Dynamics of high-latitude pathches and associated small-scale irregularities during the October and November 2003 storms

Observations from a network of specially equipped GPS scintillation receivers in Northern Europe are used to investigate the dynamics of ionospheric plasma during the storm events of 30 October and 20 November 2003. The total electron content (TEC) and scintillation data, combined with ionospheric t...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics
Main Authors: De Franceschi, G., Alfonsi, Lu., Romano, V., Aquino, M., Dodson, A., Mitchell, C. N., Spencer, P., Wernik, A. W.
Other Authors: De Franceschi, G.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia, Alfonsi, Lu.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia, Romano, V.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia, Aquino, M.; IESSG, The University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK, Dodson, A.; IESSG, The University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK, Mitchell, C. N.; Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Bath, Bath, UK, Spencer, P.; Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Bath, Bath, UK, Wernik, A. W.; Space Research Center, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia, IESSG, The University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Bath, Bath, UK, Space Research Center, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2008
Subjects:
GPS
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/2122/3858
http://www.science-direct.com/science/journal/13646826
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jastp.2007.05.018
Description
Summary:Observations from a network of specially equipped GPS scintillation receivers in Northern Europe are used to investigate the dynamics of ionospheric plasma during the storm events of 30 October and 20 November 2003. The total electron content (TEC) and scintillation data, combined with ionospheric tomography produced by the multi-instrument data analysis system (MIDAS), reveal strong enhancements and steep gradients in TEC during nighttime under a prevailing negative Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). Amplitude and phase scintillation maxima are often co-located with the TEC gradients at the edge of plasma patches, revealing the presence of small-scale irregularities and suggesting association with a tongue of ionization (TOI) convecting in an anti-sunward direction from the American sector across the polar cap. Similarities and differences between the ionospheric response to the two storms are investigated. The 30 October event reveals a quite complex scenario showing two phases of plasma dynamics: the former reflects the expected convection pattern for IMF Bz southward and the latter possibly indicates a sort of TEC plasma stagnation signature of the more complex convection patterns during several positive/negative excursions of IMF Bz. Published 879-888 3.9. Fisica della magnetosfera, ionosfera e meteorologia spaziale JCR Journal reserved