基于GPS的广州地区电离层不规则体纬向漂移速度计算分析

利用广州站组建的两台短间距GPS电离层闪烁监测仪的观测数据, 分别对GPS卫星信号强度用功率谱和短间距台链互相关性两种方法计算了3次闪烁事件电离层不规则体的漂移速度. 分析结果表明, 同一不规则体会引起两台站闪烁事件的同时发生, 两种方法测量不规则体漂移速度通常在50～160m/s之间, 平均大小均在120m/s左右, 且纬向漂移速度在闪烁初期起伏较明显, 速度随闪烁时间有下降的趋势, 夜间纬向漂移方向由西向东, 广州地区漂移速度特性符合低纬其他地区不规则体漂移速度特征, 两种计算方法合理有效.      

基于海南VHF雷达观测的低纬E区场向不规则体研究

利用海南VHF雷达（19.5°N,109.1°E;磁纬8.1°N）在2011年7月15—22日期间的连续观测数据,对东亚低纬3m尺度电离层场向不规则体（FAI）特性进行了分析. 主要结果表明,在整个观测期间,E区场向不规则体几乎每天发生,既可发生于夜间,也可发生于白天,且存在各种不同结构. 根据E区场向不规则体发生的时间及形态,可将其分为三种结构类型:低部连续型结构、上部下降型结构以及白天连续型结构. 这些低纬E区场向不规则体的回波谱特性与赤道电集流（EEJ）和中纬区E区场向不规则体中的2型回波相类似,但其随时间的变化与后两者存在明显差异,且与其他低纬区E区场向不规则体回波存在不同程度的差异.      

VHF/UHF振幅闪烁和VHF快速法拉弟旋转起伏

本文利用1988年9月至1989年5月在武昌(114.4°E,30.6°N)同时接收日本ETS-Ⅱ卫星(130.0°E)发出的VHF(136MHz)信标信号和苏联静止站-T卫星(99.0°E)发出的UHP(714MHz)广播电视信号时获得的观测记录,对夜间出现的双频(VHF/UHF)闪烁和VHF快速(每分钟大于5次的起伏)法拉弟旋转起伏(以下用FRF表示法拉弟旋转起伏)进行了统计分析,结果发现在临近太阳黑子最大年份观测到的双频夜间闪烁主要为急始型,呈赤道特性,且在临近二分点的月份里有最大出现率,秋季更为明显;伴随VHF振幅闪烁出现的快速FRF常与UHF振幅闪烁共存,以及产生这种现象的不规则体由西向东漂移,东-西向的漂移速度分量,在子夜前为140m/s,在子夜后为90m/s。      

海南VHF雷达观测到的低纬F区电离层场向不规则体事件分析

中国海南VHF雷达具有快速扫描观测及对电离层不规则体进行二维成像的能力.采用时间序列上的连续观测,可以获得场向不规则体发展变化的一系列二维空间图像.本文对海南VHF雷达2011年10月27日夜间观测到的电离层不规则体事件进行分析,主要结果表明,本次观测到的不规则体可分为三个阶段.在初步形成阶段,不规则体开始出现时非常微弱,发展变化很慢,主要表现为向上可扩展,持续时间约14min.在扩大增强阶段,不规则体快速向上并向两侧扩展,持续时间约14min;不规则体强度前期迅速增大,后期略有减弱,空间尺度达200km以上.在东漂离开阶段,不规则体强度进一步减弱,扩展面积达到最大,主要表现为东向漂移,持续时间近30min.这次观测首次给出了海南地区上空电离层不规则体的形成和发展过程.结合其他台站的观测进行对比分析发现,海南观测到的雷达羽与其他地区的雷达羽具有明显不同,海南地区的雷达羽特性及其对应的物理过程有待进一步观测研究.      

