Antarctica SED/TOI associated ionospheric scintillation during 27 February 2014 geomagnetic storm

S Priyadarshi,Y.-Z Ma,Q.-H Zhang

doi:10.1007/s10509-018-3484-x

Abstract

A geomagnetic storm occurred on 27 February 2014 and the shock related to it arrived at Earth’s magnetosphere at ∼17:00 UT. Dayside cusp region scintillation over Antarctica have been studied along with the Global Positioning System (GPS) observed total electron content (TEC), and Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Precipitating Particles (SSJ), Bulk Plasma Parameters (SSIES) and Magnetic Fields (SSM) data. For the first time, similar variation trend in amplitude and phase scintillation has been found near the polar latitude. Amplitude scintillation index (mbox{S}_{4}) and phase scintillation index (sigma _{varphi }) show the similar enhancement trend at different numerical scale. During the southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz condition there is a significant enhancement in the particle precipitation occurred through the dayside cusp region. During southward IMF Bz and dawnward By (mbox{By} < 0), high convection velocity guide solar wind plasma into the polar cap which enhances the phase scintillation, but, no amplitude scintillation enhancement at the similar numerical scale. The Halley and Dome C East radar data show that at the small to medium ionospheric irregularity speed, S4, and sigma _{varphi } variations are alike. If proper variation scale is chosen, mbox{S}_{4} also appears an appropriate scintillation index for the polar ionosphere. The possible mechanism for mbox{S}_{4} occurrence similar to the sigma _{varphi } at a dissimilar level has been discussed.Key points: Dayside cusp region amplitude and phase scintillation indices give similar information but at different numerical scale during the geomagnetic storm onset.Amplitude scintillation index is also an appropriate scintillation index for high latitude if proper numerical scales are chosen.SED or TOI does not necessarily produce ionospheric scintillation.Southward IMF Bz and westward IMF By allows the scintillation producing ionospheric irregularities to pass in deep inside the South Pole.

Highlights

Space weather community extensively uses indices S4 and σφ for quantifying amplitude and phase scintillation index, respectively; on the GNSS radio trans-ionospheric communication signal
We have studied ionospheric amplitude and phase scintillation associated with the storm-enhanced density (SED) and TOI structures
The Global Positioning System (GPS) total electron content (TEC) data shows the SED over the dayside post noon cusp region and some high density fragmented TOI entering into the polar region from the post noon dayside cusp region

Summary

Introduction

Space weather community extensively uses indices S4 and σφ for quantifying amplitude and phase scintillation index, respectively; on the GNSS radio trans-ionospheric communication signal. Kinrade et al (2012) studied storm-time ionospheric scintillation over Antarctica on 5–6 April 2010 and reported the scintillation occurrence in the deep polar cap 40 minutes after the shock front was recorded by a satellite at 1st Lagrangian orbit. This scintillation activity continued for few hours in the dayside. D’Angelo et al (2018) used multi-instrument observations and reported the Antarctic ionosphere mostly responsive to the solar perturbations triggered storm In this study, they demonstrated the usefulness of electron density data for explaining ionospheric dynamics at the polar latitudes. The section of the paper will provide the detailed information about the event we chose and the type of the data set used to investigate it, for answering the questions raised above

Data and methodology

Result and discussion

Summary and conclusion