World map of geomagnetic disturbances for Mid and Low latitudes (LDi-GMap)

The geomagnetic field is among the earliest indicators of space weather activity. However, advancements in monitoring and forecasting geomagnetic disturbances have remained relatively stagnant while other areas of space weather made significant progress. These advancements have often relied on outdated global geomagnetic indices, overlooking the importance of local assessments.

LDi-GMap is a novel product designed to address several critical needs in space weather. It generates global maps of local geomagnetic disturbances for low and mid-latitudes, regions where most end-users conduct their activities. The maps operate in real-time, providing disturbance levels in an accessible discrete colour scale (0 to ±9) like the familiar Kp index, well assimilated by the space weather community. With a temporal resolution of one minute (could be lowered depending on input data), these maps leverage data from INTERMAGNET observatories which are processed using the Local Disturbance index (LDi)—a methodology developed at the University of Alcalá to quantify geomagnetic disturbances effectively.

This product demonstrates clear advantages over traditional operational and post-event approaches that use time series of geomagnetic indices. GMap captures both negative and positive local geomagnetic disturbances that might otherwise go unnoticed. By enhancing global awareness and understanding of local geomagnetic activity, this tool addresses a significant gap in space weather.