GISM模型在中国低纬地区的适用性分析

为检验全球电离层闪烁模型（GISM）在中国低纬地区预测的准确性,根据2011年7月至2012年6月期间中国低纬地区三个观测站记录的GPSL1频点的电离层闪烁数据,对GISM模型的预测结果进行了分析.研究表明,在太阳活动高年,该模型能够反映出中国低纬地区闪烁的主要特征.模型预测的闪烁开始时间与观测结果较为一致,而结束时间滞后观测值约1h;模型预测的低纬地区闪烁强度峰值与观测结果基本一致,而在相同累积概率条件下,模型预测的闪烁强度则高于观测值;模型显示闪烁发生概率和闪烁强度随纬度的增加而减小,这一结果与观测结果一致.      

夏季强对流活动对东亚低纬电离层不规则体影响的事件分析

利用海南台站和东南亚地区的多种地基和天基观测手段,对2014年7月28日夜间观测到的东亚低纬F区不规则体事件的时空变化及其物理过程进行分析。结果表明,海南台站观测到了罕见的长时间持续的F区电离层不规则体,不同手段观测到的电离层不规则体存在明显的形态差异。不同台站观测到的电离层不规则体活动存在明显的差异。海南台站经度区南北异常峰附近的TEC起伏活动在日落后至午夜附近明显增强,在午夜后明显减弱。C/NOFS卫星轨迹午夜后逐渐接近于磁赤道,且处于较低高度上,几乎总会观测到弱等离子体扰动/泡的发生,与该区域地基观测的弱电离层不规则体活动存在明显的联系。SWARM卫星在黎明海南台站附近经度区仍观测到较强的赤道异常双峰结构,且西侧异常峰区附近仍存在明显的等离子体密度耗空/泡结构。海南台站西侧磁赤道区附近（中南半岛）强对流活动（MCC）激发的重力波种子扰动对东亚低纬区等离子体泡及准周期结构的产生发挥了重要作用。      

基于多种观测手段的东亚低纬电离层不规则体事件分析

利用海南台站（19.5°N,109.1°E,dip:13.6°N）和磁赤道区的多种地基和天基观测数据,对2011年11月20日观测到的电离层不规则体事件进行了分析.海南台站VHF雷达、电离层闪烁和数字测高仪的综合观测结果表明,当天日落附近发生了强的电离层不规则体事件,主要表现为雷达羽和强闪烁的形态.结合磁赤道区GPS和C/NOFS卫星观测结果进行分析可知,海南台站日落附近出现的雷达羽和强闪烁与南海磁赤道区产生的主等离子体泡存在明显联系.      

海南地区电离层闪烁观测与GISM模式预测的比较分析

为了获得全球电离层闪烁模式GISM在中国低纬地区预测的精度和可靠性,利用海南三亚GPS电离层闪烁监测系统一年的观测数据与模式预测结果进行对比分析.结果表明,在太阳活动低年,GISM能较好地反映海南地区电离层闪烁的季节变化、日变化和空间分布特性;对于季节变化,模式与观测结果在中等强度闪烁条件下较为相符,而在强闪烁和弱闪烁条件下有不同程度的偏差;模式预测的闪烁日变化与实际观测基本一致,但在闪烁发生率出现最大值的时间上模式预测要滞后约1 h左右;在电离层闪烁发生率的空间分布上,模式预测与实际观测较为相符,即海南地区南面电离层闪烁发生率高于北面.      

海口站电离层闪烁强度功率谱分析与建模应用

基于中国海口站(20.00°N, 110.33°E)获取的2013全年UHF 频段电离层闪烁信号强度数据, 利用Welch算法, 分析给出了四类典型电离层闪 烁强度功率谱. 利用功率谱时序图分析方法, 发现电离层不均匀体存在东西向水 平周期性变化结构. 提取全年功率谱指数p, 通过统计分析发现谱指数p存在规律变化, 据此建立一个谱指数经验模型, 该谱指数模型已用于中国低纬 区域电离层闪烁发生预报概率模型(CMSOP), 进而对海口站UHF频段电离层闪烁发生 概率观测数据和预报结果进行了对比分析.      

