Total Electron Content Maps Research Articles

TEC Map Completion Using DCGAN and Poisson Blending

AbstractBecause of the limited coverage of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers, total electron content (TEC) maps are not complete. The processing to obtain complete TEC maps is time consuming and needs the collaboration of five international GNSS service (IGS) centers to consolidate final completed IGS TEC maps. The advance of deep learning offers powerful tools to perform certain tasks in data science, such as image completion (or inpainting). Among them, deep convolutional generative adversarial network (DCGAN) is capable of learning the properties of the objects and recovering missing data effectively. With years of IGS TEC maps for training, the combination of DCGAN and Poisson blending (DCGAN‐PB) is able to effectively learn the completion process of IGS TEC maps. Both random and more realistic masks are used to test the performance of DCGAN‐PB. The results with random masks (15–40% missing data) show that DCGAN‐PB can achieve better TEC map completion than DCGAN alone, and more training data can significantly improve its generalization. For the cross‐validation experiment using the realistic mask from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)‐TEC data (~52% missing data), DCGAN‐PB achieves the average root mean squared error about three absolute TEC units (TECu) for high solar activity years and less than two TECu for low solar activity years, which is about 50% reduction of means and more than 50% reduction on standard deviations compared to two conventional single‐image inpainting methods. The DCGAN‐PB model can lead to an efficient automatic completion tool for TEC maps by minimizing the manual work.

Improvement of IRI Global TEC Maps by Deep Learning Based on Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks

AbstractIn this study, we make a model, which is called DeepIRI, to generate improved International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) total electron content (TEC) maps by deep learning based on conditional Generative Adversarial Networks. For this we consider 48,901 pairs of IRI TEC maps and International Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) Service (IGS) TEC maps from 2001 to 2011 for training the model. We evaluate the model by comparing IGS TEC maps and DeepIRI TEC ones from 2013 to 2017. The DeepIRI TEC maps that our model generated are much more consistent with the corresponding IGS TEC maps than the IRI TEC ones. Especially, ionospheric peak structures are successfully generated in DeepIRI TEC maps while they are not in IRI‐2016 ones. From the average differences between IRI and IGS TEC maps, our model greatly improved the IRI TEC at low‐latitude region around the equatorial anomaly. These results show that our model can improve the global TEC prediction ability of the IRI‐2016. Our study suggests a sufficient possibility to generate DeepIRI global TEC maps in near real time if IRI is generated in time. Our approach can be applied to make improved versions of empirical models if more realistic observations are available with a time delay.

Direct Observations of a Polar Cap Patch Formation Associated With Dayside Reconnection Driven Fast Flow

AbstractDayside solar‐produced concentrated F region plasma can be transported from the midlatitude region into the polar cap during geomagnetically disturbed period, creating plasma density irregularities like polar cap patches, which can cause scintillation and degrade performance of satellite communication and navigation at polar latitudes. In this paper, we observed and investigated a dynamic formation process of a polar cap patch during the 13 October 2016 intense geomagnetic storm. During the storm main phase, storm‐enhanced density (SED) was formed within an extended period of strong southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz condition. Total electron content (TEC) map shows that a polar cap patch was segmented from the SED plume. The Sondrestrom Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR) was right underneath the segmentation region and captured the dynamic process. It shows that the patch segmentation was related with a sudden northeastward flow enhancement reaching ~2 km/s near the dayside cusp inflow region. The flow surge was observed along with abrupt E region electron temperature increase, F region ion temperature increase, and density decrease. The upstream solar wind and IMF observations suggest that the flow enhancement was associated with dayside magnetic reconnection triggered by a sudden and short period of IMF By negative excursion. Quantitative estimation suggests that plasma density loss due to enhanced frictional heating was insufficient for the patch segmentation because the elevated F region density peaking at ~500 km made dissociative recombination inefficient. Instead, the patch was segmented from the SED by low‐density plasma transported by the fast flow channel from earlier local time.

