Analysis of Ionospheric Disturbances Caused by the 2018 Bering Sea Meteor Explosion Based on GPS Observations

Abstract

The Bering Sea meteor explosion that occurred on 18 December 2018 provides a good opportunity to study the ionospheric disturbances caused by meteor explosions. Total electron content (TEC) is the core parameter of ionospheric analysis. TEC and its changes can be accurately estimated based on the Global Positioning System (GPS). TID is detected in time and frequency domain based on power spectrum and Butterworth filtering method. By analyzing the waveform, period, wavelength, propagation speed and space-time distribution of TID, the location of the TID source is determined, and the process of TID formation and propagation is understood. The TID caused by meteor explosions has significant anisotropy characteristic. Two types of TID were found. For the first type, the average horizontal propagation velocity is 250.22 ± 5.98 m/s, the wavelength is ~135–240 km, the average period is about 12 min, and the propagation distance is less than 1400 km. About 8 min after the meteor explosion, the first type of TID source formed and propagated radially at the velocity of 250.22 ± 5.98 m/s. For the second type, the propagation velocity is ~434.02 m/s. According to the waveform, period, wavelength and propagation velocity of the TID, it is diagnosed to be the midscale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTID). Based on the characteristics of TID, we infer that the TID is excited by the gravity waves generated by the meteor explosion, which is in accordance with the propagation law of gravity waves in the ionosphere. And it is estimated that the average velocity of the up-going gravity waves is about 464.58 m/s. A simple model was established to explain the formation and the propagation of this TID, and to verify the characteristics of the TID propagation caused by nuclear explosion, earthquake, tsunami, and Chelyabinsk meteorite blast. It is estimated that the position of the TID source is consistent with the meteor explosion point, which further indicates that the TID is caused by the meteor explosion and propagates radially.

Multi‐Instrument Observations of Various Ionospheric Disturbances Caused by the 6 February 2023 Turkey Earthquake

“…Similar anisotropic propagation was also observed for TIDs from other sources, for instance in the analysis of Luo et al. (2020) concerning a major meteor impact. This therefore must be considered a general feature of TIDs excited by impulsive point sources.…”

“…This was also seen after the Hunga eruption, as there was significant anisotropy in the TIDs close to the site of the eruption (Vesnin et al, 2023). Similar anisotropic propagation was also observed for TIDs from other sources, for instance in the analysis of Luo et al (2020) concerning a major meteor impact. This therefore must be considered a general feature of TIDs excited by impulsive point sources.…”

Manuscript accepted for publication

“…These waves create electron density perturbation signals that are probed remotely, such as using electromagnetic instruments. Impulsive events like meteors (e.g., Luo et al, 2020;Perevalova et al, 2015;Yang et al, 2014), volcanic eruptions (e.g., Shimada et al, 1990), earthquakes (e.g., Otsuka et al, 2006), tsunamis (e.g., Blewitt et al, 2009), rocket launches (e.g., Afraimovich et al, 2001), and ground explosions (e.g., Fitzgerald, 1997) have been examined using these methods.…”

“…Of particular interest to the scientific and planetary defense communities are the asteroids and a subset of sufficiently large and fast meteoroids that produce shock waves upon entering the upper regions of the atmosphere (Bronshten, 1983;Ceplecha et al, 1998;Silber et al, 2018;Tsikulin, 1970). Specifically, the shock waves can lead to formation of secondary physical phenomena, from low frequency acoustic waves and seismic shaking (e.g., Arrowsmith et al, 2008a;Arrowsmith et al, 2007;Caudron et al, 2016;Ceplecha et al, 1998;Evers and Haak, 2003;Ishihara, 2004;Pilger et al, 2020;ReVelle, 1974;Silber and Brown, 2019) to ionospheric disturbances (e.g., Luo et al, 2020;Perevalova et al, 2015;Yang et al, 2014). When recorded by geophysical instruments, the signatures of these phenomena can be analyzed to infer physical properties and characteristics of the emitting source (e.g., ReVelle, 1976).…”

Linear regression models with autoregressive integrated moving average errors for measurements from real time kinematics-global navigation satellite system during dynamic test

“…The RTK-GNSS may be subjected to noisy sources such as atmospheric and ionospheric disturbances [6], multipath errors [7], [8], canopy trees [9], and other noise sources that may be hard to distinguish. These noise components are usually time-correlated and inherit unique stochastic attributes.…”