Space weather impacts (e.g., radiation, ionospheric scintillations and GNSS problems) at sub-auroral latitudes
Abstract
Due to complex, multi-scale, multi-region coupling active space weather can produce variations in the electron density leading to fluctuations of the phase and amplitude of the radio waves that transmit through the ionosphere affecting the trans-ionospheric Ultra High Frequency and L-band (1-2 GHz) line-of sight propagation (scintillation). The "Storm Enhanced Density" (SED), refers to enhanced plasma density regions that can have significant impacts on navigation, communication and surveillance systems. When present, SEDs have caused complete outage of the Satellite-Based Augmentation Systems (Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) in North America) which provides service for all classes of aircraft in all phases of flight - including en-route navigation, airport departures, and airport arrivals. In particular, the Florida sector (at low-to mid-geomagnetic latitudes) typically shows enhanced TEC values with strong gradients which can lead to ionospheric instabilities and fine structure. Understanding of the formation of the SED, and why it typically shows enhanced values at Florida ("Florida effect") is not well understood. This ISWAT Cluster (G1-02) focuses on understanding the detailed physical mechanisms, coupling the magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere system, responsible for generating ionospheric substructure at sub-auroral latitudes. We want to engage the international space physics/space weather research and operational community in the global planning and development of the instrumentation networks (etc. ground, air and space-based based magnetometers, GNSS receivers, radars, radiation detectors) in order to understand the generation mechanisms, and ultimately forecast this phenomena.
- Publication:
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43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly. Held 28 January - 4 February
- Pub Date:
- January 2021
- Bibcode:
- 2021cosp...43E2407N