磁暴期间中国中低纬电离层不规则体与扰动分析

2017年9月8日发生了一次强磁暴,Kp指数最大值达到8.利用区域电离层格网模型（Regional Ionosphere Map,RIM）和区域ROTI（Rate of TEC Index）地图,分析了磁暴期间中国及其周边地区电离层TEC扰动特征和低纬地区电离层不规则体的产生与发展情况,同时利用不同纬度IGS（International GNSS Service）测站BJFS（39.6°N,115.9°E）,JFNG（30.5°N,114.5°E）和HKWS（22.4°N,114.3°E）的GPS双频观测值,获取各测站的ROTI和DROT（Standard Deviation of Differential ROT）指数变化趋势.结果表明:此次磁暴发生期间电离层扰动先以正相扰动为主,主要发生在中低纬区域,dTEC（differential TEC）最大值达到14.9TECU,随后电离层正相扰动逐渐衰减,在低纬区域发生电离层负相扰动,dTEC最小值达到-7.2TECU;在12:30UT-13:30UT时段,中国南部低纬地区发生明显的电离层不规则体事件;相比BJFS和JFNG两个测站,位于低纬的HKWS测站的ROTI和DROT指数变化更为剧烈,这表明电离层不规则体结构存在纬度差异.      

Low latitude ionospheric scintillation and zonal irregularity drifts observed with GPS-SCINDA system and closely spaced VHF receivers in Kenya

In this study we have used VHF and GPS-SCINDA receivers located at Nairobi (36.8°E, 1.3°S, dip −24.1°) in Kenya, to investigate the ionospheric scintillation and zonal drift irregularities of a few hundred meter-scale irregularities associated with equatorial plasma density bubbles for the period 2011. From simultaneous observations of amplitude scintillation at VHF and L-band frequencies, it is evident that the scintillation activity is higher during the post sunset hours of the equinoctial months than at the solstice. While it is noted that there is practically no signatures of the L-band scintillation in solstice months (June, July, December, January) and after midnight, VHF scintillation does occur in the solstice months and show post midnight activity through all the seasons. VHF scintillation is characterized by long duration of activity and slow fading that lasts till early morning hours (05:00 LT). Equinoctial asymmetry in scintillation occurs with higher occurrence in March–April than in September–October. The occurrence of post midnight VHF scintillation in this region is unusual and suggests some mechanisms for the formation of scintillation structure that might not be clearly understood. Zonal drift velocities of irregularities were measured using cross-correlation analysis with time series of the VHF scintillation structure from two closely spaced antennas. Statistical analyses of the distribution of zonal drift velocities after sunset hours indicate that the range of the velocities is 30–160 m/s. This is the first analysis of the zonal plasma drift velocity over this region. Based on these results we suggest that the east–west component of the plasma drift velocity may be related to the evolution of plasma bubble irregularities caused by the prereversal enhancement of the eastward electric fields. The equinoctial asymmetry of the drift velocities and scintillation could be attributed to the asymmetry of neutral winds in the thermosphere that drives the eastward electric fields.     

Characterization of the low latitude plasma density irregularities observed using C/NOFS and SCINDA data