Analysis of Plasma Bubble Signatures in Total Electron Content Maps of the Low-Latitude Ionosphere: A Simplified Methodology

The ionosphere over the Brazilian region has particular characteristics due to the large geomagnetic declination angle over most of the territory. Furthermore, the equatorial ionization anomaly southern crest is located over the Brazilian territory. In this region, plasma irregularities may arise in the post-sunset hours. These ionospheric irregularities develop in the form of magnetic field-aligned plasma depletions, known as equatorial plasma bubbles, which may seriously affect radio signals that propagate through them. These irregularity structures can cause amplitude and phase scintillation of the propagating signals, thereby compromising the availability, performance, and integrity of satellite-based communication and navigation systems. Additionally, the total electron content (TEC) introduces propagation delays that can contribute to range measurement errors for global positioning system (GPS) users. The ionospheric characteristics change significantly according to the time of day, season, as well as the solar and geomagnetic activities, among other factors. Indeed, the ionosphere is one of the most significant sources of errors in the positioning and navigation systems based on the GPS satellites. Due to these features, there is a strong interest by the scientific community in better understanding and characterizing the ionospheric behavior. In this context, the TEC analysis has wide applicability for space plasma studies and is a well-established tool for investigating the ionospheric behavior and its potential impact on space-based navigation systems. One of the goals of these studies is the generation of TEC maps for a geographic region based on GPS observations. In the present work, some electrodynamic processes of the low-latitude ionosphere are reviewed and the TEC estimation based on GPS measurements is revisited in detail. A methodology aimed at creating the TEC maps is presented and validated by comparison with results from other geophysical instruments, such as all-sky imagers and ionosondes. Finally, examples of the ionospheric behavior displayed by TEC maps during equatorial plasma bubble events and a geomagnetic storm are fully described and discussed.

Polar Ionospheric Large‐Scale Structures and Dynamics Revealed by TEC Keogram Extracted From TEC Maps

AbstractA method named total electron content (TEC) keogram is introduced for surveying the large‐scale irregularities continuously in the polar ionosphere. The TEC keogram is developed from a movie of TEC maps along various meridian lines from the dayside to the nightside across the magnetic pole, trying to identify and track several types of ionospheric structures. Through two examples, a clear train of polar cap patches are identified from TEC keogram and confirmed by SuperDARN radar observations. The motion speed of these patches estimated from this tool agrees with SuperDARN radar measurements. Then, the motions of patches relative to the background convection through the whole polar cap are statistically studied for the first time. Moreover, the occurrence dependence of fully tracked patches on months, UT hours, and interplanetary magnetic field conditions is generally consistent with previous reports. These results suggest that the TEC keogram offers a power tool for continuous monitoring and studying of large‐scale plasma irregularities in the polar ionosphere.

Detecting Total Electron Content Precursors Before Earthquakes by Examining Total Electron Content Images Based on Butterworth Filter in Convolutional Neural Networks

Daily total electron content (TEC) images created by splitting TEC maps for three time periods from September 1 to 24, 1999; from February 1 to 24, 2003; and from May 1 to 24, 2003 (Taiwan Standard Time [TST]) as training images (inputs) were used to create two convolutional neural network (CNN) models. However, splitting the TEC maps of the three time periods into daily TEC images caused wedge effects. The wedge effects were reduced using a low-pass filter called the Butterworth filter. This resulted in clearer TEC precursors for earthquakes, facilitating the identification of earthquakes of magnitude M w ≥ 5.0 that exhibited associated TEC precursors during three periods, particularly for the Chi-Chi earthquake of September21, 1999. The results of this study were compared with those of Lin et al. and Lin associated with the Chi-Chi earthquake. Simultaneously, two CNN models that were developed were verified to be rational due to the high accuracy of their predictions. These two models were used to verify each other's accuracies and to demonstrate the reliability of the method in this study. Therefore, statistical analysis was not the aim. The final outputs of the two CNN model were defined as similarities. Similarities, which are larger than 0.5, were defined as TEC precursors of earthquakes. TEC precursors described as temporal TEC multi-precursors (TTMPs) by Zoran et al. were detectable on the 1st, 3rd, and 4th days (that is, on September 17, 18, and 20, 1999, respectively) prior to the Chi-Chi earthquake of September 21, 1999. These results are consistent with those of Liu et al. and Lin. A TEC precursor on May 13, 2003, (TST) was detectable 2 days prior to the earthquake on May 15, 2003, (TST) with the magnitude (M w ) of 5.52. The low standard deviation (STD) and mean square error (MSE) confirm the reliability of both CNN models. Regarding mechanical principles, the TTMPs related to the Chi-Chi earthquake were caused by an electric field. The cause of the TEC precursor on May 13, 2003, prior to the earthquake on May 15, 2003, was an argument without any corresponding study for comparison.

