The paper presents the main achievements of Romanian research in the Space Weather field during 2008-2012, related to the CA ES0803 objectives. The most powerful solar flares (spectral X class) producing "sunquakes" - a roughly circular surface ripple seen accelerating outward from the site of an impulsive flare, 20-60 min after the impulsive phase - were comprehensively analysed applying computational seismic holography to the MDI observations. This work has brought an explosion in the discovery of sunquakes in Solar Cycle 23 (SC 23), some from relatively small, M-class flares; it also resulted in an important sunquake database available online at: http://www.diana-ionescu.eu/sunquakes/sunquakes.html.
We have also studied the coronal mass ejections that produced major geomagnetic storms during the SC 23 and the CMEs which reached Earth during the interval 2007-2010 (STEREO era). A study of CMEs kinematics was performed. This was correlated with CMEs interplanetary manifestations and their geomagnetic effects, along with the energy transfer flux into magnetosphere (the Akasofu coupling function). Their in-situ signatures and the correlation with geomagnetic indices were also analysed and discussed.
High Speed Streams (HSSs) in the solar wind and their geoeffectivness during the solar cycle 23 were intensively analysed. A Romanian team set up a catalog of HSSs (http://www.spacescience.ro/new1/HSS_Catalogue.html) as well as a complex catalogues containing the geomagnetic storms and their solar and heliospheric sources during the peculiar SC 23 (1996-2008)
(http://www.spacescience.ro/new1/GS_HSS Catalogue.html). These catalogs offer an useful database for the purpose of case analysis in order to improve the geomagnetic forecasts.
The studies of the long-term variability of the heliosphere-magnetosphere environment (using measured and reconstructed solar, heliospheric and magnetospheric parameters) were also performed and the European climate response to the solar/geomagnetic long-term activity was analyzed.
Our results in the WG3 of ES0803 (WG 3 Exploitation, Dissemination, Education, Outreach) are also reviewed.
All this research in Space Weather field was supported by the Romanian scientific projects that are also here specified.

We report on the evolution of sunspots and small scale features observed with the Swedish Solar Tower (SST) at extreme high spatial resolution (0.15"). We use spectropolarimetric data in the Fe I pair at 630.2 nm to study the behavior of the magnetic field in the penumbral region around a well developed sunspot.
Interestingly, wide-band images show twisting motions of the penumbral filaments. Moreover, a comparison between two umbral regions with different number of umbral dots indicate a noticeable difference in their brightness and magnetic field strength. Brightenings in Ca II H line are also noticed in the small scale features analyzed, indicating the occurrence of transient phenomena in the chromosphere. We highlight the importance of these results in the framework of our comprehension of processes of interaction between plasma and magnetic field and, in a larger context, in Space Weather advance.

Despite modeling efforts, the thermospheric-ionospheric effects of field-aligned-current (FAC) variations at high latitudes are still not fully understood. There is still confusion between solar wind turbulence that indirectly enters the Earth's magnetosphere and FAC filaments produced by nonlinear or transient mechanisms. Large-scale FACs are, however, accompanied by FAC structures of smaller scale and filaments. While large-scale field-aligned currents are modeled and simulated practically to their full extent, the physics of small-scale FAC and FAC filaments, which happen under both disturbed and quiet conditions, needs further theoretical and experimental considerations. These FACs of small-scale and/or filament structures are important due to their effective Joule dissipation in the thermosphere-ionosphere region.
3-D changes in the ion-temperature distribution, due to height varying electric field/FAC distribution, in the polar ionosphere as produced by the Joule heating process are modeled. As expected, FAC structures have variable distribution within the geomagnetic latitude range of 60°-85°. which strongly depends on the solar wind velocity, IMF orientation and Earth's dipole orientation at given moment.
This study provides possible rates of change in the ion temperature distribution with height depending on the spatial scales of the FAC structures in the auroral regions. Ion temperature distributions produced by FAC measured by CHAMP satellite are modeled and further tested on observations of ionosphere parameters conducted by EISCAT UHF/VHF radars on 30 June-02 July 2008. CHAMP data of field-aligned currents distribution and their dynamics at high latitudes are involved in this study.
The effects on the thermosphere parameters at heights 200-400 km due to the ion temperature change are also envisaged.

