GPS assistance in modelling the Southern African ionosphere

As the recently established regional warning centre for space weather in Africa, the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory contributes to the development of models of the Southern African ionosphere in order to predict ionospheric behaviour and its effect on radio communications. Although ionosondes still play a key role in the characterization of the ionosphere, the recent availability of a network of dual frequency GPS receivers in Southern Africa and the ability to observe ionospheric dynamics by means of its effect on GPS signals traversing the ionosphere, has significantly enhanced the time and spatial resolution of ionospheric observations over Southern Africa and the development of better models for predicting the state of the ionosphere over Africa.