Ionospheric Sounding and Tomography Using Automatic Identification System (AIS) and Other Signals of Opportunity

AbstractNumerical modeling has demonstrated that Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals can be used not only to estimate vertical total electron content (TEC) to supplement current TEC maps and data assimilation models but also to reconstruct two‐dimensional (2‐D) electron density maps of the ionosphere using computerized tomography. A ray tracing model was used to determine the characteristics of individual linearly polarized waves transmitted by ships to satellites in circular orbits at 780‐ and 1,000‐km altitude, including the wave path and the state of polarization at the satellite receiver. The modeled Faraday rotation was computed and used to calculate the TEC along the ray paths. The resulting TEC was used as input for computerized ionospheric tomography using the algebraic reconstruction technique. This study concentrated on reconstructing mesoscale structures 25–100 km in horizontal extent. The primary scientific interest of this study was to show that AIS signals can be used as a new source of input data for computerized ionospheric tomography to image the ionosphere and to obtain a better understanding of magneto‐ionic wave propagation.

Generation of Regional Ionospheric TEC Maps With EIA Nowcasting/Forecasting Capability During Geomagnetic Storm Conditions

In this paper, ground based Global Positioning System (GPS) Total Electron Content (TEC) observations collected from the GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) network over low latitude Indian subcontinent are assimilated into the Thermosphere Ionosphere Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIEGCM). Gauss-Markov Kalman filter methodology is utilized and the background model error covariance (BMEC) matrix is framed using solar, geomagnetic, cross tail potential and hemispheric power indices using multivariate principal component analysis (MPCA) method. The model variations through different high latitude electric field models (Weimer and Heelis) are utilized in the data assimilation analysis. The proper attempt is modeled for providing TEC forecasts during geomagnetic storm conditions from 15th to 20th March 2015 days over Indian region. The more concentration is given in understanding the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) characteristics during the initial, main and recovery phase of St. Patrick’s Day March 2015 geomagnetic storm. The proposed model forecast outperforms the persistence forecast with maximum forecast score (1.6) and forecast skill (2.2) during recovery phase of storm. TEC forecasts are validated with current time step GPS observations and 93 % correlation is observed on quiet day (10th March 2015) and 82 % correlation is noticed on main phase of storm (17th March 2015). Also proposed TEC model analysis and forecast results are compared with International Global Navigation Satellite Service (IGS) TEC stations datasets. A clear negative storm effect (EIA inhibition) has been forecasted well with the proposed Kalman filter and MPCA methodology aspects.

On the application of the raw-observation-based PPP to global ionosphere VTEC modeling: an advantage demonstration in the multi-frequency and multi-GNSS context

