Ionospheric storms at high and mid-latitudes monitored by ground and space based GPS techniques

Abstract

Ground and space based GNSS techniques enable the capability to explore different temporal and spatial aspects of ionospheric perturbations. This knowledge is valuable for mitigating or at least forecasting ionospheric perturbation impact on the functionality of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). In this paper we discuss ionospheric perturbation features of several severe storms by combining ground and space based GPS measurements to get a more detailed view on the perturbation mechanism. Deduced is the temporal and horizontal structure of the high latitude ionosphere at both hemispheres based on 30 s sampled TEC data from the ground tracking network of the International GNSS Service (IGS) and other services. Whereas the ground based measurements show strong horizontal perturbation induced convection of plasma crossing the pole from day- to night-side, the spaceborne measurements on CHAMP indicate a severe vertical redistribution of the ionospheric plasma during the selected events. Of particular interest is a strong upward lift of ionospheric plasma near plasmapause boundaries. Presented are also average features of ionospheric storms as observed over the European region since more than 10 years.