Evolution of the Pakistan Space Weather Centre (PSWC)

Abstract

This work focuses on the progress of space weather monitoring in Pakistan. Pakistan's first geomagnetic observatory was established in Quetta in 1953. However, the beginning of what we would now call space weather services on a formal level took place in 1971, when the national space agency, the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), established the country's first ionospheric station. Later, in 1983, a geomagnetic observatory was set up in Karachi with the aim of providing high frequency (HF) support and geomagnetic storm alerts to relevant users. With the progression of time, nations began to prioritize space weather monitoring to ensure the safety and security of technological assets. Therefore, it was considered imperative to upgrade the array of instruments in order to maintain the reliability of operations and the efficient utilization of data to contribute to research at local, regional and global scales. Pakistan has recently established a dedicated space weather monitoring facility known as the Pakistan Space Weather Centre (PSWC). This paper describes the historic evolution of space weather infrastructure in Pakistan and the current contribution of the PSWC.