather forecasts
TOR Transmitters-of-Opportunity Reception
TOSCA Towards a more complete assessment of the impact of solar variability on the Earth’s climate
TP True Positive
TRACE Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (1998-2010)
TRACTEBEL International company for consultancy and engineering; merger from Tractionel and Electrobel
TREASURE Training Research and Applications Network to Support the ultimate real-time high-accuracy EGNSS solution
TRF (1) TIM Radiometer Facility ; (2) TSI Radiometer Facility
TRL Technology Readiness Level
TSI Total Solar Irradiance
TX Transmitter
U
UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
UCL Université Catholique de Louvain
UFO Unidentified Flying Object
UHF Ultra High Frequency (300 MHz - 3 GHz)
UiT University of Tromsf ; Arctic University of Norway
UK United Kingdom
UKUS UK-Ukraine-Spain
ULB Université Libre de Bruxelles
ULF Ultra-Low Frequency (0.3-3 kHz)
ULg Université de Liège
UNCOPUOS United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space
UNITER Sciences de l'univers, de l'espace, de la terre et du climat
UNOOSA United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
UOA University Of Athens
URAN Ukrainian Radio Interferometer of NASU
URSI International Union of Radio Science - Union Radio-Scientifique Internationale
US(A) United States (of America)
USAF United States Air Force
USAFWA US AFWA
USET Uccle Solar Equatorial Table
USGS US Geological Survey
USU Utah State University
UT(C) (Coordinated) Universal Time
UTL Upper ion Transition Level
UTLS Upper Troposphere-Lower Stratosphere
UTR Ukrainian T-shaped Radio telescope
UV Ultraviolet
UVCS UV Coronagraph Spectrometer (SOHO)
UVIS Ultraviolet and Visible
UVRIR UV and Red IR detector(MSU)
UVSP UV Spectrometer/Polarimeter (SMM)
V
v Velocity (speed)
V Volt
V1, 2, … Version 1, 2, …
VAP Van Allen Probe (-A and -B)
VarSITI Variability of the Sun and Its Terrestrial Impact
VBI Visible Broadband Imager (DKIST)
VERSIM VLF/ELF Remote Sensing of Ionospheres and Magnetospheres
VEX Venus Express (2005-2015)
VHDL VHSIC Hardware Description Language
VHF Very High frequency (30-300 MHz)
VHSIC Very High Speed Integrated Circuit
VI Vertical Incidence
VIP Very Important Person
VIRGO Variability of solar IRradiance and Gravity Oscillations (SOHO)
VIS (1) Visible ; (2) Visual
VISION Visible Spectral Imager for Occultation and Nightglow
VITO Flemish institute for technological research
VKI Von Karman Institute
VLA Very Large Array (USA)
VLF Very Low Frequency (3-30 kHz)
Vp Plasma Potential
VPL Vertical Protection Level
VSC Vliebergh-SencieCentrum
VSOC Venus Express Science Operations Centre
VSWMC Virtual Space Weather Modelling Centre
VTEC Vertical TEC
VTI Ieperse school voor Wetenschap en techniek
VTT Technical research Centre of Finland
VUB Vrije Universiteit Brussel
VUV Vacuum Ultraviolet
VVS Vereniging Voor Sterrenkunde
W
W (1) Watt; (2) West
W/m2 Watt per square meter
WAAS Wide Area Augmentation System (USA)
WALCORS WALlonia Continuous OpeRating System
WAMS Wide Area Monitoring System
WAVACS WAter VApor in the Climate System
WAVES Radio and plasma wave investigation (WIND, STEREO)
WBGM Wide Band Gap Material
WDC World Data Center
WDS World Data Service
WG Working Group
WHISPER Waves of High Frequency and Sounder for Probing of Density by Relaxation (Cluster)
WL Energy of a Longmuir wave
WL White light
WLF White-light flare
WMFR Weighted mean flare rate
WMO World Meteorological Organization
WP Work Package
WPGM Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting
WRC World Radiation Center
WS Workshop
WSA (1) Wang-Sheeley-Arge (model for solar wind) ; (2) Weddell Sea Anomaly
WTD waiting-time distribution
X
X-band Radio frequency band from 8-12 GHz
X-class flare Extreme x-ray flare
XML Extensible Markup Language
XRS X-ray sensor (GOES)
XRT X-Ray Telescope (Hinode)
XUV Extreme Ultraviolet
Y
Yohkoh An ISAS (Japan) solar mission: Solar-1 satellite (“sunbeam”) (1991-2001)
yr year
Z
Z Proton number
Zr Zirconium
ZTD Zenith tropospheric Total Delay
Other
~ (1) About (2) proportional to
⫽ Parallel
°C degrees Celsius
⏊ Perpendicular
1D One dimensional
2D Two dimensional
3D Three dimensional
4CESM Chapman Conference on Causes and Consequences of the Extended Solar Minimum between SC23 and SC24
4D Four dimensional
4S Small Satellites Systems and Services
α Power-law slope
α-particle Helium nucleus
β Plasma beta parameter (the ratio of the plasma pressure to the magnetic pressure)
Δ Delta (difference)
δ Delta (difference)
λ wavelength
μ Magnetic moment of a gyrating particle
μBOS micro Bolometric Oscillation Sensor
μm micrometer (10-6 meter)
μ-waves microwaves (300 MHz - 300 GHz)
ν Frequency
ρi ion gyroradius
σ (1) sigma (confidence level) ; (2) Radar cross section
σφ Scintillation index (phase)
Φ Flux
φ Phi angle
τ Ionospheric slab thickness (meters)
