A Study of TEC Storm on 13 October 2016

Abstract

An ionospheric positive storm on 13 October 2016 was studied. The longitude effect of ionospheric storm along 40°N latitude region is studied with 23 GPS stations from 0°E to 360°E. Total electron content (TEC) was calculated with polynomial method, and TEC difference between the storm time and quiet time (ΔTEC) were calculated. The variations of TEC difference were different at different longitudes. There was a positive phase storm at the local time day side region, while the variations were not obvious at the night side longitudes. The maximum value of ΔTEC was about 25 TECU at 330°E at about 1400UT on 13 October 2016. Two Ionosonde data at EB040 (0.5°E, 40°N) and RL052 (51.5°N, 359.4°E) were also used to study the ionospheric storm. The ΔfoF2 of RL052 increased earlier that low latitude ionosonde of EB040. There was a second peak of ΔTEC at the local night time about 2000 LT on 13 October 2016. The latitude effect of ionospheric storm was also studied with 7 GPS stations at 0°E meridian. It was found that the positive storm was obvious at high latitude region, while it was weak at low latitude region. This phenomenon may be caused by the fountain effect. From high latitude to low latitude, ΔTEC gradually began to increase, and ΔTEC at higher latitude reached the maximum value earlier than the low latitude. These show that the positive ionospheric storm may be caused by the equatorward surge.