The ionospheric delay accounts for one of the major errors that the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) suffer from. Hence, the global ionosphere Vertical Total Electron Content (VTEC) map has been an important atmospheric product within the International GNSS Service (IGS) since its early establishment. In this contribution, an enhanced method has been proposed for the modeling of the global VTECs, in which the enhancements include two aspects. Firstly, to cope with the rapid development of the newly established Galileo and BeiDou constellations in recent years, we extend the current dual-system (GPS/GLONASS) solution to a quad-system (GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/BeiDou) solution. More importantly, instead of using dual-frequency observations based on the Carrier-to-Code Leveling method, all available triple-frequency signals are utilized with a general raw-observation-based multi-frequency Precise Point Positioning model, which can process dual-, triple- or even arbitrary-frequency observations compatibly and flexibly. Benefiting from this, quad-system slant ionospheric delays can be retrieved based on multi-frequency observations in a more flexible, accurate and reliable way, which are finally used to establish global VTEC models with the spherical harmonic function. In this process, multi-GNSS Differential Code Biases (DCBs) are also estimated as by-products. More than 400 globally distributed stations from the IGS and the Multi-GNSS Experiment (MGEX) networks have been processed in both 2014 (with high solar activity) and 2018 (with low solar activity). Global VTECs have been compared with the IGS final products, and the over-ocean VTECs are validated with the results from the JASON altimeter. The mean RMS values of the VTEC differences are 1.84 (2014) and 1.23 (2018) TECUs with respect to the IGS final products. The standard deviations of the VTEC differences with respect to the JASON results are 4.71 (2014) and 2.82 (2018) TECUs, outperforming all the other products generated with the spherical harmonic function. Additionally, multi-GNSS satellite DCBs have also been validated with the existing products from the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe and MGEX. All the results prove that the proposed method can be used as an effective and accurate approach for global VTEC modeling and DCB estimation, especially in the future multi-frequency and multi-GNSS context.

Assessing Global Ionosphere TEC Maps with Satellite Altimetry and Ionospheric Radio Occultation Observations.

As global navigation satellite system (GNSS)stations are sparsely distributed in oceanic area, oceanic areas usually have lower precision than continental areas on a global ionosphere maps (GIM). On the other hand, space-borne observations like satellite altimetry (SA) and ionospheric radio occultation (IRO) have substantial dual-frequency observations in oceanic areas, which could be used for total electron content (TEC) retrieval. In this paper, the Jason-2 SA and Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) IRO products were used to assess the precision of IGS GIM products. Both the systematic biases and scaling factors between the international GNSS service (IGS) GIM TEC and space-borne TEC were calculated, and the statistical results show that the biases and the scaling factors obviously vary under different temporal-spatial conditions. This analysis shows that these differences are variable with diurnal and latitude factors, that is, the differences in biases during the day time are higher than those during the night time, and larger biases are experienced at lower latitude areas than at high latitude areas. The results also show that in the southern hemisphere middle-high latitude area and some other central oceanic areas, the space-borne TEC values are even higher than GIM TEC values. As the precision of space-borne TEC should be evenly distributed around different areas on Earth, it can be explain that the TEC in these areas is undervalued by the current GIM model, and the space-borne SA and IRO techniques could be used as complementary observations to improve the accuracy and reliability of TEC values in these areas.

Sentinel-1 interferometry with ionospheric correction from global and local TEC maps for land displacement detection in Taiwan

Sentinel-1 satellite launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) offers an opportunity to apply the differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (DInSAR) in 12-day revisit, a potential solution to effectively measure surface deformation. However, for areas affected by the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) in a global ionosphere pattern, the total electron content (TEC) irregularity between snapshots may induce extra fringes and further mislead the unwrapping and displacement results. To test the necessity of ionospheric correction, we utilize global and regional ionospheric vertical TEC maps, namely the Global Ionosphere Map (GIM) released by the International GNSS Service and the Taiwan Regional Ionospheric Map (TRIM) provided by a local GNSS network, to compensate ionospheric phases in the interferograms.Our experiments investigate 47 ascending image pairs in 2016 and 2017. Among them, two pairs of images whose differenced TEC (ΔTEC) stronger than 16.73 TEC unit in azimuthal gradient contain the clearest extra fringes. The results show that TRIM outperforms in reducing extra fringes caused by the ionospheric effect, with a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of the estimated satellite line-of-sight displacement reduced from 105.03 mm to 9.94 mm as compared against ground truth data. We conclude that TRIM TEC map is able to remove long-wavelength background of ionosphere-induced displacement when a differenced TEC gradient larger than an empirical threshold of 15 TECU.

