1. Introduction
Space weather, driven primarily by solar activity, poses an increasingly significant risk to modern technological systems. Its terrestrial impacts span multiple sectors, with the potential to cause both direct and cascading failures in electricity supply, communications, transportation, agriculture, water distribution, and public health (The White House 2019). Solar flares emit bursts of X-rays and extreme ultraviolet radiation that can temporarily degrade radio signals traversing Earth’s atmosphere. Coronal mass ejections (CMEs), capable of propelling billions of tons of plasma toward Earth, can trigger geomagnetic storms lasting several days. These storms act as natural electromagnetic pulses, generating geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) that disrupt or damage power grids and may cause widespread blackouts (Kappenman and Radasky Reference Kappenman and Radasky2021). Solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are often accompanied by solar energetic particle (SEP) events, which increase radiation levels that are hazardous to astronauts and potentially harmful to aviation crews and passengers (Townsend Reference Townsend2021).
Satellite systems and high-altitude or polar-route aircraft are particularly vulnerable to space weather effects. These include radiation-induced anomalies, spacecraft charging and discharging, and reduced performance of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) (Miteva et al. Reference Miteva, Samwel and Tkatchova2023; Mertens and Tobiska Reference Mertens and Tobiska2021; Coster and Yizengaw Reference Coster and Yizengaw2021). Additional consequences include attenuation in fiber-optic cables, increased satellite drag, and disruptions to remote sensing and defense operations (Baker and Bodeau Reference Baker and Bodeau2021). Radio frequency systems (UHF, VHF, HF) and radar networks are also subject to interference and signal deviation.
The broader societal risk lies in cascading failures across interdependent systems. A prolonged severe space weather event could compromise healthcare, financial transactions, food preservation, and transportation logistics. Although its full economic impact remains difficult to quantify, it likely spans from infrastructure damage to disruption of global financial networks reliant on GNSS timing (The White House 2019; Coster and Yizengaw Reference Coster and Yizengaw2021).
As space weather hazards intensify in a hyper-connected world, proactive mitigation strategies are essential to safeguard societal stability and technological continuity.
The National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) has responded by launching strategic international collaborations to strengthen Honduras’ space weather monitoring capabilities. These efforts are organised around four major networks: International Real-time Magnetic Observatory Network (INTERMAGNET); EZIE-Mag Network (NASA and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory); ScintPi Monitoring Network (University of Texas at Dallas); EL-BONGÓ Astroparticle Consortium (Erasmus Mundus Programme).
1.1. The International Real-time Magnetic Observatory Network (INTERMAGNET)
The INTERMAGNET programme (INTERMAGNET 2025) is a global network of cooperating digital magnetic observatories that operate under standardised specifications for measurement and recording. Its goal is to facilitate data exchange and produce geomagnetic products in near real time.
Where local support is limited, INTERMAGNET assists in establishing new observatories or upgrading and maintaining existing facilities.
The cleanliness criteria for selecting a site for a magnetic observatory are taken from the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (IAGA) Manual for Magnetic Measurements and Observatory Practices (Jankowski and Sucksdorff Reference Jankowski and Sucksdorff1996), as well as recommendations from the INTERMAGNET project.
Between 2019 and 2025, the MAGHO team assessed nineteen candidate sites across Honduras for the installation of the observatory. Forty-seven field campaigns were conducted in seven provinces: Francisco Morazán, El Paraíso, Choluteca, Valle, Cortés, Comayagua, and Atlántida. These included three aerial magnetic surveys using the MagDrone SENSYS© platform and twenty-five ground-based surveys employing GEM GSM-19G and GSM-19W proton magnetometers.
After rigorous geophysical and logistical assessments, the chosen site was the First Artillery Battalion of the Honduran Army in the Zambrano mountain range, Francisco Morazán (14° 15’ 09” N, 87° 25’ 23” W). The location offers favourable conditions, including low magnetic gradients, minimal anthropogenic interference, uniform soil composition, and long-term security.
International collaboration has been central to this effort. The Conrad Observatory (Austria) has offered a complete geomagnetic station on loan, while the Instituto de Geofísica at UNAM (Mexico) has committed to supplying a variometer.
A poster presented at the 400th IAU Symposium and archived in the Zenodo repository (([?])) highlighted the necessity of constructing a magnetic observatory in Honduras and evaluated four candidate sites.
