Reasons Why Indonesia is at Risk of Satellite Signal Interference: Equatorial Anomaly Explained

CNN Indonesia

Wednesday, 08 May 2024 14:45 IWST

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —

National Research and Innovation Agency (BRAIN) reveals the reasons why Indonesia is a region that tends to indicate intervention satellitethat is because of its location in the area equatorial anomaly.

Indonesia is known as a unique country because of its position in the region equatorial anomalyor rather at geomagnetic latitude.

This situation causes many phenomena to appear, including onions plasma bubble or depression bubbles in the ionosphere layer which is part of the upper atmosphere at an altitude of 60-1000 kilometers above the Earth’s surface.

This phenomenon is known to cause interference with the propagation or transmission of radio waves, including satellite signals. This phenomenon is even more intense when the solar activity is high.

Satellite signals are said to experience interference, both in amplitude and phase when they pass through the ionosphere, which is disturbed by the concentration of ions and electrons.

Asnawi, Associate Research Scientist at the BRIN Space Research Centre, said that the density of ions and electrons is at this level.

“Especially at an altitude of 300-400 kilometers, which could reflect radio waves effectively. In addition, it also affects signals from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) satellites, so it can affect the accuracy of position measurements,” he said in his statement on his taken from the website. BRAINTuesday (30/4).

In general, solar activity affects ionospheric dynamics. Therefore, when the activity is high, the number of electrons is very high.

“Due to the space weather, the frequency of satellite signals will be blocked. So it is necessary to study, and we will see the behavior of the ionosphere in Indonesia,” he said.

“Several events occur in the ionosphere layer that can interfere with satellite signals, and which can be expected earlier,” he said.

The ionosphere itself is created by ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun which ionises atoms and molecules in the atmosphere. The ionosphere consists of several layers based on molecular and ion components, called D, E, and F which are further divided into F1 and F2.

The height of these layers in the ionosphere can vary, depending on time and space. Certain parts of the ionosphere can be thicker or thinner, depending on solar activity, time of day, and geographic location.

The cause of disturbances in the ionosphere itself is related to space weather, namely the activity of the sun, which has special classes. The active sun is known to emit flares, which is the phenomenon of large explosions in the solar atmosphere.

“When the Sun is a giant phenomenon, it will carry large particles with the solar wind. Then it will enter the ionosphere layer where the charge of the electron will increase. This layer will absorb electromagnetic radio waves,” explained Asnawi.

In addition, the dynamics of the ionosphere affects communication and navigation technology. One of the consequences is that we cannot communicate or that communication is delayed, due to differences in the density and reflection of signals.

(bare)