On the Correlation Between Ionosphere Scintillation and Geomagnetic Field Activity

Y. Jiao, Y. Morton, S. Taylor, W. Pelgrum

Abstract:	It is well known that high latitude ionosphere scintillation is driven by interplanetary magnetic field and magnetosphere processes and is correlated with solar flares and coronal mass ejections [1]. Some previous studies have discussed the dependence of high latitude scintillation occurrence on geomagnetic activity using the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) data [2][3]. Statistical dependence of scintillation activity on the polarity of the IMF By and Bz components has been found which can be used to explain the scintillation occurrence dependence on magnetic local time [4]. Researchers have also shown a positive correlation between scintillation magnitude and global magnetic index Kp [5]. This paper presents a quantitative correlation between local geomagnetic field disturbances and ionosphere scintillation based on GNSS data collected from an array of GNSS receivers and measurements from a magnetometer co-located in Gakona, Alaska. Specifically, we analyzed GPS L1 data collected by a Silicon Valley GSV4004B ionosphere scintillation monitoring receiver and a fluxgate magnetometer measured H, D, Z components of the local geomagnetic field variations. Three strong scintillation days - March 1 of 2011, July 9 of 2012, and July 15 of 2012 were analyzed. Their average phase scintillation index was obtained over one hour interval for all satellites traveling within the local magnetic zenith (elevation: 78° ± 5°, azimuth: 195° ± 20°). Standard deviations of H, D, Z components and the total magnetic field vector magnitude were also calculated over one hour period. Based on data collected during the three strong scintillation days, we obtained a linear correlation coefficient of 0.87 between the average phase scintillation index and the total magnetic field disturbance standard deviation. The linear correlation coefficient between average phase scintillation index and standard deviation of D components is 0.92. These results indicate that during strong scintillation events the magnitude of the phase scintillation has a strong linear correlation with the local geomagnetic field disturbance magnitude, especially the D component variations. The correlation between amplitude scintillation index, the S4 index, and geomagnetic field activity is relatively weak in Alaska where amplitude scintillation events are much less frequent and less intense than the phase scintillation. Additional analysis also shows that there is no strong quantitative correlation between the magnitude of weak phase scintillation index and of the magnetic field disturbances, although there is a clear correlation between the occurrence of phase scintillation activities and solar flare events and geomagnetic field disturbances. In this paper, detailed analysis will be presented to demonstrate the quantitative relationship between strong ionosphere phase scintillation activities and local geomagnetic field disturbances. For weak and moderate scintillation activities, we will establish their occurrence relationship with solar flare events magnitude and geomagnetic disturbances events. As we enter the solar maximum this summer, more data will be processed and analyzed, and the new results will also be included in the paper. These quantitative relationships have the potential to allow future forecasting or now-casting of ionosphere scintillation activities based on solar and geomagnetic events. [1] Basu, S., K. Grovesa, Su. Basu, P. Sultana, “Specification and forecasting of scintillations in communication and navigation links: current status and future plans,” J. Atmo. Solar-Terr. Phy., 64, p1745-1754, 2002. [2] Li, G., B. Ning, Z. Ren, L. Hu, “Statistics of GPS ionospheric scintillation and irregularities over polar regions at solar minimum”, GPS Solut., vol. 14, pp. 331-341, doi: 10.1007/s10291-009-0156-x, 2010. [3] Alfonsi, L., L. Spogli, G. De Franceschi, V. Romano, “Bipolar climatology of GPS ionospheric scintillation at solar minimum”, Radio Science, vol. 46, RS0D05, doi:10.1029/2010RS004571, 2011. [4] Jiao, Y., Y. Morton, S. Taylor, W. Pelgrum, “High latitude ionosphere scintillation characterization,” Proc. ION ITM, San Diego, CA, Jan. 2013. [5] Beniguel, Y., V. Romano, L. Alfonsi, M. Aquino, “Ionospheric scintillation monitoring and modeling”, Annals of Geophysics, vol. 52, pp. 391-416, 2009.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 26th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2013) September 16 - 20, 2013 Nashville Convention Center, Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, TN
Pages:	77 - 83
Cite this article:	Jiao, Y., Morton, Y., Taylor, S., Pelgrum, W., "On the Correlation Between Ionosphere Scintillation and Geomagnetic Field Activity," Proceedings of the 26th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2013), Nashville, TN, September 2013, pp. 77-83.
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