An auroral scintillation observation using precise, collocated GPS receivers

Garner, T. W.; Harris, Robert B.; York, Johnathan; Herbster, C. S.; Minter, C. F.; Hampton, D. L.

doi:10.1029/2010rs004412

Cited by 21 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…The correspondence of large phase excursions and LL events (red crosses) is evident. It should be noted that not all scintillation events resulted in LL, consistent with findings by Garner et al () of a stochastic element to receiver performance.…”

Section: Data Presentationmentioning

confidence: 99%

GPS Signal Corruption by the Discrete Aurora: Precise Measurements From the Mahali Experiment

Semeter

Mrak

Hirsch

et al. 2017

Geophysical Research Letters

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Measurements from a dense network of GPS receivers have been used to clarify the relationship between substorm auroras and GPS signal corruption as manifested by loss of lock on the received signal. A network of nine receivers was deployed along roadways near the Poker Flat Research Range in central Alaska, with receiver spacing between 15 and 30 km. Instances of large‐amplitude phase fluctuations and signal loss of lock were registered in space and time with auroral forms associated with a sequence of westward traveling surges associated with a substorm onset over central Canada. The following conclusions were obtained: (1) The signal corruption originated in the ionospheric E region, between 100 and 150 km altitude, and (2) the GPS links suffering loss of lock were confined to a narrow band (<20 km wide) along the trailing edge of the moving auroral forms. The results are discussed in the context of mechanisms typically cited to account for GPS phase scintillation by auroral processes.

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Section: Data Presentationmentioning

confidence: 99%

GPS Signal Corruption by the Discrete Aurora: Precise Measurements From the Mahali Experiment

Semeter

Mrak

Hirsch

et al. 2017

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…Garner et al . [] report a case of L2 signal loss associated with an auroral arc over Fairbanks, Alaska. Smith et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

et al. 2013

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Ionospheric irregularities affect the propagation of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals, causing radio scintillation. Particle precipitation from the magnetosphere into the ionosphere, following solar activity, is an important production mechanism for ionospheric irregularities. Particle precipitation also causes the aurorae. However, the correlation of aurorae and GNSS scintillation events is not well established in literature. This study examines optical auroral events during 2010–2011 and reports spatial and temporal correlations with Global Positioning System (GPS) L1 phase fluctuations using instrumentation located at South Pole Station. An all‐sky imager provides a measure of optical emission intensities ([OI] 557.7 nm and 630.0 nm) at auroral latitudes during the winter months. A collocated GPS antenna and scintillation receiver facilitates superimposition of auroral images and GPS signal measurements. Correlation statistics are produced by tracking emission intensities and GPS L1 σφ indices at E and F‐region heights. This is the first time that multi‐wavelength auroral images have been compared with scintillation measurements in this way. Correlation levels of up to 74% are observed during 2–3 hour periods of discrete arc structuring. Analysis revealed that higher values of emission intensity corresponded with elevated levels of σφ. The study has yielded the first statistical evidence supporting the previously assumed relationship between the aurorae and GPS signal propagation. The probability of scintillation‐induced GPS outages is of interest for commercial and safety‐critical operations at high latitudes. Results in this paper indicate that image databases of optical auroral emissions could be used to assess the likelihood of multiple satellite scintillation activity.

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“…Amplitude scintillations are observed as random fluctuations of the signal strength, leading to periods of reduced signal strength for users of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) such as the Global Positioning System (GPS). Phase scintillations are detected as high frequency fluctuations in the GNSS carrier phase, which may result in a loss of phase lock due to significant stress on the carrier phase tracking process (Skone 2001;Garner et al 2011). Therefore, there is a strong requirement for modeling the trans-ionospheric satellite communication environment to reveal how ionospheric irregularities are formed during various disturbances in the high-latitude ionosphere.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Observations of GPS scintillation during an isolated auroral substorm

Hosokawa

Otsuka

Ogawa

et al. 2014

Prog Earth Planet Sci

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This paper reports simultaneous observations of ionospheric scintillation during an auroral substorm that were made using an all-sky full-color digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera (ASC) and a Global Positioning System (GPS) ionospheric scintillation and total electron content monitor (GISTM) in Tromsø (69.60 N, 19.20 E), Norway. On the night of November 19, 2009, a small substorm occurred in northern Scandinavia. The ASC captured its temporal evolution from the beginning of the growth phase to the end of the recovery phase. The amplitude scintillation, as monitored by the S 4 index from the GISTM, did not increase in any substorm phase. By contrast, phase scintillation, as measured by the σ φ index, occurred when discrete auroral arcs appeared on the GPS signal path. In particular, the phase scintillation was significantly enhanced for a few minutes immediately after the onset of the expansion phase. During this period, bright and discrete auroral forms covered the entire sky, which implies that structured precipitation on the scale of a few kilometers to a few tens of kilometers dominated the electron density distribution in the E region. Such inhomogeneous ionization structures probably produced significant changes in the refractive index and eventually resulted in the enhancement of the phase scintillation.

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An auroral scintillation observation using precise, collocated GPS receivers

Cited by 21 publications

References 31 publications

GPS Signal Corruption by the Discrete Aurora: Precise Measurements From the Mahali Experiment

GPS Signal Corruption by the Discrete Aurora: Precise Measurements From the Mahali Experiment

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

Observations of GPS scintillation during an isolated auroral substorm

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