I am Leader of the Space Weather and Atmosphere Team at the British Antarctic Survey.

In 2017, I was awarded the Chapman medal of the Royal Astronomical Society for investigations of outstanding merit in solar-terrestrial physics. My main research theme has been an holistic view of the coupled solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere system by the synthesis of experiment, data analysis and theory, including the development of new simple mathematical models to explain observations and resolve controversies, e.g., in ionospheric convection and substorms. I have published over 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals.

Since 2013, I have been the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Delegate to the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) Council, responsible for the activities of the EISCAT Scientific Association. The Association is an international organisation that operates radars in Norway, Sweden, and Finland to investigate the upper atmosphere and ionosphere. Together with UK colleagues, Ian McCrea, Yulia Bogdanova, Steve Crothers (RAL Space), and Andrew Kavanagh (BAS), I oversee and support the UK’s scientific exploitation of EISCAT, including a £6M UK capital investment in the new EISCAT-3D radar, which is due to begin operations in 2022.

Career history

• Leader, Space Weather and Atmosphere Team, British Antarctic Survey, 2022-
• Promotion to UKRI Band G, 2024
• Honorary Professor, Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, 2019-2024
• Chapman medal, Royal Astronomical Society, 2017
• Deputy Leader, Space Weather and Atmosphere Team, British Antarctic Survey, 2015-2022
• UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Delegate to the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) Council, 2013-
• Senior Space Weather Researcher, Radiation Belts and Atmospheric Chemistry Workpackage, British Antarctic Survey, 2013-2015
• Manager, Natural Complexity Workpackage, British Antarctic Survey, 2009-2013
• Principal Investigator, Halley SuperDARN radar, 2005-2016, and Falkland Islands SuperDARN radar, 2009-2011
• Principal Investigator, Natural Complexity Programme, British Antarctic Survey, 2005-2009
• Principal Investigator, BAS Low Power Magnetometer Network, 2000-
• Project leader, Magnetic Reconnection Project, British Antarctic Survey, 2000-2005
• Promotion to Band 4, British Antarctic Survey, 2000-
• Senior Scientific Officer, British Antarctic Survey, 1991-2000
• Research Assistant, Imperial College, London, UK, 1991
• Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Maryland, USA, 1990-1991
• Research Assistant, Imperial College, London, UK, 1989
• PhD Space Physics, Imperial College, London, UK, 1986-1989
• BSc (Hons) Physics, Imperial College, London, UK, 1983-1986

Research interests

• Universal properties and theory of substorms at Earth and other planets.
• Multi-scale structure and turbulence of plasma convection and currents in Earth’s ionosphere.
• Modes of variability of the geomagnetic field.
• Space weather and its applications.
• Geoelectric circuit influences on climate.
• Cross-disciplinary applications of natural complexity.

Collaborations

European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) Scientific Association

NERC Space Weather Impact on Ground-based Systems (SWIGS) Highlight Topic grant 2017-2021 (including 10 UK institutes and universities)

STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory RAL Space group

Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN)

University College London Mullard Space Science Laboratory

• Lam, M., Shore, R., Chisham, G., & Freeman, M. (2023). Forecast regression model of the northern Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) high-latitude ionospheric plasma motion built from data interval 1997-2008 inclusive (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/22272b8e-1aa3-483b-9867-224fe02db4e8

• Daggitt, T. (2022). TS05 and TS07 external magnetic field model L*, LCDS and B field data for the GOES-13, GOES-15 and HIMAWARI-8 satellites for three geomagnetic storm periods (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/346ce427-6663-45e6-b706-285bb79e41ce

• Shore, R., Freeman, M., Chisham, G., Lam, M., & Breen, P. (2022). Dominant spatial and temporal patterns of horizontal ionospheric plasma velocity variation covering the northern polar region, from 1997.0 to 2009.0 – VERSION 2.0 (Version 2.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/2b9f0e9f-34ec-4467-9e02-abc771070cd9

• Shore, R., Freeman, M., & Chisham, G. (2021). Dominant spatial and temporal patterns of horizontal ionospheric plasma velocity variation covering the northern polar region, for the month of February 2001 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/f4245a21-dee9-46cf-85b2-114798cb7ebc

