Observations of ionospheric irregularities and its correspondence with sporadic e occurrence over South Korea and Japan

This study analyzed the occurrence of ionospheric irregularities over South Korea and Japan (mid-latitudes) during the years 2010–2015. The irregularities were quantified using the rate of change of total electron content (TEC) index (ROTI), which detects irregularities with scale sizes in the range of 400 m–2.5 km. The ROTI threshold for an ionospheric irregularity to have occurred was set as 0.1 TECU/min. Results showed that ionospheric irregularities mostly occur during night-time and around local noon-time in the seasons of spring and summer. In addition, the percentage of ionospheric irregularities had a high positive correlation with solar flux (F10.7) (r > 0.72). For the first time, we showed good correspondence between ionospheric irregularities measured by the ROTI index and sporadic E (Es). The median ROTI associated with ionospheric irregularities over a South Korea station (DAEJ) and a Japan station (KGNI) were 0.131 and 0.125 TECU/min, respectively. However, in severe cases of ionospheric irregularities, the ROTI values over DAEJ (KGNI) can reach 0.246 (0.217) and 0.314 (0.339) TECU/min during day and night, respectively. These critical ROTI values can be important in interpreting and monitoring ionospheric irregularity occurrence over South Korea and Japan.     

Geomagnetic storm effects on the occurrences of ionospheric irregularities over the African equatorial/low-latitude region

The study investigated the effects of intense geomagnetic storms of 2015 on the occurrences of large scale ionospheric irregularities over the African equatorial/low-latitude region. Four major/intense geomagnetic storms of 2015 were analyzed for this study. These storms occurred on 17th March 2015 (?229?nT), 22nd June 2015 (?204?nT), 7th October 2015 (?124?nT), and 20th December 2015 (?170?nT). Total Electron Content (TEC) data obtained from five African Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) stations, grouped into eastern and western sectors were used to derive the ionospheric irregularities proxy indices, e.g., rate of change of TEC (ROT), ROT index (ROTI) and ROTI daily average (ROTI_AVE). These indices were characterized alongside with the disturbance storm time (Dst), the Y component of the Interplanetary Electric Field (IEFy), polar cap (PC) index and the H component of the Earth’s magnetic field from ground-based magnetometers. Irregularities manifested in the form of fluctuations in TEC. Prompt penetration of electric field (PPEF) and disturbance dynamo electric field (DDEF) modulated the behaviour of irregularities during the main and recovery phases of the geomagnetic storms. The effect of electric field over both sectors depends on the local time of southward turning of IMF Bz. Consequently, westward electric field inhibited irregularities during the main phase of March and October 2015 geomagnetic storms, while for the June 2015 storm, eastward electric field triggered weak irregularities over the eastern sector. The effect of electric field on irregularities during December 2015 storm was insignificant. During the recovery phase of the storms, westward DDEF suppressed irregularities.     

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。      

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.     

A study of L band scintillations during the initial phase of rising solar activity at an Indian low latitude station

The ionospheric scintillation and TEC (Total Electron Content) variations are studied using GPS (Global Positioning System) measurements at an Indian low latitude station Surat (21.16°N, 72.78°E; Geomagnetic: 12.90°N, 147.35°E), situated near the northern crest of the equatorial anomaly region. The results are presented for data collected during the initial phase of current rising solar activity (low to moderate solar activity) period between January 2009 and December 2011. The results show that within a total number of 656 night-time scintillation events, 340 events are observed with TEC depletions, Rate of change of TEC (ROT) fluctuations and enhancement of Rate of change of TEC Index (ROTI). A comparison of night-time scintillation events from the considered period reveal strong correlation amongst the duration of scintillation activity in S₄ index_, TEC depletion, ROT fluctuations and ROTI enhancement in the year 2011, followed by the year 2010 and least in 2009. The statistical analyses of scintillation activity with enhancement of ROTI also show that about 70–96% scintillation activity took place in equinox and winter months. Moreover, from a nocturnal variation in occurrence of scintillation with (S₄ ? 0.2) and enhancement of ROTI with (ROTI ? 0.5), a general trend of higher occurrence in pre-midnight hours of equinox and winter seasons is observed in both indices during the year 2011 and 2010, while no significant trend is observed in the year 2009. The results suggest the presence of F-region ionospheric irregularities with scale sizes of few kilometers and few hundred meters over Surat and are found to be influenced by solar and magnetic activity.     

暴时密度增强区附近电离层不均匀体研究

基于IGS提供的TEC数据, 研究了2003年10月大磁暴期间的暴时密度增强(Storm Enhanced Density, SED)现象; 利用GPS观测数据, 计算出ROTI (Standard deviations of ROT)指数, 分析了SED边界附近电离层小尺度不均匀体结构的时间和空间演变. 研究表明, 在磁暴主相期间SED边界附近不均匀体随着磁暴的发展逐渐增多; 在主相的中后期不均匀体的分布密集度达到最大; 在恢复相期间, 不均匀体分布很少; 随着磁暴的发展, 不均匀体开始主要集中在40~45oN范围内, 随后向高纬漂移, 主要集中在45~55oN范围内.      