1.2. EZI-Mag magnetometer program
The EZIE-Mag – short for EZIE magnetometer (EZIE-Mag 2025)– is a sensitive instrument that enables precise measurement of the magnetic field, supporting NASA’s EZIE Mission (Electromagnetic Zeeman Imaging Explorer). This mission consists of three spacecraft flying in a polar orbit to measure magnetic fields in the upper atmosphere.
As part of the mission’s outreach and research objectives, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory is distributing EZIE-Mag units to STEM-focused organisations. These instruments allow participants to collect ground-based magnetic field data of scientific quality, which will be integrated with spacecraft measurements.
The EZIE-Mag deployed at UNAH has been installed outdoors in a magnetically quiet environment, isolated from sources of interference. This placement ensures reliable measurements that can contribute both to mission science and to broader space weather monitoring.
1.3. The ScintPi Ionospheric Monitoring Network
Two ionospheric scintillation and total electron content (TEC) monitors –ScintPi 2.0 and ScintPi 3.0 (Rodrigues and Moraes Reference Rodrigues and Moraes2019; Wright et al. Reference Wright, Rodrigues, Brum, Deshpande, Erickson, Frissell, Hauan, Layne, Quesada, Rosales, Sojka, Scherliess, Shepherd, Taylor and Terra2025)– were deployed in Tegucigalpa to study the occurrence and intensity of ionospheric scintillation observable by GNSS receivers in Honduras. This initiative is a collaboration between the UNAH, the Technological Institute of Costa Rica, and the University of Texas at Dallas.
Measurements began on 8 October 2023. Since then, the ScintPi instruments have continuously collected scintillation data for the L1 (∼1.6 GHz) and L2 (∼1.2 GHz) signals transmitted by multiple GNSS constellations, including GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, and Galileo.
Preliminary analyses have confirmed the occurrence of equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) over Tegucigalpa. Although EPBs have been extensively studied at other equatorial and low-latitude locations, this marks the first time their effects on L-band GNSS signals have been recorded and analysed in Honduras. These observations represent a significant step in characterising regional ionospheric behaviour and in strengthening Honduras’ contribution to global space weather studies.
1.4. The Astroparticles and Multimessengers Community of the “EL-BONGÓ” Project
The E-Latin America Digital huB for OpeN Growing cOmmunities in physics (EL-BONGÓ) is an Erasmus project designed to democratise physics education and research across Latin America (EL-BONGÓ 2025). Its central aim is the digital transformation of higher education through the creation of virtual scientific communities that foster collaboration, open science, and the development of practical skills in digital fabrication.
EL-BONGÓ addresses four strategic areas: (a) High-Energy Physics; (b) Astroparticles and Multimessengers; (c) Geophysics; (d) Artificial Intelligence and Computational Physics.
Within this framework, the Astroparticle and Multimessenger Community focuses on strengthening regional capacity in experimental and computational astroparticle physics. Its activities include collaborative research, training, and the development of accessible technologies. The community is integrated into the Latin American Giant Observatory (LAGO) network, employing both Water Cherenkov detectors and low-cost instruments for studies of cosmic rays and atmospheric phenomena, with Honduras positioned as an active contributor to both research and education in astroparticle physics.
1.5. Conclusions
The establishment of the Honduran Magnetic Observatory (MAGHO) represents a milestone in the development of geophysical and space weather research in Central America. Through extensive site evaluations, international collaboration, and the integration of advanced instrumentation, MAGHO will provide continuous, high-quality geomagnetic data essential for both regional and global monitoring.
Complementary initiatives, including participation in NASA’s EZIE-Mag project, the ScintPi ionospheric monitoring network, and the EL-BONGÓ astroparticle consortium, further expand Honduras’ role in the international scientific community. Together, these programmes strengthen national capacity in space sciences, foster student and faculty training, and contribute to the global effort to understand and mitigate the impacts of space weather.
By positioning Honduras within international research frameworks such as INTERMAGNET and LAGO, UNAH has laid the foundation for a long-term scientific infrastructure that benefits both regional development and worldwide geoscience collaboration. The MAGHO initiative exemplifies how strategic partnerships, capacity building, and shared resources can extend the reach of space weather monitoring to regions previously underrepresented in global networks.
Supplementary material
To view supplementary material for this article, please visit https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921326107273.
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