Nighttime Ionospheric TEC Study over Latin America
Abstract
We present a study of the ionospheric Total Electron Content (TEC) variation during nighttime, based on data collected by ground-based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) networks over the Latin America region. This qualitative and quantitative nighttime analysis of the ionospheric TEC is focused on : (1) the response of TEC to the solar flux at 21:00, 00:00 and 03:00 local time (LT); (2) the seasonal variation of TEC in different latitudes during nighttime; and (3) the North-South density asymmetry of TEC. The response to the solar flux is based on TEC variations during two periods of different solar activity conditions: 2011 (ascending phase) and 2014 (maximum). Among the results, we highlight a strong latitudinal dependence of nighttime TEC variation, an absence of semiannual anomaly for GNSS stations at mid latitudes. The Midlatitude Summer Nighttime Anomaly (MSNA) was also identified in the Southern hemisphere during January and December.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFMSA13B3237R
- Keywords:
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- 0355 Thermosphere: composition and chemistry;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 0358 Thermosphere: energy deposition;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 3369 Thermospheric dynamics;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES;
- 7949 Ionospheric storms;
- SPACE WEATHER