The first measurement station built as part of the Polish World ELF Radiolocation Array project has recently become operational. The station was constructed by a research team consisting of specialists in the area of Extremely Low Frequencies (ELF) from the JU Astronomical Observatory and the AGH University of Science and Technology in collaboration with experts led by Dr. Marek Golkowski from the University of Colorado in Denver.
Hugo Station, located in the Hugo Wildlife Arena in Colorado (USA), was assembled at the JU Astronomical Observatory and will be used together with Hylaty Station, build in 2005 in Bieszczady Mountains, to measure electromagnetic waves of extremely low frequencies (0,03–300 Hz). Such measurements allow for interesting research on the Earth-ionosphere cavity as well as geophysical and meteorological inquiries, such as mapping global storm activity, monitoring the state of ionosphere and investigating solar x-ray bursts, and evaluating various electrical phenomena. Both of these stations will also send data to the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory in the USA and the Virgo Interferometer in Italy.
This construction is the first step towards creating a worldwide network of such stations, which will allow for real-time online measurements everywhere on the planet. The next station is scheduled to be built in Patagonia.
The station was installed in cooperation with the Jagiellonian University's American partner institutions – the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Colorado – within the framework of the Harmonia programme.
