Ionospheric GPS-TEC during the 2004 major storm events at Scott Base station Antarctica

Abstract

In this work, we investigate the characteristics of the 2004 major storm events based on GPS-TEC measurement at Scott Base station Antarctica (77.9degS, 166.8degE). The F2 layer critical frequencies and peak height during the storm from the ionosonde measurement at the station are also investigated. Our main emphasis was on the characteristics and response during major storms events. Our results include the daily GPS-TEC and F2 layer critical frequencies and peak height from KEL IPS-42 ionosonde measurements at Scott Base station. For the year 2004, 4 storm days are classified as major storms, which have occurred on 27th July 2004, referred to as Storm-A and on 8th to 10th November 2004 referred to as Storm-B. The World Data Center (WDC) Kp, Dst, and Ap highest indices for Storm-A is 9, -197 nT, and 162 respectively while for Storm-B is 9, -373 nT, and 189 respectively. The response of the ionosphere provide us some indicators of the processes and geophysical changes of the Sun-Heliospheric system during the intense geomagnetic storm period.