Generation of Assimilated Indian Regional Vertical TEC Maps

Regional ionospheric total electron content maps have become a prominent tool for understanding the dynamic behavior of the ionosphere. In recent times, ionospheric data assimilation methods have enhanced the prediction capabilities of global ionospheric models by embedding several standalone ionospheric remote sensing observations. In this study, an attempt is made to generate hourly Assimilated Indian Regional Vertical Total Electron Content (AIRAVAT) Maps by the process of data assimilation using the Kalman filter exclusively for the Indian region (longitude: 65° to 100°; latitude: 5° to 40°). Observations from the ground-based Global Positioning System aided Geo-Stationary Orbit Augmented Network and radio occultations from the space-based Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate are introduced into the global ionospheric map developed by the Centre for Orbit Determination in Europe with a temporal resolution of 1 h. The AIRAVAT maps are created for a day of quiet (September 16, 2016) and disturbed (October 25, 2016) geomagnetic conditions. A new methodology is provided for the covariance matrix of initial background model errors through multivariate principal component analysis of solar and geomagnetic parameters. The equatorial ionization anomaly features are clearly captured in the developed AIRAVAT maps by using both the updated and forecasted steps of the Kalman filter. The AIRAVAT model is validated with an independent GNSS receiver through root-mean-square error analysis for both quiet and disturbed geomagnetic conditions to showcase the efficiency of the model. The quiet day RMSEs between the estimated TEC of proposed AIRAVAT model and the true data are approximately 2 TECU and 2.66 TECU for a disturbed day, respectively. The proposed AIRAVAT maps are useful for monitoring the impact of ionospheric space weather on satellite-based navigation and communication systems.

On the estimation of regional covariance functions of TEC variations over Canada

Spatial and temporal variations of Total Electron Content (TEC) can affect GNSS high accuracy positioning. Enhanced estimation of ionospheric variations and their de-correlation can benefit differential and point positioning rapid solutions. Global and regional TEC maps can provide the overall state of ionopsheric variations in space and time domains within their accuracy limits. In this paper, these maps are exploited to retrieve ionospheric variations by means of variograms and their associated covariance functions of TEC residuals over Canadian region during geomagnetically quiet and disturbed conditions. A number of theoretical variogram functions are reviewed for modeling covariance of TEC residuals. The variogram modeling of residuals during a strong geomagnetic storm revealed variances of one order of magnitude larger compared to a rather quiet condition. Variogram models are also used in regional and local kriging interpolation experiments and their performances are evaluated. Global maps of TEC RMS by International GNSS Service and two of its analysis centres are also compared over the Canadian region during a two-year period. Realistic representation of regional variances using estimated variograms when compared to global ionospheric RMS maps are also presented.

Hemispherical Shifted Symmetry in Polar Cap Patch Occurrence: A Survey of GPS TEC Maps From 2015–2018

AbstractMuch theoretical and observational work has been devoted to studying the occurrence of F region polar cap patches in the Northern Hemisphere; considerably less work has been applied to the Southern Hemisphere. In recent years, the Madrigal database of mappings of total electron content (TEC) has improved in Southern Hemisphere coverage, to the point that we can now carry out a study of patch frequency and occurrence. We find that Southern Hemisphere patch occurrence is very similar to that of the Northern Hemisphere with a half‐year offset, plus an offset in universal time of approximately 12 hr. This is further supported by running an ionospheric model for both hemispheres and applying the same patch‐to‐background technique. Further, we present a simple physical mechanism involving a sunlit dayside plasma source concurrent with a dark polar cap, which yields a patch‐to‐background pattern very much like that seen in the TEC mappings for both hemispheres.