During the last four years, efforts in Cyprus have focused on establishing infrastructure to monitor the ionosphere and Space Weather (SW) effects on ionospheric characteristics. In addition, ionospheric modeling and model validation studies have been conducted in an effort to exploit ground-based (ionosonde) and space-based (LEO satellite) measurements over Europe. This presentation summarises these efforts and provides an outline of future projects as a result of collaborations through COST ES0803.

Strong electrical fields inside thunderclouds give rise to the enhanced fluxes of high- energy electrons and, consequently, gamma rays and neutrons. During thunderstorms at mt. Aragats, hundreds of the Thunderstorm Ground (TGEs) comprising of millions of additional particles were detected at Aragats Space Environmental Center (ASEC) on altitude of 3200 m. Observed large TGE events allow for the first time to measure the energy spectra of electrons and gamma rays well above the cosmic ray background. The integral energy spectra of the electrons have exponential shape and extend up to 40-50 MeV. The recovered power-type gamma ray energy spectra prolonged up to 100 MeV. At lowest recovered energies (~2-3 MeV) the intensity of gamma rays over-performed cosmic ray background i­1000 times, thus proving existence of the Relativistic runaway electron avalanche (RREA) process in the thunderstorm atmospheres. There are at least 6 effects manifested by the TGE:

Numerous particle detectors and field maters located on the slopes of mountain Aragats and in Yerevan 24 hours 12 months are monitoring changing geophysical conditions. ASEC facilities monitor particle fluxes from sun, thunderclouds and Galaxy as we as magnetic and electrical fields, lightning occurrences, issue alerts and forewarnings on upcoming dangerous consequences of space and thunderstorms.
Following Space Weather information products are available:

The space weather discipline involves different physical scenarios, which are characterized by very different physical conditions, ranging from the Sun to the terrestrial magnetosphere and ionosphere. Therefore, development of a comprehensive model to explain the entire Sun-Earth chain is presently still far from completion. However, the effects of solar activity on our modern technological infrastructure have clearly demonstrated the need for accurate space weather services to address a broad spectrum of user needs. A key element for completion of this task is to push for advances in our knowledge of solar-terrestrial physics. Our work focuses on the geomagnetic response to solar and interplanetary disturbances. Besides their long-term evolution seen by several parameters used to characterise heliosphere-magnetosphere environment, we also will show some advances in knowledge of short-term responses of the terrestrial environment. The response to solar energetic events, the evolution of the ring current in both the main and recovery phases and achievements in modelling the coupling between magnetospheric and ionospheric activity are examples of some topics covered.

Electric currents and fields in the lower ionosphere at auroral and high latitudes are produced by the solar wind (SW) influence to magneto-ionosphere and formation of field-aligned currents (FAC) and trans-polar potential difference. We study this type of coupling between cosmic factors and lower ionosphere, its dependency on solar activity, and the efficiency by solar minimum and maximum. This goal is realized by a numerical model CORIAEC (Cosmic Radiation Influence on Atmospoheric Electrical Circuit) developed by us of the electrical coupling of the middle and lower ionosphere (Tonev and Velinov, 2011; 2012). This model is based on the continuity equation for the density of the electric current. This equation is solved in the region of altitudes between 50 km (accepted as the lower boundary of the lower ionosphere), and 160 km (considered as the upper boundary of the dynamo region in which an effective closure of FAC takes place). The model domain comprises the geomagnetic latitudes higher than 45° in one of the hemispheres. Boundary conditions are used which represent the distributions of the ionospheric potential and FAC at altitude of 160 km at polar latitudes. At this first step the model uses a steady-state approximation. The source equation is solved numerically by the use of the finite volume method.

The factor of solar activity influences the electric characteristics in the auroral lower ionosphere by two ways: i) in a straight way, through variations of the characteristics of FAC and the trans-polar potential; ii) indirectly, by variations of conductivities in the middle and lower ionosphere. The conductivities in dynamo-region, and the ratio between transverse and field-aligned conductivity controls the downward penetration of the electric currents and fields; these conductivities are in right dependence on the solar activity. In opposite, the conductivity in the lower ionosphere, particularly below 80 km where the factor are the galactic cosmic rays (GCR), are in reverse dependence from the solar activity, due to modulation of GCR by SW. The comparison made by us by the use of the model between minimum and maximum solar activity shows that the electrical coupling between SW and lower ionosphere is more effective by maximum solar activity than during solar minimum. In solar maximum in the lower ionosphere are created much larger electric fields.

