2026 ISR World Days
This page lists the 2026 Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR) World Days.
ISR World Days are days in which multiple ISRs simultaneously take
observations for science needs that are global in nature.
To create this schedule, proposals are first solicited yearly within
the space physics. These proposals are then discusses amongest the
public, ISR PIs, and the URSI Incoherent Scatter Working Group at a
'town hall'. Then, approved proposals are scheduled for the following
year. Please reach out if you have any questions!
| Month |
New Moon |
Full Moon |
Experiment |
| January |
18 |
3 |
Polar Vortex |
| February |
17 |
1 |
Polar Vortex |
| March |
18 |
3 |
Pulsating Aurora - March 11-26 |
| April |
17 |
1 |
|
| May |
16 |
1, 31 |
CONGS-26 |
| June |
14 |
29 |
|
| July |
14 |
29 |
|
| August |
12 |
28 |
Perseids and Pulsating Aurora - August 11 to 13 |
| September |
10 |
26 |
Pulsating Aurora (possible) - September 4-19 |
| October |
21 |
6 |
|
| November |
9 |
24 |
SMILE |
| December |
8 |
23 |
SMILE |
Polar Vortex: Dynamics, electrodynamics, temperature and electron density in the lower and upper thermosphere and ionosphere during strong polar vortex conditions
10 day experiment run
Requester: Goncharenko
Primary Parameters to Measure, including requested time
resolution:
Electron density, electron and ion temperatures from lowest possible altitude throughout the F-region. Temporal resolution can be sacrificed and data integration period increased in order to obtain data at lower altitudes.
Secondary Parameters to Measure: Zonal and meridional
components of neutral wind in the lower thermosphere (95-140km), ExB
drift, F-region meridional wind.
Requested radars: PFISR, RISR-N, RISR-C, EISCAT
(mainland and Svalbard), Millstone Hill, Jicamarca, Kharkiv, QJISR, and
PANSY.
NOTE 1: A 10-day campaign on alert basis is requested, with alert window
Dec 1 – Mar 1. The decision to start will be based on predictions of
stratospheric conditions. In the case of no anomalous stratospheric
conditions (strong polar vortex or sudden stratospheric warming event),
the World Day will revert to a 5‐day run at the end of the alert period.
There should be one week's notice for the alert
Pulsating Aurora: Multipoint and Interhemispheric Survey of Pulsating Aurora Energy Spectra
Requester: Jaynes and McLennan
Primary Parameters to Measure, including requested time
resolution:
Electron density, as high a resolution as is possible.
Secondary Parameters to Measure: None.
Requested radars: PFISR, RISR-N, RISR-C, EISCAT
(mainland and Svalbard), and PANSY
NOTE 2: Near equinoxes to get equal amounts of night time in both hemispheres
CONGS-26: 2026 Coordinated Observation of Geospace Storm (CONGS-26)
Requester: Zhang
Primary Parameters to Measure, including requested time
resolution:
Basic ISR parameters (Ne, Te, Ti, and Vo) with typical 2-3 min
integration time. If possible, high temporal resolution plasma-line
electron density data.
Secondary Parameters to Measure: Resolved ion velocity
vector locally or regionally; thermospheric winds and temperature
Requested radars: PFISR, RISR-N, RISR-C, EISCAT
(mainland and Svalbard), Millstone Hill, Jicamarca, Sanya, Kharkiv,
QJISR, Irkutsk, and PANSY
A 5-day campaign on alert basis. The exact dates will be determined
based on the geomagnetic activity forecasts. The PIs will communicate
with the facilities, issue observation alerts and announce the kickoff
time approximately 3 days ahead of the campaign start.
Perseid: Sporadic-E Perturbations on Ionospheric Conductivity during the Perseids Meteor Shower
Requester: Salinas
Primary Parameters to Measure, including requested time
resolution:
E-region electron densities Ne at ~2 minute resolution. This is a direct parameter needed to estimate
conductivity.
Secondary Parameters to Measure: Zonal drifts and Vertical drifts. These drifts along with neutral winds (where available) can be used to
estimate ion-neutral collision frequency vvii which is an important derived parameter for calculating
conductivity.
Requested radars: PFISR, RISR-N, RISR-C, EISCAT
(mainland and Svalbard), Millstone Hill, and Jicamarca.
Peak days of Perseids meteor shower: August 11 to 13, 2026.
SMILE Winter Campaign World Days
Requester: Walach
Primary Parameters to Measure, including requested time
resolution:
E and F-region key parameters including Ne, Te, Ti and Vi with the largest field-of-view coverage.
Secondary Parameters to Measure: Plasma line for calibration.
Requested radars: PFISR, RISR-N, RISR-C, EISCAT
(mainland and Svalbard), Millstone Hill, Jicamarca, Kharkiv, and Irkutsk.
Winter – ideally a full 5 consecutive days between November 2026 and February 2027; excluding the Christmas/New Year period.