Complex electrodynamic processes over the low latitude region often result in post sunset plasma density irregularities which degrade satellite communication and navigation. In order to forecast the density irregularities, their occurrence time, duration and location need to be quantified. Data from the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite was used to characterize the low latitude ion density irregularities from 2011 to 2013. This was supported by ground based data from the SCIntillation Network Decision Aid (SCINDA) receivers at Makerere (Geographic coordinate 32.6°E, 0.3°N, and dip latitude ?9.3°N) and Nairobi (Geographic coordinate 36.8°E, ?1.3°N, and dip latitude ?10.8°N). The results show that irregularities in ion density have a daily pattern with peaks from 20:00 to 24:00 Local Time (LT). Scintillation activity at L band and VHF over East Africa peaked in 2011 and 2012 from 20:00 to 24:00 LT, though in many cases scintillation at VHF persisted longer than that at L band. A longitudinal pattern in ion density irregularity occurrence was observed with peaks over 135–180°E and 270–300°E. The likelihood of ion density irregularity occurrence decreased with increasing altitude. Analysis of C/NOFS zonal ion drift velocities showed that the largest nighttime and daytime drifts were in 270–300°E and 300–330°E longitude regions respectively. Zonal irregularity drift velocities over East Africa were for the first time estimated from L-band scintillation indices. The results show that the velocity of plasma density irregularities in 2011 and 2012 varied daily, and hourly in the range of 50–150 m s^?1. The zonal drift velocity estimates from the L-band scintillation indices had good positive correlation with the zonal drift velocities derived from VHF receivers by the spaced receiver technique.     

GPS phase difference variation statistics: A comparison between phase scintillation index and proxy indices

Scintillated GPS phase observations are traditionally characterized by the phase scintillation index, derived from specialized GPS receivers usually tracking at 50 Hz. Geodetic quality GPS receivers, on the other hand, are normally tracking at frequencies up to 1 Hz. However, availability of continuously operating geodetic receivers both in time and geographical location are superior to scintillation receiver’s coverage in many parts of the world. This motivates scintillation studies using regional and global geodetic GPS networks. Previous studies have shown the usefulness of GPS estimated total electron content variations for detecting ionospheric irregularities. In this paper, collocated geodetic and scintillation receivers are employed to compare proxy indices derived from geodetic receivers with the phase scintillation index during quiet and moderately disturbed ionospheric conditions. Sensitivity of the phase scintillation indices at high latitude stations to geomagnetic activity is discussed. Global mapping of ionospheric disturbances using proxy indices from real-time 1 Hz GPS stations are also presented.     

Ionospheric plasma bubble zonal drift: a methodology using OI 630 nm all-sky imaging systems

With the recent advances in all-sky imaging technology for nightglow emission studies, the F-region OI 630 nm emission has become an important tool for ionospheric/thermospheric coupling studies. At equatorial and low latitude regions, the all-sky imaging observations of the OI 630 nm emission show quasi north-south aligned intensity depletion bands, which are the optical signatures of large scale F-region plasma irregularities. By observing the motion of the intensity depleted bands it is possible to infer the ionospheric plasma zonal velocity of the depletion. The north-south aligned structures seen in the field of view of the all-sky imaging system corotate with the ionospheric plasma, so that by calculating the spatial displacements occurring during successive OI 630 nm emission images we can infer the ionospheric plasma drift velocity. However, the plasma bubbles have their own internal space-time dynamics leading to changes in their shape and dimensions and this may induce some errors in the calculated drift velocities. In this paper we take into account the space-time changes in the plasma bubbles in order to calculate the ionospheric plasma zonal drift velocities using the OI 630 nm nightglow emission.     

电离层不规则结构对GPS性能的影响

电离层不规则结构的存在可引起无线电信号的幅度和相位发生随机起伏, 这 种电离层闪烁现象会影响全球定位系统(Global Positioning System, GPS)的 性能, 降低定位精度, 严重时导致信号失锁. 电离层不规则结构对GPS性能的 影响涉及电离层物理、接收机设计和表征卫星几何分布的精度衰减因子(Dilution of Positioning, DOP)等多方面因素. 本文通过对表征电离层不规则结构参数 的分析, 根据GPS接收机跟踪环路和闪烁信号模型, 综合研究了电离层闪烁对 GPS接收机载波跟踪环和码跟踪环跟踪误差的影响; 结合实际观测, 评述 了电离层不规则结构对单频和双频GPS接收机定位性能的影响, 在此基础上 提出了有待深入研究的问题及具体建议.      