REFERNCES:

Tonev, P.T., P.I.Y. Velinov (2011). Model study of the influence of solar wind parameters on electric currents and fields in middle atmosphere at high latitudes, Compt. rend. Acad. bulg. Sci., 2011, 64 (12), 1733-1742.

Tonev, P.T., P.I.Y. Velinov (2012). Solar wind influence on global atmospheric electric circuit through trans-polar ionospheric potential. Prediction by developing operational model, Report on the COST ESO803 Meeting , Prague, 12-14 March 2012.

At present the contribution of proton nuclei of galactic and solar origin in a recent cosmic ray induced ionization models is highlighted. However the contribution of light and heavy nuclei to the ionization in the Earth's atmosphere and ionosphere is of a big interest, specifically during reach on heavy ions solar particles events. The ion production rate profiles in the atmosphere due to a major solar energetic particle event on 28 October 2003 and 20 January 2005 (Ground Level Enhancements GLE 65 and 69, respectively) produced by various solar nuclei, namely proton, Helium, Oxygen and Iron are explicitly obtained. The spectra of the nuclei are considered on the basis of GOES 11 satellite measurements and bibliographic data. In addition the Forbush decrease, i.e. the reduced galactic cosmic ray flux during GLE 69 is explicitly taken into account. A full Monte Carlo simulation of the cosmic ray induced atmospheric cascade is carried out with CORSIKA 6.52 code using FLUKA 2006b and QGSJET II hadron interaction models. The energy deposit of the nuclei in the atmosphere is obtained. The winter profile of the atmosphere is considered, which permits precise and realistic description of the event. The ion production rate is compared for different latitudes, namely for 40° N, 60° N and 80° N. The contribution of various nuclei of galactic and solar origin as a function of the latitude is widely discussed. The time evolution of obtained ion rates is presented. The ion production rates of the two GLE events are compared.

We improve our previous Cosmic Ray (CR) ionization rate model because it is important for investigation of the different space weather effects. The cosmic rays and UV radiation determine to a great extent the chemistry and electrical parameters in the middle and lower ionosphere. They create ozonosphere and influence actively the stratosphere ozone processes. But the ozonosphere controls the meteorological solar constant and the thermal regime and dynamics of the lower atmosphere, i.e. the weather and climate processes. CR influence dominates during the night and sunrise]sunset periods, because galactic CR are always bombarding the Earth atmosphere. The CR flux varies during the solar cycle in an opposite face to that of sunspots. This hypothesis of the solar-terrestrial relationships shows the way to a non]contradictory solution of the key problems of the solar-terrestrial influences.

The presented new version CR Ionization Model for the middle atmosphere and lower ionosphere is physical space weather model with fully operational implementations. CORIMIA (COsmic Ray Ionization Model for Ionosphere and Atmosphere) code is able to produce values of electron and ion production rates q(h) due to CR ionization in the Earth atmosphere for different altitudes (30 - 120 km), solar and geomagnetic activitiy (low, moderate and high), and atmospheric cut offs. Besides, the proposed CR model can determine the energy interval contributions for all groups of nuclei. The effects of galactic, solar and anomalous CR in the middle atmosphere can be computed with our model. We take into account the CR modulation by solar wind. In fact, CR determine the electric conductivity in the middle atmosphere and influence the electric processes in it. In this way CR introduce the solar variability in the terrestrial atmosphere and ozonosphere.

A new analytical approach for CR ionization by protons and nuclei with charge Z in the lower ionosphere and the middle atmosphere is developed. For this purpose, the ionization losses (dE/dh) for the energetic charged particles according to the Bohr-Bethe-Bloch formula are approximated in different energy intervals (five ionization losses intervals, one charge Z decrease interval and five intermediate coupling intervals). On this way we increase the number of the approximation intervals and with this new improvements the model accuracy becomes better. Besides, the real physical process is now described more adequately. For example the charge decrease interval contribution at height of 50 km reaches almost 20% from the corresponding electron production rate value. The intermediate interval contribution at 35 km is about 10%. So these new interval calculations may be important for the model results.

Electron production rate profiles q(h) are determined by the numerical evaluation of a 3D integral with account of cut-off rigidities. The integrand in q(h) gives the possibility for application of adequate numerical methods - in this case Wolfram Mathematica 7 and Maple 14 interactive procedures, for the solution of the mathematical problem. The contributions of the different approximation energy intervals can be presented in graphical mode. In this way the process of interaction of CR particles with the upper and middle atmosphere are described much more realistically. The full CR composition is taken into account. The COSPAR International Reference Atmosphere CIRA'86 is applied in the computer program for the neutral air density and scale height values.

