Poster
A. L. Morozova, L. Spogli, R. Imam, E. Pica, J. A. Cahuasquí, M. M. Hoque, N. Jakowski, D. Estaço
Abstract
Mid-latitudes are usually considered as less prone to the occurrence of ionospheric irregularities affecting the reliability of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals. However, being a densely populated area, there is an increasing interest in correctly evaluating the impact of such classes of phenomena. In such a perspective, we analyse the case of the geomagnetic storm of June 22-23, 2015 over the Western Mediterranean area. That event caused a rare phenomenon of a spill-over of equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) well north from their usual region, being an area of about ~+/- 20º around the magnetic equator. We analyse this event using data from ground-based GNSS receivers, from which we evaluate the amplitude scintillationS4 and the Rate Of Total Electron Content change (ROTI) indices. The simultaneous use of the two indices allows speculating on the scale sizes of the found irregularities. Furthermore, these data are complemented with the in situ information provided by the ESA’s Swarm satellites, which measures the plasma density at the satellite heights and has, among its data products, an ionospheric plasma bubble index, able to reveal the presence of EPBs. Two new Swarm products recently developed namely TEGIX and NEGIX using GNSS and electron density measurements onboard Swarm satellites A and C. The TEGIX measures spatial total electron content (TEC) gradients in the topside ionosphere whereas the NEGIX measures the spatial electron density gradients at the satellite height. TEGIX and NEGIX data products will be investigated for any possible signatures of plasma bubbles during the specified storm event.
The multi-source data allows for a better understanding of the ionospheric dynamic during the studied event, and identification and characterization of the ionospheric plasma bubbles that reached middle latitudes near the Iberian Peninsula during the studied event.
ESWW2024
Coimbra, Portugal
2024 November
