Statistical Analysis of GPS Ionospheric Scintillation and Short-Time TEC Variations Over Northern Europe

Fabiano S. Rodrigues, Marcio H. O. Aquino, Alan Dodson, Terry Moore, and Sam Waugh

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	GPS ionospheric scintillation data collected at four stations in the United Kingdom and Norway were analyzed during periods of high solar flux, with ionospheric pierce points covering magnetic latitudes from about 40° to 75°. Maps of scintillation activity and total electron content (TEC) fluctuations for Northern Europe were generated. A detailed analysis of such maps enables us to infer the extension of the disturbed ionosphere controlled by the expansion and contraction of the auroral oval due to the varied geomagnetic conditions. Statistical distributions of phase scintillation magnitudes (based on the 60 s scintillation index), amplitude scintillation magnitudes (based on the 60 s scintillation index), and rate of change of TEC values (dTEC/dt computed for 15 s time bins) are presented in this paper. The statistical distributions were computed for each observation station and for the different geomagnetic activity conditions. Correlation with GPS user errors is also investigated, and possible implications for users are discussed.
Published in:	NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation, Volume 51, Number 1
Pages:	59 - 76
Cite this article:	Rodrigues, Fabiano S., Aquino, Marcio H. O., Dodson, Alan, Moore, Terry, Waugh, Sam, "Statistical Analysis of GPS Ionospheric Scintillation and Short-Time TEC Variations Over Northern Europe", NAVIGATION: Journal of The Institute of Navigation, Vol. 51, No. 1, Spring 2004, pp. 59-76.
Full Paper:	ION Members/Non-Members: 1 Download Credit Sign In