Ionospheric Plasma Irregularities Characterized by the Swarm Satellites: Statistics at High Latitudes

To study and characterise the ionospheric plasma irregularities at all latitudes, one can employ in-situ measurements by satellites in polar orbits, such as the European Space Agency’s Swarm mission. Based on the Swarm data, we have developed the Ionospheric Plasma IRregularities (IPIR) product for a global characterisation of ionospheric irregularities along the satellite track at all latitudes. This new Level-2 data product combines complementary datasets from the Swarm satellites: the electron density from the electric field instrument, the GPS data from the onboard GPS receiver, and the magnetic field data from the onboard magnetometers. This can be used as a new tool for global studies of ionospheric irregularities and turbulence.

Download Full-text

Climatology of GPS signal loss observed by Swarm satellites

Annales Geophysicae ◽

10.5194/angeo-36-679-2018 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 679-693 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Chao Xiong ◽

Claudia Stolle ◽

Jaeheung Park

Keyword(s):

High Latitude ◽

Ionospheric Plasma ◽

Ionospheric Irregularities ◽

Signal Loss ◽

Radio Science ◽

Plasma Irregularities ◽

Gps Satellites ◽

Swarm Satellites ◽

Low Latitudes ◽

December Solstice

Abstract. By using 3-year global positioning system (GPS) measurements from December 2013 to November 2016, we provide in this study a detailed survey on the climatology of the GPS signal loss of Swarm onboard receivers. Our results show that the GPS signal losses prefer to occur at both low latitudes between ±5 and ±20∘ magnetic latitude (MLAT) and high latitudes above 60∘ MLAT in both hemispheres. These events at all latitudes are observed mainly during equinoxes and December solstice months, while totally absent during June solstice months. At low latitudes the GPS signal losses are caused by the equatorial plasma irregularities shortly after sunset, and at high latitude they are also highly related to the large density gradients associated with ionospheric irregularities. Additionally, the high-latitude events are more often observed in the Southern Hemisphere, occurring mainly at the cusp region and along nightside auroral latitudes. The signal losses mainly happen for those GPS rays with elevation angles less than 20∘, and more commonly occur when the line of sight between GPS and Swarm satellites is aligned with the shell structure of plasma irregularities. Our results also confirm that the capability of the Swarm receiver has been improved after the bandwidth of the phase-locked loop (PLL) widened, but the updates cannot radically avoid the interruption in tracking GPS satellites caused by the ionospheric plasma irregularities. Additionally, after the PLL bandwidth increased larger than 0.5 Hz, some unexpected signal losses are observed even at middle latitudes, which are not related to the ionospheric plasma irregularities. Our results suggest that rather than 1.0 Hz, a PLL bandwidth of 0.5 Hz is a more suitable value for the Swarm receiver. Keywords. Ionosphere (equatorial ionosphere; ionospheric irregularities) – radio science (radio wave propagation)

Download Full-text

Ionospheric Plasma IRregularities - IPIR - data product based on data from the Swarm satellites

10.1002/essoar.10508220.1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yaqi Jin ◽

Daria Sergeevna Kotova ◽

Chao Xiong ◽

Steffen Mattias Brask ◽

Lasse Boy Novock Clausen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ionospheric Plasma ◽

Plasma Irregularities ◽

Data Product ◽

Swarm Satellites

Download Full-text

Research Progresses of Ionospheric Plasma Irregularities from the Ground–Based Airglow Network in China

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-1883 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jiyao Xu ◽

Wei Yuan ◽

Kun Wu ◽

Longchang Sun

Keyword(s):

Ionospheric Plasma ◽

Ionospheric Disturbance ◽

Geomagnetic Latitude ◽

Extreme Weather Events ◽

Plasma Bubble ◽

Low Latitude ◽

Plasma Irregularities ◽

Middle Latitudes ◽

Weather Events ◽

New Phenomena

<p>China, from north to south, spans from the middle latitudes to the low latitude both in geographic latitude and geomagnetic latitude. And China has a variety of topography environment, which including high lands, plains, seas, and long coasts. To better understand topographic and latitudinal effects on the mesosphere and thermosphere and features of ionospheric plasma irregularities at various latitudes in China, we have established a ground-based airglow network in China gradually since 2010, which consists of 16 stations. This network almost cover China, which focuses on two airglow layers: the OI (~250 km) and OH (~87 km) airglow layers. The observations from OI airglow layers provide convenience to systematically investigate the morphologic feature and evolution of ionospheric plasma irregularities over China. Based on the airglow network observations, we mainly report some important research results of ionospheric plasma irregularities in recent years. These findings include (1) statistical characteristic of equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) over China, (2) the influences of severe extreme weather events on the ionosphere, (3) interaction between medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbance (MSTIDs) and ionospheric irregularity, and (4) some new phenomena of ionospheric irregularities.</p>

Download Full-text

Modelling the tongue-of-ionisation using CTIP with SuperDARN electric potential input: verification by radiotomography