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.      

一种基于GNSS数据的全球电离层不规则结构活动表征方法

针对如何利用GNSS(Global Navigation Satellite System)数据进行电离层扰动监测的问题,提出了一种基于GNSS数据表征全球电离层扰动的方法.利用大约400个GNSS地面站点的观测数据,计算总电子含量(Total Electron Content,TEC)变化率的标准差——ROTI(Ra...     

地磁暴期间北半球高纬度地区电离层变化特征及对精密定位的影响

基于加拿大地区高纬度电离层观测网的电离层闪烁观测数据,分析了2018年8月26日地磁暴事件引发的北半球高纬度地区电离层总电子含量(TEC)异常变化、TEC变化率指数(ROTI)及电离层相位闪烁的变化特征.结果表明:加拿大地区最大异常值约6 TECU,磁暴引发全球电离层TEC异常峰值高达20 TECU;加拿大地区电离层相...     

Characteristics of equatorial nighttime spread F – An analysis on season-longitude,solar activity and triggering causes

To understand global variability and triggering mechanisms of ionospheric nighttime equatorial spread F (ESF), we analyzed measurements from satellite and a ground-based GPS station for the years between 2010 and 2017. In this study we present seasonal-longitudinal as well as monthly variability of ESF occurrence for solar minimum and yearly variations of ESF occurrence for solar maximum and minimum periods. One of the long standing open questions in the study of ESF is what exactly initiates the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) plasma instability growth. This question is the focus of the present work. Zonal background eastward electric field and E × B upward plasma drift speed patterns are found to be critically important in understanding plasma irregularity formation. In addition to particular patterns observed on these parameters, the background plasma density in the local evening hours just before the onset of ESF occurrence is very important. Stronger plasma densities just before the onset of irregularities resulted in stronger plasma irregularities, while relatively less dense plasma just before the onset of irregularities resulted in relatively lower plasma irregularities. Seasonal variations in ESF activity between March and September equinox seasons with comparable plasma densities can be defined in terms of the rate of change of solar flux F10.7 (dF10.7/day) index. Strongest ESF occurrence and strongest dF10.7/day are measured in the same month out of all other months in 2016 and 2017. Longitudinal variations of ESF activity in our measurements are related to longitudinal variations of plasma densities. We also found that ESF occurrence is better correlated with rate of change of F10.7 index for months in equinox seasons than for months in solstice seasons for the years between 2013 and 2016.     

A study of long-term climatology of ionospheric irregularities by using GPS phase fluctuations at the Brazilian longitudes

We have examined the ionospheric plasma irregularities that were recorded by using three ground-based receivers of the global positioning system (GPS) located at Brazilian longitudes during the period of a complete solar cycle, 1995–2005. The statistic results show that ionospheric irregularities are very easy to occur in December solstice months but rare to occur in June solstice months. Besides, the occurrence rates of irregularities in both December and June solstice months are little dependent on solar activity. However, in equinoctial months, the development of irregularities is obviously dependent on solar activity. There is a new finding in this study that if strong irregularities are distinguished from moderate ones, their occurrence rates would increase with solar activity during the December solstice months.     

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.      

Observation of the north-south asymmetry in the equatorial spread F intensity at the Brazilian longitude

This study presents an analysis of the observed north-south asymmetry of the range spread F (RSF) intensity at the low latitude region during an equinoctial month of different solar epochs (2002, 2015 and 2017). The ionospheric parameters were obtained during geomagnetic quiet days from four digisonde stations located along the Brazilian longitude, which include a dip equator station (Sao Luiz (SL: 2.33 S, 44.2 W)), conjugate stations (Campo Grande (CG: 20.5°S, 55°W) and Boa Vista (BV: 2.8°N, 60.7°W)) and another low latitude station (Cachoeira Paulista (CP: 22.7°S, 45°W)). The results highlight the competing effect of the post-sunset electric field strength and the trans-equatorial wind on the latitudinal distribution of the irregularity intensity at both hemispheres under varying background ionospheric condition. The RSF intensity was seen to reduce as the solar flux index decreased and the latitudinal peak shifted closer to the dip equator. This was dependent on the variation of the field line mapped irregularity spectrum and the density gradient. Likewise, the north-south asymmetry in the irregularity occurrence was seen to become more significant as a denser ionosphere was observed at the hemisphere with the equatorward meridional wind. This has further proven that the non-linear cascading of the plasma irregularity across the low latitude region is strongly influenced by the local electric field.     

海南地区电离层不规则体纬向漂移速度的观测和研究

根据中国海南富克(19.3°N,109.1°E)三点GPS观测系统2007年3月至11月的观测数据,利用互相关方法分析了三站闪烁信号的时间延迟,得出了不规则体纬向漂移的基本特征.在中国海南地区,闪烁主要发生在春秋季节,夜间不规则体的纬向漂移速度以东向为主,大小在50～150 m/s之间;平均东向漂移速度随时间呈下降趋势.另外,在闪烁刚发生时,不规则体纬向速度起伏较大,这可能与不规则体的随机起伏以及等离子体泡产生时垂直速度较大有关.中国海南地区不规则体纬向漂移速度的这些基本特征与低纬其他地区的测量结果较为一致.     