The structure of the proposed model CORIMIA allows its decomposition in several submodels: submodel for GCR, submodel for SCR, submodel for ACR. Each submodel is further decomposed in submodels with account to the different characteristic ionization losses energy intervals. In this case we take into account the physical meaning of the undependent variables subintervals. The ionization losses function is calculated taking into account the energetic particles charge decrease interval. The energy intervals investigation takes place according to the goal of the user of the model with respect to accuracy and interval types.

In order to develop a quantitative model of evolution high latitude ionospheric structures during geomagnetic disturbances the analyses of particle and waves in situ measurements and TEC data and RO should be carried out. The high resolution plasma particle diagnostics and wave diagnostics located on board of DEMETER satellite can give us instantaneous high resolution description of high latitude structures and instabilities at a given point of space and time. On the other hand GPS permanent networks such as IGS and EPN(European Permanent Network) provide regular monitoring of the ionosphere in a global scale. Recently, TEC maps have been produced with 5 min intervals and with spatial resolution of 150 - 200 km. The FormoSat-3/COSMIC (Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate) is a joint scientific mission between Taiwan and the USA. The mission placed six small micro-satellites into six different orbits at 700~800 kilometer above the Earth's surface. Each micro-satellite payload includes Occultation Experiment dedicated to Radio Occultation (RO) measurements. Such global information based on the average size of ionospheric plasma parameters is supplemented by an analysis of instantaneous measurements of scintillation carried out at the Antarctic and Arctic IGS. In addition, the radio occultation technique is considered. The aim of this presentation is to discuss the behavior of large ionospheric structures during last long-lasting solar minimum

The European Space Weather Portal is an integrated website providing a centralised access point to the space weather community to share their knowledge and results. The portal has a large section devoted to education and outreach, but is also a platform to run local and remote models and to access their results in both graphical and various numerical forms.
During the ninth European Space Weather Week, we will show the new developments since last year: the updated SWWT pages, the UAH Space Weather Service, a list of recent articles in the Journal for Space Weather & Space Climate, the STCE Newsletters, future space weather events, a page about the EU FP7 and an interface to the COST Catalogue of European space weather assets.

The space weather and the connected with it ionizing radiation have been recognized as a one of the main health concern to the International Space Station (ISS) crew. Estimation the effects of radiation on humans in ISS requires at first order accurate knowledge of the accumulated by them absorbed dose rates, which depend of the global space radiation distribution and the local variations generated by the 3D surrounding shielding distribution. The R3DE (Radiation Risks Radiometer-Dosimeter (R3D) for the EXPOSE-E platform on the European Technological Exposure Facility (EuTEF) worked successfully outside of the European Columbus module between February 2008 and September 2009. Very similar instrument named R3DR for the EXPOSE-R platform worked outside Russian Zvezda module of ISS between March 2009 and August 2010. Both are Liulin type, Bulgarian build miniature spectrometers-dosimeters. They accumulated about 5 million measurements of the flux and absorbed dose rate with 10 seconds resolution behind less than 0.41 g cm^-2 shielding, which is very similar to the Russian and American space suits average shielding. That is why all obtained data can be interpreted as possible doses during Extra Vehicular Activities (EVA) of the cosmonauts and astronauts. The paper first analyses the obtained long-term results in the different radiation environments of: Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR), inner radiation belt trapped protons in the region of the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) and outer radiation belt (ORB) relativistic electrons. The large data base was used for development of an empirical model for calculation of the absorbed dose rates in the extra vehicular environment of ISS at 359 km altitude. The model approximate the averaged in a grid empirical dose rate values to predict the values at required from the user geographical point, station orbit or area in geographic coordinate system. Further in the paper it is presented an intercomparison between predicted by the model dose rate values and data collected by the R3DE/R instruments and NASA Tissue Equivalent Proportional Counter (TEPC) during real cosmonauts and astronauts EVA in the 2008-2010 time interval including large relativistic electrons doses during the magnetosphere enhancement in April 2010. The model was also used to be predicted the accumulated along the orbit of ISS galactic cosmic rays and inner radiation belt dose for 1 orbit (1.5 hours) and 4 consequences orbits (6 hours), which is the usual EVA continuation in dependence by the longitude of the ascending node of ISS. These predictions of the model could be used by space agencies medical and other not specialized in the radiobiology support staff for first approach in the ISS EVA time and space planning.