Annales Geophysicae ◽

10.5194/angeo-27-1139-2009 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 1139-1152 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

S. E. Pryse ◽

E. L. Whittick ◽

A. D. Aylward ◽

H. R. Middleton ◽

D. S. Brown ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Electric Potential ◽

Convective Flow ◽

Ionospheric Plasma ◽

The Other ◽

High Latitudes ◽

Polar Cap ◽

Radar Network ◽

Plasma Distribution ◽

Good Agreement

Abstract. Electric potential patterns obtained by the SuperDARN radar network are used as input to the Coupled Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Plasmasphere model, in an attempt to improve the modelling of the spatial distribution of the ionospheric plasma at high latitudes. Two case studies are considered, one under conditions of stable IMF Bz negative and the other under stable IMF Bz positive. The modelled plasma distributions are compared with sets of well-established tomographic reconstructions, which have been interpreted previously in multi-instrument studies. For IMF Bz negative both the model and observations show a tongue-of-ionisation on the nightside, with good agreement between the electron density and location of the tongue. Under Bz positive, the SuperDARN input allows the model to reproduce a spatial plasma distribution akin to that observed. In this case plasma, unable to penetrate the polar cap boundary into the polar cap, is drawn by the convective flow in a tongue-of-ionisation around the periphery of the polar cap.

Download Full-text

Diffusion spreading of middle-latitude ionospheric plasma irregularities

Annales Geophysicae ◽

10.1007/s00585-995-0617-7 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 617-626 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

N. Blaunstein

Keyword(s):

Ionospheric Plasma ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Middle Latitude ◽

Approximate Model ◽

Ionospheric Irregularities ◽

Radio Waves ◽

Plasma Irregularities ◽

Relaxation Effects ◽

Artificial Heating ◽

Actual Height

Abstract. In contrast to the way that the spreading of irregularities in a plasma is usually considered, the diffusion spreading of irregularities stretched along the geomagnetic field B is examined using a three-dimensional rigorous numerical model of quasi-neutral diffusion in the presence of a magnetic field, in conjunction with the actual height variations of the diffusion and conductivity tensors in the ionosphere. A comparison with the earlier constructed approximate model of unipolar diffusion was made. As in the previous case, the same peculiarities of irregularity spreading in the inhomogeneous background ionospheric plasma were observed. The accuracy of the approximate model for describing the process of spreading of anisotropic ionospheric irregularities is established. Time relaxation effects of real heating-induced ionospheric irregularities on their scale transverse to B are presented using the approximate analytical model for the case of a quasi-homogeneous ionospheric plasma. The calculated results have a vivid physical meaning and can be directly compared with experimental data on the radiophysical observations of artificial heating-induced irregularities created by powerful radio waves in the ionosphere.

Download Full-text

Effect of Ionospheric Plasma Irregularities on Communication System Parameters

IETE Technical Review ◽

10.1080/02564602.2000.11416879 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 17 (1-2) ◽

pp. 43-50 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

M N Jivani ◽

H P Joshi ◽

K N Pathak ◽

Boby Mathew ◽

K N Iyer

Keyword(s):

Communication System ◽

Ionospheric Plasma ◽

Plasma Irregularities ◽

System Parameters

Download Full-text

TheSwarmsatellite loss of GPS signal and its relation to ionospheric plasma irregularities

Space Weather ◽

10.1002/2016sw001439 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 14 (8) ◽

pp. 563-577 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

Chao Xiong ◽

Claudia Stolle ◽

Hermann Lühr

Keyword(s):

Ionospheric Plasma ◽

Plasma Irregularities

Download Full-text

Seasonal and solar cycle association of zonal drifts of ionospheric plasma irregularities in the Indian equatorial region

Annales Geophysicae ◽

10.1007/s00585-996-0297-y ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 297-303 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

B. M. Pathan ◽

D. R. K. Rao

Keyword(s):

Ionospheric Plasma ◽

Equatorial Region ◽

Indian Region ◽

Night Time ◽

Plasma Irregularities ◽

Vhf Scintillation ◽

Dip Equator ◽

The Relationship ◽

Best Fit ◽

East West

Abstract. Long series of simultaneous VHF scintillation observations at two stations situated in near magnetic east-west direction in the vicinity of the dip equator in the Indian region have been employed to investigate the night-time ionospheric plasma zonal drifts. The drifts are found to be predominantly easterly. On comparing the magnitudes of the drifts with those results derived earlier by HF fading technique, monitoring signals from two satellites at a station and spaced receiver experiment, their associations with the season and the degree of solar activity are discussed. On a broader scale, the annual mean sunspot number is shown to have a direct control on the derived drift, the positive relationship even on day to day basis with the solar flux is established. However, the relationship, as understood by the slope of the best fit line, in the Indian region (0.27) is found to be weaker when compared with the similar slope (0.45) in the American sector. There appears to be no geomagnetic activity control on the estimated drifts.

Download Full-text