Central University of Jammu to join Indian Network for Space Weather Impact Monitoring (InSWIM)

JAMMU: The Central University of Jammu (CUJ) is proud to announce its forthcoming collaboration with the Space Physics Laboratory (SPL) of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Department of Space, Government of India, for the installation of a Space Weather Monitoring facility on its campus.

Hon’ble Vice Chancellor Prof. Sanjeev Jain welcomed this prestigious collaboration with ISRO’s SPL, marking a significant step forward in CUJammu’s contributions to national scientific research and space weather studies. Dr. Raj Kumar Choudhary, Scientist-G, Head of RSIM at SPL-VSSC, and Principal Investigator of the InSWIM project, visited the CUJammu campus to initiate discussions and implementation plans for InSWIM activities.

During the meeting, the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor congratulated Prof. Vinay Kumar (Dean, School of Basic and Applied Sciences & Convener, Satish Dhawan Centre for Space Sciences—SDCSS) and Dr. Shweta Yadav (Centre Incharge, Himalayan High Altitude Atmospheric & Climate Research—H2A2CR Centre) for their roles as Principal Investigators of the InSWIM project at CU Jammu. He assured full institutional support for the smooth execution of the project.

Prof. Yashwant Singh, Registrar, also emphasized the strategic importance of the project for the region of Jammu & Kashmir and assured seamless coordination for the installation and operation of the equipment under the InSWIM initiative.

With this collaboration, CU Jammu is set to become the first station in Jammu & Kashmir to conduct intensive space weather impact monitoring. The data collected will provide vital ground-based support to rocket and satellite missions, as space weather significantly influences the performance and reliability of both spaceborne and terrestrial technological systems.

The Indian Network for Space Weather Impact Monitoring (InSWIM) is a national initiative aimed at observing and modeling the low-latitude ionosphere-thermosphere system. Instruments to be deployed include Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) receivers, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) receivers, ionosondes, magnetometers, and airglow photometers/imagers. These tools will support understanding quiet-time ionospheric variability across Indian low-latitude regions, Studying ionospheric response to varying space weather conditions over Indian longitudes and Developing models to minimize ionospheric errors in GNSS-based systems.

To commemorate the occasion, an interactive session titled “Radio Science Technique: Introduction to a Tool to Explore a Planetary Body” was organized. Dr. Choudhary engaged with faculty members and students, kindling interest in the field of space weather and highlighting the role of radio science techniques in planetary exploration.

Dr. Choudhary also visited the Satish Dhawan Centre for Space Sciences (SDCSS), the Ceilometer LiDAR Observatory, and other state-of-the-art research facilities on campus. He expressed appreciation for the ongoing research and technological advancements being pursued at the School of Engineering, SDCSS, and H2A2CR Centre. This collaboration represents a strategic milestone for CU Jammu and reflects the university’s growing stature in national and international scientific endeavors.