For the first time it is shown a principle possibility to retrieve basic thermospheric parameters (neutral temperature Tex , atomic [O] and molecular [O2] oxygen as well as molecular nitrogen [N2] concentrations) from observed electron density profile Ne(h) at the equatorial F2-region. The reduction of a 2D continuity equation for electron concentration in the low-latitude F2-region to the geomagnetic equator (I=0) results in a simple 1D equation which can be efficiently solved. The peculiarity of the proposed method is in using only the bottom side of the Ne(h) profile. This is important point keeping in mind the problems with Ne(h) topside approximation in the Digisonde observations. The method was tested using Jicamarca ISR and Digisonde Ne(h) profiles for the periods of CHAMP neutral gas density observations in the vicinity of the Jicamarca observatory. The retrieved from ISR Ne(h) neutral gas densities were shown to be close to the observed ones being within the announced absolute uncertainty of CHAMP neutral gas density observations 10-15% . The standard and mean relative deviations are: SD=0.445 and MRD=8.4% for the proposed method in a comparison with observations, while JB-2008 model gives SD=0.866 and MRD=30%, and MSISE-00 model provides SD=0.810 and MRD=27%. Acceptable results can be also obtained with Digisonde Ne(h) profiles but with less accuracy. The proposed method seems to open an opportunity to monitor the upper atmosphere using ground-based ionospheric observations.

It is important to educate children about the important role that the Sun has in their lives.
This poster presents an educational outreach tool entitled "I Love My Sun" that has been developed for school children in the approximate age range of 7 through 11 years.
The main objective of this tool is to make children aware of space weather, the Sun, Sun-Earth relations and how they, the children, are part of this global picture. Children are given a lecture about the Sun. The lecture is preceded and followed by the children drawing a picture of the Sun. In this paper the background behind the "I Love My Sun" initiative is given and it is described how to perform an "I Love My Sun" event.
Impressions and main results from events in Turkey, Belgium, Ukraine and Serbia are presented.

The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory (HELIO; www.helio-vo.eu), provides an infrastructure that can be used to better understand the effects that solar flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), solar energetic particles (SEPs), and high speed solar wind streams have on Earth and the near-Earth environment. To date, HELIO has not been tested as a tool for these purposes. Here, HELIO is used to study a number of periods of elevated space weather at Earth in order to identify its strengths and weaknesses. We study 9 periods during which L-band dropouts and scintillations were observed, including a particularly severe dropout, with a duration of ~10 minutes, which occurred on 2011 September 24. We find that dropouts were associated with large microwave bursts, while the majority of scintillations were associated with CMEs.

Studying the propagation and impact of solar eruptive events and their various manifestations is of great importance for understanding and predicting space weather conditions in the heliosphere. The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory (HELIO) provides an interface that allows researchers to track coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from their source region on the Sun, to their effects in interplanetary space. The aim of this challenge was to use HELIO to track a large number of CMEs having an associated type II radio burst and possible flare site on disk, through interplanetary space via their detected impacts at various spacecrafts. This was achieved by generating a workflow that accessed the corresponding event lists and used a ballistic CME propagation model to predict each event's arrival time at the expected impact sites (e.g. L1 near Earth). This provided a timeframe for determining the in-situ parameters measured at the different spacecraft locations along the CME trajectory, and thus allowed us to combine the remote-sensing and in-situ data across multiple spacecrafts on a per-event basis for comprehensive analysis of the physics of their propagation and evolution.

The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory (HELIO; www.helio-vo.eu) is a research infrastructure designed to facilitate the discovery of features and events in the heliosphere, determine connections between these, and provide access to relevant data and metadata. Here, HELIO is used to study the occurrence and properties of features (e.g., active regions, filaments, coronal holes) and events (e.g., flares, eruptions, co-rotating interaction regions) through the solar cycle. This is achieved using SQL queries to the HELIO Event and Feature Catalogs and their combination with Taverna workflows.

The super strong magnetic storm began at 19:03 UT on August 5, 2011. The geomagnetic activity index K_p during the main storm phase was 8-, D_st = -113 nT. The solar wind radial velocity during the main phase varied within 570 - 620 km s^¨C1. The temperature of solar wind particles increased up to 6.4