Phase Scintillation Estimates in the Polar Ionosphere Inferred from Radio Occultation on Board CASSIOPE: A Summary

Esayas B. Shume, Attila Komjathy, Richard B. Langley, Olga Verkhoglyadova, Mark D. Butala, Anthony J. Mannucci

Abstract:	We report phase-scintillation estimates in the high-latitude ionosphere inferred from high-resolution radio occultation (RO) measurements using CASSIOPE-GPS satellite radio links. For December 1, 2013, RO phase measurements from GPSS VN 50, we have computed phase-scintillation estimates (in distance units) ranging from about 1 cm to 18 cm. The RO phase measurements were concurrent with the occurrence of geomagnetic storms, substorms, and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) southward conditions signifying the control of the plasma dynamics of the polar ionosphere by solar wind and magnetospheric drivers. Hence, the phase-scintillations were principally caused by plasma instabilities, which were driven by the storm and substorm conditions. The largest phase-scintillation values most likely correspond to RO measurements carried out over turbulent regions in the auroral oval during moderate substorms (with Auroral Electrojet Index of ~600 nT).
Published in:	Proceedings of the 27th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2014) September 8 - 12, 2014 Tampa Convention Center Tampa, Florida
Pages:	1138 - 1141
Cite this article:	Shume, Esayas B., Komjathy, Attila, Langley, Richard B., Verkhoglyadova, Olga, Butala, Mark D., Mannucci, Anthony J., "Phase Scintillation Estimates in the Polar Ionosphere Inferred from Radio Occultation on Board CASSIOPE: A Summary," Proceedings of the 27th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2014), Tampa, Florida, September 2014, pp. 1138-1141.
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