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Abstract

Satellites and global ground observation networks are the prerequisites to monitor global variations such as, e.g., climate or sea level changes or the decline of the geomagnetic field. Well-distributed ground observations in most cases are essential complements to space observations in order to gain an improved understanding of the processes underlying the observed changes. More than 80 % of the southern hemisphere are covered by oceans. Southern Africa is one of the few regions to allow for ground based observations there. The geomagnetic field shields our habitat against solar wind and cosmic rays. However, its average strength is clearly decreasing since the beginning of systematic observations 180 years ago, and a particularly weak field area is the region over and around the southern Atlantic, known as South Atlantic Anomaly. The GFZ activities regarding geomagnetic field observation in southern Africa and the larger southern Atlantic region provide a good example how regional ground observations are integral parts to investigating global processes, in this case geomagnetic core field evolution and space weather behaviour.