Using GPS-SCINDA observations to study the correlation between scintillation,total electron content enhancement and depletions over the Kenyan region

This paper presents the first results of total electron content (TEC) depletions and enhancement associated with ionospheric irregularities in the low latitude region over Kenya. At the low latitude ionosphere the diurnal behavior of scintillation is driven by the formation of large scale equatorial depletions which are formed by post-sunset plasma instabilities via the Rayleigh–Taylor instability near the magnetic equator. Data from the GPS scintillation receiver (GPS-SCINDA) located at the University of Nairobi (36.8°E, 1.27°S) for March 2011 was used in this study. The TEC depletions have been detected from satellite passes along the line of sight of the signal and the detected depletions have good correspondence with the occurrence of scintillation patches. TEC enhancement has been observed and is not correlated with increases in S₄ index and consecutive enhancements and depletions in TEC have also been observed which results into scintillation patches related to TEC depletions. The TEC depletions have been interpreted as plasma irregularities and inhomogeneities in the F region caused by plasma instabilities, while TEC enhancement have been interpreted as the manifestation of plasma density enhancements mainly associated with the equatorial ionization anomaly crest over this region. Occurrence of scintillation does happen at and around the ionization anomaly crest over Kenyan region. The presence of high ambient electron densities and large electron density gradients associated with small scale irregularities in the ionization anomaly regions have been linked to the occurrence of scintillation.     

Spread-F occurrence during geomagnetic storms near the southern crest of the EIA in Argentina

This work presents, for the first time, the analysis of the occurrence of ionospheric irregularities during geomagnetic storms at Tucumán, Argentina, a low latitude station in the Southern American longitudinal sector (26.9°S, 294.6°E; magnetic latitude 15.5°S) near the southern crest of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA). Three geomagnetic storms occurred on May 27, 2017 (a month of low occurrence rates of spread-F), October 12, 2016 (a month of transition from low to high occurrence rates of spread-F) and November 7, 2017 (a month of high occurrence rates of spread-F) are analyzed using Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and ionosondes. The rate of change of total electron content (TEC) Index (ROTI), GPS Ionospheric L-band scintillation, the virtual height of the F-layer bottom side (h'F) and the critical frequency of the F2 layer (foF2) are considered. Furthermore, each ionogram is manually examined for the presence of spread-F signatures.The results show that, for the three events studied, geomagnetic activity creates favorable conditions for the initiation of ionospheric irregularities, manifested by ionogram spread-F and TEC fluctuation. Post-midnight irregularities may have occurred due to the presence of eastward disturbance dynamo electric fields (DDEF). For the May storm, an eastward over-shielding prompt penetration electric field, (PPEF) is also acting. A possibility is that the PPEF is added to the DDEF and produces the uplifting of the F region that helps trigger the irregularities. Finally, during October and November, strong GPS L band scintillation is observed associated with strong range spread-F (SSF), that is, irregularities extending from the bottom-side to the topside of the F region.     

The ionosphere,radio navigation,and global navigation satellite systems

This article is a review of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) for space scientists who are interested in how GNSS signals and observables can be used to understand ionospheric dynamics and, conversely, how ionospheric dynamics affect the operational capabilities of GNSS receivers. The most common form of GNSS is the Global Positioning System (GPS); we will first review its operating principles and then present a discussion of errors, of which ionospheric propagation is the most significant. Methods and systems for mitigating errors will be introduced, along with a discussion of modernization plans for GPS and for entirely new systems such as Galileo. In the second half of this article the effects of the ionosphere on GPS signals will be examined in more detail, particularly ionospheric propagation, leading to a discussion of the relation of TEC to ranging errors. Next, the subject of scintillations will also be introduced and connected to the presence and scale sizes of irregularities. Scintillations will be examined as spatial and temporal structures. The method of measuring scintillation pattern drift and ionospheric velocity will be discussed. We conclude by examining ionospheric effects on GPS at midlatitudes.