Effects of storm-induced equatorial plasma bubbles on GPS-based kinematic positioning at equatorial and middle latitudes during the September 7–8, 2017, geomagnetic storm

Development of the Storm‐Induced Ionospheric Irregularities at Equatorial and Middle Latitudes During the 25–26 August 2018 Geomagnetic Storm

“…The unexpected development of ionospheric irregularities can be dangerous for the normal operation of GNSS and other systems used trans‐ionospheric radio waves propagation links. In particular, the ionospheric plasma irregularities with similar intensity developed at low and middle latitudes during strong geomagnetic storms in 2015 and 2017 (when solar activity was higher than that of August 2018) have impacted the GNSS‐based positioning performance for the ground‐based stations and even for low earth orbit kinematic orbit (Yang et al., 2020; Zakharenkova & Cherniak, 2021). Occurrence of the ionospheric irregularities of equatorial origin at midlatitudes is unpredictable and non‐well‐understood phenomenon that requires more observational and simulation studies.…”

“…For another case of the September 2017 geomagnetic storm, the storm‐induced EPBs expanded to midlatitudes were registered first in the American sector and near 12 hr later in the Asian sector (Aa et al., 2018, 2019). This phenomenon represents one of the most challenging space weather threads for Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)‐based operation at midlatitudes due to lack of understanding and ability to predict (Doherty et al., 2004; Mrak et al., 2020; Zakharenkova & Cherniak, 2021).…”

A Method to Mitigate the Effects of Strong Geomagnetic Storm on GNSS Precise Point Positioning

“…It is also found that except high latitudes, the ionospheric irregularities of middle latitudes expanded from the auroral oval can also result in PPP degradation. Recently, Zakharenkova and Cherniak (2021) assessed the performance of ground‐ and space‐based GPS PPP during the strong storm on 7–8 September 2017. Under the strong storm, the 3D error of GPS PPP for ground‐based stations rose to several meters, while that on normal condition is only centimeter or decimeter level.…”

“…Under geomagnetic storm, the rapid penetration of magnetospheric electric field can lead to the sharp increase of ionospheric total electron content (TEC) as well as the irregular variations of ionospheric TEC, thus affecting the performance of precise positioning of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS; Astafyeva et al., 2014; Berdermann et al., 2018; Zakharenkova & Cherniak, 2021). In the early stage, Odijk (2001) investigated the effects of geomagnetic storms on global positioning system (GPS) relative positioning.…”

Spatial‐Temporal Behaviors of Large‐Scale Ionospheric Perturbations During Severe Geomagnetic Storms on September 7–8 2017 Using the GNSS, SWARM and TIE‐GCM Techniques

“…Zakharenkova and Cherniak's results showed that the severe geomagnetic storm on 7–8 September induced large‐scale equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) in the America sector, the dual‐frequency GPS‐based positioning accuracy affected by the EPBs degraded to several meters and the kinematic orbital error of low earth orbit (LEO) satellites increased up to 5 times (Zakharenkova & Cherniak, 2021). The storm‐induced ionospheric fluctuations have a serious effect on the GNSS Services.…”