Occurrence of Ionospheric irregularities over Brazil and Africa during the 2019 Antarctic minor sudden stratospheric warming

The influence of sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) on the ionosphere and ionospheric irregularities has been studied extensively over the years. However, majority of these investigations have been conducted using warming events originating from the northern hemisphere. Only a few studies have been done on ionospheric variations due to the Antarctic SSW events and to the best of our knowledge, there have not been any studies on southern hemisphere SSW and the occurrence of ionospheric irregularities. In this study, the occurrence of ionospheric irregularities during the 2019 minor Southern hemisphere (SH)/Antarctic SSW is investigated. The event occurs in a relatively calm solar and geomagnetic activity period which makes it possible to identify the effects of SSW on the occurrence of irregularities. Three ionosondes located in different latitudinal regions in Brazil as well as a network of ground-based GPS receiver stations located in both Brazil and Africa were used for this undertaking. Complimentary data from the same ionosonde stations using the same months from 2017 and 2018 were also used. On average more Spread-F was observed in 2019 than in 2017 or 2018 at all stations. ROT observations showed more occurrence in the Brazil sectors followed by West Africa and thenEast Africa. It was observed that the occurrence frequency decreased between 8% and 46 % from the pre-SSW phase to ascending/peak phases and from 2018 to 2019 for the peak phase.     

Equatorial ionosphere–thermosphere system: Electrodynamics and irregularities

The equatorial ionosphere and thermosphere constitute a coupled system, with its electro dynamical and plasma physical processes being responsible for a variety of ionospheric phenomena peculiar to the equatorial region. The most important of these phenomena are: the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) current system and its instabilities, the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA), and the plasma instabilities/irregularities of the night ionosphere (associated with the plasma bubble events – ESF). They constitute the major topics of investigations having both scientific and practical objectives. The tidal wind interaction with the geomagnetic field is responsible for the atmospheric dynamo electric fields, that together with the wind system, drives the major phenomena, under quiet conditions. Drastic modifications of these phenomena can occur due to magnetospheric forcing under solar-, interplanetary- and magnetospheric disturbances. They can also undergo significant modifications due to forcing by atmospheric waves (such as planetary- and atmospheric gravity waves) propagating upward or from extra tropics. This article will focus on the ambient conditions of the ionosphere–thermosphere system and the electro dynamics and plasma instability processes that govern the plasma irregularity generation. Major emphasis is given to problems related to the structuring of the equatorial night ionosphere through plasma bubble/ESF irregularity processes. Specific topics to be covered will include: equatorial electric fields, thermospheric winds, sunset electrodynamic processes, plasma drifts, EEJ plasma instability/irregularity generation, nighttime/post sunset plasma bubble irregularity generation, and very briefly, disturbance electric fields and winds and their effect on the ionization anomaly, the TEC and ESF/plasma bubble irregularities.     

磁赤道异常区电离层F区不均匀体发展过程中的闪烁谱研究

本文对我国磁赤道异常区海口站的夜间电离层不均匀体引起的闪烁进行了谱分析，并进行了理论模拟。大部分闪烁出现在午夜前后且持续时间较长。分析结果发现：这种持续时间较长的闪烁的末期和初期的闪烁谱结构有显著差异，末期闪烁谱高频段较初期要明显陆峭，即谱指数显著增大。由此推测出不均匀体发展末期费涅耳尺度以下的不均匀体首先衰减消失，这与国外某些轨道卫星就地测量结果大致相符。同时还从闪烁谱推测出不均匀体发展末期的漂     

Investigation of ionospheric response to two moderate geomagnetic storms using GPS–TEC measurements in the South American and African sectors during the ascending phase of solar cycle 24

The responses of the ionospheric F region using GPS–TEC measurements during two moderate geomagnetic storms at equatorial, low-, and mid-latitude regions over the South American and African sectors in May 2010, during the ascending phase of solar cycle 24, are investigated. The first moderate geomagnetic storm studied reached a minimum Dst value of −64 nT at 1500 UT on 02 May 2010 and the second moderate geomagnetic storm reached a minimum Dst value of −85 nT at 1400 UT on 29 May 2010. In this paper, we present vertical total electron content (VTEC) and phase fluctuations (in TECU/min) from Global Positioning System (GPS) observations from the equatorial to mid-latitude regions in the South American and African sectors. Our results obtained during these two moderate geomagnetic storms from both sectors show significant positive ionospheric storms during daytime hours at the equatorial, low-, and mid-latitude regions during the main and recovery phases of the storms. The thermospheric wind circulation change towards the equator is a strong indicator that suggests an important mechanism is responsible for these positive phases at these regions. A pre-storm event that was observed in the African sector from low- to the mid-latitude regions on 01 May 2010 was absent in the South American sector. This study also showed that there was no generation or suppression of ionospheric irregularities by storm events. Therefore, knowledge about the suppression and generation of ionospheric irregularities during moderate geomagnetic storms is still unclear.