jasdooit

Zimbabwe’s scientific progress makes a significant advancement through the innovative efforts of Frank Chingarandi, a space physicist whose studies are revealing essential insights into space weather and its potential effects on tomorrow.

His studies concentrate on the fluctuations in the solar cycle and the effects of space weather on Earth’s geospace.

Chingarandi obtained his PhD in Space Geophysics from Brazil’s leading space science organization, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), where he currently works as a postdoctoral researcher in the Heliophysics, Planetary Sciences, and Aeronomy Division.

His pioneering studies provided fresh understanding in atmospheric science by combining NASA satellites with on-ground equipment to track solar particles from the Sun to Earth’s upper atmosphere.

He was the first to document periodic structures in the ionosphere, in the paper titled “Assessing the Effects of a Minor CIR‐HSS Geomagnetic Storm on the Brazilian Low‐Latitude Ionosphere: Ground and Space‐Based Observations,” which appeared in the esteemed Space Weather journal of the American Geophysical Union.

What makes space weather relevant to people in Zimbabwe?

Space weather describes the state of the sun and the space between planets that can negatively impact technological systems on Earth and in space, including communication networks, satellite positioning, and electrical grids, among other facilities.

Considering this, citizens of Zimbabwe were some of the quickest to embrace the Starlink internet service offered by Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX).

The technology employs a network of satellites in very low Earth orbit (VLEO) to send signals to users, resulting in extremely rapid internet connectivity.

The service can be accessed from anywhere in the world, unlike traditional methods. However, it is not free of issues. In fact, while many people in Zimbabwe were signing up for this new service, Starlink lost 38 out of its 49 satellites shortly after launch in February 2022 due to a geomagnetic storm. This storm occurred during a solar minimum, a period when geomagnetic activity is typically low.

A more intense storm may result in more serious effects that disrupt satellite functionality, causing internet disruptions for users.

Zimbabwe’s agriculture-focused economy is progressively depending on satellite-based technologies for weather prediction and accurate farming practices.

Solar storms can disrupt the lives of millions. To address this, Zimbabwe introduced ZimSat-1, the country’s first Earth-observation CubeSat, designed to monitor the environment, prevent droughts, and support mining and exploration activities.

This highlights the significance of efficient space usage and its effects on our community.

Researchers such as Chingarandi make a significant contribution by enhancing our understanding of the extreme conditions in space geospace and strategies to counteract them.

Chingarandi highlights that grasping space weather is not a privilege—it’s a national necessity.

“Our agricultural producers, mining operations, online networks, and even emergency notifications might all be affected by solar events. We need to focus on surveillance and readiness,” he states.

Chingarandi is a space physicist from Zimbabwe whose innovative studies—focusing on ionospheric periodic structures through multi-scale and multi-instrument approaches—has positioned him among a small group of Africans at the forefront of space weather science.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Physics from the National University of Science and Technology, ST (Zimbabwe). Subsequently, he pursued his Master’s in Physics and Aeronomy at the Universidade Federal de Campina Grande in Paraiba, Brazil.

He later earned his doctoral degree in Space Geophysics from the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) in Sao Paulo, Brazil, which made him not only the first Zimbabwean to complete his studies at both institutions but also one of the few individuals currently working in the areas of Aeronomy and space weather.

He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at INPE in Brazil, and he keeps expanding his expertise to safeguard satellite systems. His areas of interest include data science and business. You can reach out to him via LinkedIn and his X profile.