Francisca Nneka Okeke: the physicist who connected the magnetic sky with the climate

Nigerian scientist Francisca Nneka Okeke is one of the leading figures in geomagnetism and ionospheric physics. A professor at the University of Nigeria (Nsukka), she has researched how electric currents vary in the upper atmosphere and how they relate to the Earth’s magnetic field and climate parameters. In 2013, she was awarded the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Prize (Physics) for her contributions to the study of daily ionospheric currents and their role in understanding climate change.

What does she study and why does it matter?

Okeke has focused on phenomena such as the equatorial electrojet and daily geomagnetic variations, key to understanding the Sun–Earth interaction: how the solar wind and solar cycles disturb our magnetic field, alter the ionosphere, and in turn modulate variables of the climate system (for example, rainfall or temperature at different scales). This approach helps distinguish the fraction of climate variability linked to solar/geomagnetic forcing from that of anthropic origin.

Main contributions

• Ionosphere and climate: studies linking solar/geomagnetic activity (e.g., sunspot number, aa index) with rainfall and temperature anomalies in Africa, using spectral and trend analyses.
• Regional geomagnetic variability: research on the equatorial electrojet zone in East Africa and on the spatiotemporal behavior of geomagnetic storms across several solar cycles.
• Outreach and leadership: a continental role model in training new generations of female physicists and geoscientists, and in promoting standards of observation and analysis in space geophysics.

A legacy with impact

Understanding space weather is not just an academic exercise: it improves the forecasting of disturbances affecting communications, navigation, satellites, and, in parallel, contributes pieces to the puzzle of climate variability. Okeke’s work continues to strengthen the connection between the magnetic field, the ionosphere, and the climate, helping us interpret a dynamic planet under a changing Sun.

With science, from CymitQuimica

At CymitQuimica, we support teams researching atmospheric physics, geosciences, and biosciences with a catalog of reagents and consumables for any laboratory. On our website, you will find options for sample preparation, cell culture, analysis, and quality control, along with technical advice to help you choose what best suits your project.