• Shore, R., & Freeman, M. (2020). Dominant spatial and temporal patterns of horizontal ionospheric plasma velocity variation covering the northern polar region, for the period 1997.0 to 2009.0 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/8db4c41b-e549-45dd-bc85-386e6e0e6e07

• Freeman, M., Gjerloev, J., & Shore, R. (2018). An empirical orthogonal function reanalysis of the northern polar external and induced magnetic field during solar cycle 23 – VERSION 1.0 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://data.bas.ac.uk/full-record.php?id=GB/NERC/BAS/PDC/01102

• Shore, R., Freeman, M., & Gjerloev, J. (2017). An empirical orthogonal function reanalysis of the northern polar external and induced magnetic field during solar cycle 23 – VERSION 2.0 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://data.bas.ac.uk/full-record.php?id=GB/NERC/BAS/PDC/00935

1. PRESCIENT

   PRESCIENT supports long-term, strategically important measurements and capabilities for the wider science community.

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2. Space Weather Impact on Ground-based Systems (SWIGS)

   SWIGS investigated how space weather drives geomagnetically induced currents in power grids, pipelines, and railways.

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3. Atmospheric warming impacts on satellite debris

   Joule Heating investigated how space weather affects the upper atmosphere’s ability to slow down orbiting satellite debris.

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4. Space Weather Observatory

   Assessing Space Weather impacts

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5. Thermospheric Heating Modes and Effects on Satellites (THeMES)

   Using meteorological statistical techniques, THeMES aimed to improve satellite trajectory predictions and identify which orbital paths face the greatest risk from space weather disturbances.

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6. SuperDARN

   The Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) has been operating as an international co-operative organisation for over 25 years, and has proved to be one of the most successful tools for studying dynamical processes in the Earth’s magnetosphere, ionosphere, and neutral atmosphere.

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7. The Global Electric Circuit

   Quantifying the Effect of the Upper Atmospheric Electric Potential on Lower Atmospheric Temperature and Pressure.

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8. Low Power Magnetometer (LPM) Network

   Access data from the Low Power Magnetometer (LPM) network

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9. Arctic atmosphere and space weather research facilities

   The UK EISCAT support group (UKESG) is a collaboration between the British Antarctic Survey and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, funded via the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS).

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10. A High-Order Model of the Earth’s External and Induced Magnetic Field

    For centuries people have used magnetic compasses to guide them on their way and explore new territories. This has led scientists to embark on their own journeys of discovery about […]

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13. Space weather risk modelling

    SWIMMR-T generated accurate and actionable nowcasts and forecasts of the thermosphere to reduced uncertainty estimates of the orbital characteristics of satellites and debris.

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1. Climate change to increase lifetime of space pollution

   Satellites face greater chances of collision with space debris as a result of reduced density in the upper atmosphere. Increasing levels of CO2 in the Earth’s atmosphere will result in […]

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2. Antarctica experiences rare total solar eclipse

   A rare total solar eclipse in Antarctica this weekend (Saturday 4 December) is giving researchers a unique opportunity to learn more about how solar eclipses affect space weather. The next […]

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3. Space weather monitoring receives funding boost

   Space weather research at British Antarctic Survey (BAS) receives a funding boost of around £2M today (Saturday 27 June) from the SWIMMR (Space Weather Instrumentation, Measurement, Modelling and Risk) programme. […]

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4. Royal Astronomical Society honours BAS scientist

   Dr Mervyn Freeman, Senior Space Weather Researcher at British Antarctic Survey, has been awarded the prestigious Chapman Medal in Geophysics by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS). The medal recognises his […]

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5. Search Coil Magnetometer

   BAS operates a network of magnetometers across Antarctica that measure Earth’s magnetic field and space weather, from detecting aurora-generating waves to tracking radiation belt activity and mapping ionospheric currents that affect satellites.

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6. Halley radars

   Studying winds, waves, and tides in the upper atmosphere across the polar regions.

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• UKRI Delegate, EISCAT Council
• Principal Investigator of BAS low power magnetometer network, SuperMAG Executive Committee
• Member, NERC Radar Advisory Group