The present work shows the preliminary results from the analysis for developing an ionospheric scale index map based on the Disturbance Ionosphere indeX (DIX). This index aims to target all the different user groups affected by ionospheric disturbances, for example, the navigation, positioning, and satellite communication users, in a simple and straightforward approach. Therefore, we used the vertical total electron content (VTEC) over South America to calculate the total electron content (TEC) maps covering latitudes from 60°S to 20°N and longitudes from 90°W to 30°W, with 0.5°× 0.5°resolution. Afterward, the DIX maps are obtained to reveal the variation of the TEC over an average quiet ionosphere background. In order to illustrate the use of the map index, the ionospheric disturbances after and during the 17-23 December 2015 intense geomagnetic storm and the 2015 Saint Patrick magnetic storm are discussed, highlighting the disturbances in the DIX at different latitudinal ranges and under different magnetic conditions.

The present work is the first of a two‐part weather study of the ionospheric Total Electron Content (TEC), based on data collected by four ground‐based Global Navigation Satellite System networks that cover the whole Latin America from the Patagonia to the north of Mexico. From the best of our knowledge, the maps presented here are the first TEC maps obtained using ground‐based data that covers the entire Latin America region, which represent an advance to the space weather monitoring and forecasting of the ionosphere. This work provides a qualitative and quantitative daytime analysis of the ionospheric TEC variation, which encompasses: (a) the response of TEC to the solar flux at midday; (b) the seasonal variation of TEC in different latitudinal ranges; and (c) the North‐South asymmetry of TEC over Latin America. The response to the solar flux is based on day‐to‐day TEC variations during two periods of different solar activity conditions: 2011 (ascending phase) and 2014 (maximum). The approximations of meridional wind component derived from Horizontal Wind Model‐14 model and hmF2 obtained from International Reference Ionosphere model were used. Equinoctial asymmetries with an opposite configuration in high and moderate solar activity were identified in the TEC variation. For 2011, it was related to the solar flux change. However, in 2014, according to the hmF2 variation, the influence of neutral wind becomes dominant. Among the results, we highlight an absence of winter anomaly in the Northern Hemisphere in 2014 and a stronger annual anomaly for latitudes under −20∘.

With the advent of the Navigation Satellites the Total Electron Content (TEC) has become one of the main parameters of the ionosphere. This is the result of a continuous TEC monitoring and rather dense network of GPS receivers. For Mexican region having no ionosondes the use of TEC for ionospheric conditions studies and monitoring has a special value. To study the behaviour of TEC and for its applied aspects two types of source-files are used worldwide: IONEX (global maps) and RINEX (local data) depending on the task solved. Magnetometer and satellite data from CHAMP and DMSP were involved in the analysis. First, benefits and limitations of TEC derived from both types of files are discussed in regard to the estimation of the ionosphere state in the Mexican region. Second, using both methods the specific features of diurnal, seasonal and annual patterns in TEC behaviour over Mexico were revealed, among which are the shift of the diurnal maximum to 14 LT, dependence on solar activity, high probability of night-time enhancements, presence of annual and winter anomalies. Third, it was revealed that the positive short-lived TEC enhancements are characteristic for Mexican region. They may occur even under quiet conditions. The answer is given what part of the ionosphere is responsible for TEC change during these positive disturbances. The results for Mexico were compared to the neighboring regions and SouthEast zone.

Legislative modifications of the General Civil Protection Law in Mexico in 2014 included specific references to space hazards and space weather phenomena. The legislation is consistent with United Nations promotion of international engagement and cooperation on space weather awareness, studies, and monitoring. These internal and external conditions motivated the creation of a space weather service in Mexico. The Mexican Space Weather Service (SCiESMEX in Spanish) (www.sciesmex.unam.mx) was initiated in October 2014 and is operated by the Institute of Geophysics at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM). SCiESMEX became a Regional Warning Center of the International Space Environment Services (ISES) in June 2015. We present the characteristics of the service, some products, and the initial actions for developing a space weather strategy in Mexico. The service operates a computing infrastructure including a web application, data repository, and a high‐performance computing server to run numerical models. SCiESMEX uses data of the ground‐based instrumental network of the National Space Weather Laboratory (LANCE), covering solar radio burst emissions, solar wind and interplanetary disturbances (by interplanetary scintillation observations), geomagnetic measurements, and analysis of the total electron content (TEC) of the ionosphere (by employing data from local networks of GPS receiver stations).