High-resolution vertical total electron content maps based on multi-scale B-spline representations

Abstract. For more than 2 decades the IGS (International GNSS Service) ionosphere associated analysis centers (IAACs) have provided global maps of the vertical total electron content (VTEC). In general, the representation of a 2-D or 3-D function can be performed by means of a series expansion or by using a discretization technique. While in the latter case, pixels or voxels are usually chosen for a spherical function such as VTEC, for a series expansion spherical harmonics (SH) are primarily used as basis functions. The selection of the best suited approach for ionosphere modeling means a trade-off between the distribution of available data and their possibility of representing ionospheric variations with high resolution and high accuracy. Most of the IAACs generate global ionosphere maps (GIMs) based on SH expansions up to the spectral degree n=15 and provide them with a spatial resolution of 2.5∘×5∘ with respect to the latitudinal and longitudinal directions, respectively, and a temporal sampling interval of 2 h. In recent years, it has frequently been claimed that the spatial resolution of the VTEC GIMs has to be increased to a spatial resolution of 1∘×1∘ and to a temporal sampling interval of about 15 min. Enhancing the grid resolution means an interpolation of VTEC values for intermediate points but with no further information about variations in the signal. n=15 in the SH case, for instance, corresponds to a spatial sampling of 12∘×12∘. Consequently, increasing the grid resolution concurrently requires an extension of the spectral content, i.e., to choose a higher SH degree value than 15. Unlike most of the IAACs, the VTEC modeling approach at Deutsches Geodätisches Forschungsinstitut der Technischen Universität München (DGFI-TUM) is based on localizing basis functions, namely tensor products of polynomial and trigonometric B-splines. In this way, not only can data gaps be handled appropriately and sparse normal equation systems be established for the parameter estimation procedure, a multi-scale representation (MSR) can also be set up to determine GIMs of different spectral content directly, by applying the so-called pyramid algorithm, and to perform highly effective data compression techniques. The estimation of the MSR model parameters is finally performed by a Kalman filter driven by near real-time (NRT) GNSS data. Within this paper, we realize the MSR and create multi-scale products based on B-spline scaling, wavelet coefficients and VTEC grid values. We compare these products with different final and rapid products from the IAACs, e.g., the SH model from CODE (Berne) and the voxel solution from UPC (Barcelona). In contrast to the abovementioned products, DGFI-TUM's products are based solely on NRT GNSS observations and ultra-rapid orbits. Nevertheless, we can conclude that the DGFI-TUM's high-resolution product (“othg”) outperforms all products used within the selected time span of investigation, namely September 2017.

All‐Sky Imaging Observations and Modeling of Bright 630‐nm Airglow Structures Associated With MSTIDs

AbstractAn all‐sky imager at El Leoncito Observatory (−31.8°, 69.3°W, 18.2° magnetic latitude) is used to study 630.0‐nm airglow emissions related to medium‐scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs). On the night of 6 December 2007 an unusual event consisting of bright bands propagating northwestward was observed. Enhancements in total electron content from ground‐based Global Positioning System receivers were observed collocated with the bright airglow bands. A regional Global Positioning System‐derived total electron content map matches the direction of motion, scale size, and location of these bright bands. Model results including F region coupling with E region structures reproduce the characteristics of the bright bands. Specific conditions in the E region must exist in order to observe these unusual MSTIDs consisting of propagating bright bands only.

Computer Analysis of Total Electron Content in the Earth’s Ionosphere in Problems of Searching for and Detection of Earthquake Precursors: Current Problems and Challenges

The article reviews methods for the computer analysis and detection of so-called ionospheric earthquake precursors. It is shown that the applied techniques lead to quantitatively incomparable results due to the differences in determination of a reference undisturbed variation and in quantitative criteria of considering disturbances anomalous. As the existing techniques do not take into account the known sample standard deviation (provided by NASA along with the global ionospheric maps of total electron content for the Earth’s ionosphere), the amplitude of revealed anomalies cannot be compared to the level of natural variability of the ionosphere. To eliminate this shortcoming, we propose a few metrics to determine numerical criteria that enable to classify as anomalous the total electron content disturbances observed before strong earthquakes.

