Correlation between scintillation indices and gradient drift wave amplitudes in the northern polar ionosphere

Abstract

[1] A model is developed of the gradient drift instability growth rate in the north polar cap ionosphere, utilizing a novel approach employing an ionospheric imaging algorithm. The growth rate values calculated by this model are in turn used to estimate how the amplitudes of actual gradient drift waves vary over time as the plasma drifts and the growth rates change with time. Ionospheric imaging is again used in order to determine plasma drift velocities. The final output from the model is in turn used to assess the linear correlation between the scintillation indices S 4 and s f recorded by several GPS L1 band scintillation receivers stationed in the north polar cap and mean gradient drift wave amplitudes. Four separate magnetic storm periods, totaling 13 days, are analyzed in this way. The results show weak but significant linear correlations between the mean wave amplitudes calculated and the observed scintillation indices at F layer altitudes.Citation: Burston, R., I. Astin, C. Mitchell, L. Alfonsi, T. Pedersen, and S. Skone (2009), Correlation between scintillation indices and gradient drift wave amplitudes in the northern polar ionosphere,

GPS phase scintillation associated with optical auroral emissions: First statistical results from the geographic South Pole

“…Mitchell et al [2005] report phase scintillation on the edge of polar cap patches in the high European Arctic, and Ngwira et al [2010] associate phase scintillation in the Antarctic with auroral electron precipitation. Burston et al [2009] show evidence for both turbulence and the gradient drift instabilities being responsible for the production of electron density irregularities at high latitudes. Kinrade et al [2011] observed moderate phase scintillation within the Antarctic dawn-noon sector, associated with E-region particle precipitation and the "break-off" point of a plasma enhancement patch into the Polar cap.…”

“…Burston et al . [] show evidence for both turbulence and the gradient drift instabilities being responsible for the production of electron density irregularities at high latitudes. Kinrade et al .…”

Ionospheric scintillation over Antarctica during the storm of 5–6 April 2010

“…Phase scintillation is more common at high latitudes; for example, Mitchell et al [2005] report phase scintillation on the edge of polar cap patches in the high European Arctic, and Ngwira et al [2010] associate phase scintillation in the Antarctic with auroral electron precipitation. Burston et al [2009] show evidence for both turbulence and the gradient drift instabilities for the production of electron density irregularities at high latitudes.…”

Keynote: Global navigation satellite systems and the ionosphere

“…It does not need extra data, although if data are available they can be incorporated into the empirical model to give a better estimate of the current conditions. An example of a tomography/empirical model approach is an option in the method of IDA4D [7] and in [8]. A more straightforward tomographic approach is described in [9] where the constraints are from empirical orthonormal functions.…”