Seismogenic Disturbances of the Ionosphere During High Geomagnetic Activity

Herein, we analyze the variations in the ionosphere for the period of two weeks before the M6.7 earthquake in India on 3 January 2016. The earthquake occurred after a series of magnetic substorms on 31 December 2015 and 1 January 2016. The relative total electron content (TEC) disturbances have been estimated using global TEC maps and calculated numerically using the 3D global first-principle Upper Atmosphere Model (UAM) for the whole period including the days before, during, and after the substorms. Numerical simulations were repeated with the seismogenic vertical electric currents switched on at the earthquake epicenter. The UAM calculations have reproduced the general behavior of the ionosphere after the main phase of the geomagnetic storm on 1 January 2016 in the form of negative TEC disturbances propagating from high latitudes, being especially strong in the Southern (summer condition) Hemisphere. It was shown that the local ionospheric effects of seismic origin can be identified in the background of the global geomagnetic disturbances. The seismo-ionospheric effects are visible in the nighttime regions with the additional negative TEC disturbances extending from the eastern side of the epicenter meridian to the western side, both in the observations and in the UAM simulations. It was found that the vertical electric field and corresponding westward component of the electromagnetic [E × B] drift played a decisive role in the formation of the ionospheric precursors of this earthquake.

Seismo ionospheric anomalies before the 2007 M7.7 Chile earthquake from GPS TEC and DEMETER

Earthquake (EQ) related variations in the ionosphere may provide some insights to understand the seismo ionospheric coupling and to mitigate the damages of seismic hazards. In this paper, the electromagnetic variations in the ionosphere associated with November 14, 2007, M7.7 Chile EQ are investigated in electron density and electron temperature measurements from ISL (Langmuir Probe) of DEMETER (Detection of Electro-Magnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions) satellite and TEC (total electron content) estimated from GPS (Global Positioning System). The investigation of temporal and spatial measurements suggests anomalies which are observed within 10 days before the future EQ (i.e. 9 days before on November 5, 2007). The temporal values of daytime DEMETER and diurnal TEC on November 5, 2007 imply abrupt anomalies that are considered to be the fragments of the plasma intensification process in the Southern Hemisphere activated by the rock compression in the quake region. Similarly, spatial maps of TEC and DEMETER (electron density and electron temperature) showed the anomalous configuration of the temporal analysis that may induce by the epicenter. In addition to spatial and temporal analysis, the Index number for the northern and southern sectors of the EQ preparation zone around the epicenter along latitude confirmed the anomalous values of electron density and electron temperature of the DEMETER satellite. Similarly, the comparison of electron density and electron temperature at the epicenter latitude and its conjugate reveals anomalous enhancement over the seismogenic zone on November 5, 2007 (9 days before) prior to the event.

A Multi‐GNSS, Multifrequency, and Near‐Real‐Time Ionospheric TEC Monitoring System for South America

AbstractTaking advantage of the public Global Navigational Satellite Systems (GNSS) infrastructure in South America, an operational monitoring system for the total electron content (TEC) in the ionosphere has been developed. It incorporates data in near real time, from more than 90 GNSS satellites tracked by more than 200 ground stations. In turn, the system produces every 15 min a snapshot, that is a map, of the current state of the regional ionosphere, which is immediately available online. These maps could be employed, for example, to augment positioning with single‐frequency GNSS receivers. They could also be combined with similar products in order to obtain weighted and reliable regional TEC maps, even in near real time. Most importantly, these products could be employed as data input in space environment forecasting and nowcasting models, given their very short latency of just a few minutes. In order to assess the response of the whole system to severe geomagnetic disturbances, the performance of the whole monitoring system during an actual geomagnetic storm has been investigated. The results suggest that the near‐real‐time system should be quite capable to monitor the regional TEC at a high temporal rate even under such conditions.