First Observations of Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances Using Automated Amateur Radio Receiving Networks

Abstract

We demonstrate a novel method for observing Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (LSTIDs) using high frequency (HF) amateur radio reporting networks, including the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN), Weak Signal Propagation Reporter Network (WSPRNet), and PSKReporter. LSTIDs are quasi‐periodic variations in ionospheric densities with horizontal wavelengths >1,000 km and periods between 30 and 180 min. On Nov 3, 2017, LSTID signatures were observed simultaneously over the continental United States in amateur radio, SuperDARN HF radar, and GNSS Total Electron Content with a period of ∼2.5 hr, propagation azimuth of ∼163°, horizontal wavelength of ∼1680 km, and phase speed of ∼1,200 km hr−1. SuperMAG SME index enhancements and Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar measurements suggest the LSTIDs were driven by auroral electrojet intensifications and Joule heating. This novel measurement technique has applications in future scientific studies and for assessing the impact of LSTIDs on HF communications.

Large‐Scale Traveling Atmospheric and Ionospheric Disturbances Observed in GUVI With Multi‐Instrument Validations

“…There are two potential sources of disturbances, which include (a) the geomagnetic activity at high latitudes induced by the sustained compression of the magnetosphere by the elevated solar wind dynamic pressure and/or (b) the sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) overlapping the same time period. The SuperMAG Electrojet (SME) index (Newell & Gjerloev, 2011a, 2011b has previously been used to show auroral activity as a driver of LSTID generation (Frissell et al, 2022). Liou et al (2007) have shown the evidence of prompt and sustained auroral particle precipitation associated with strong plasma flows on the dayside in response to the elevated solar wind dynamic pressure using DMSP and POLAR data, referring to the phenomena as "compression aurora."…”

Agile collaboration: Citizen science as a transdisciplinary approach to heliophysics

“…Citizen scientists display varying types and degrees of these forms of expertise as they leverage preexisting skill sets for a project. Some projects, like HamSCI deliberately engage advancedlevel, licensed amateur radio operators for their studies, who have their own technical journals and conferences (see The National Association for Amateur Radio, Serra 2022,;Frissell et al (2022a);Frissell et al (2022b) Others seek more generalized skills such as pattern recognition. In aurora citizen science, advances in the study of the subauroral phenomenon STEVE (MacDonald et al, 2018;Semeter et al, 2020) could not have occurred without citizen scientists' contributory and experiential expertise in astrophotography.…”

“…Citizen science projects are well established and common in fields such as astronomy (e.g., Globe at Night; Garmany et al, 2008), and biology (Wiggins and Wilbanks, 2019), and the field of solar-terrestrial physics is finally seeing a growing number (Knipp, 2015). Initiatives such as Aurorasaurus (MacDonald et al, 2015), the Ham Radio Citizen Science Investigation HamSCI (HamSCI; Frissell et al, 2022a;Frissell et al, 2022b;Frissell et al, 2018), ScintPi (Rodrigues and Moraes, 2019), Solar Stormwatch (Barnard et al, 2014), sonification techniques (e.g., Archer et al, 2022), Solar Jet Hunter (Musset et al, 2021) have proven that citizen scientists can contribute to new scientific discoveries in aurora physics, ionospheric science, and solar physics.…”

How open data and interdisciplinary collaboration improve our understanding of space weather: A risk and resiliency perspective

“…Signals either become degraded from distortion and scintillation or completely absorbed by the ionosphere (Kintner et al, 2007). HF radio communication is used by the aviation industry, the shipping industry, emergency responders, the amateur radio operator ("ham") community (Frissell et al, 2022(Frissell et al, , 2019, and the military (Balch et al, 2004;Kelly et al, 2014). Mobile phone networks and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) timing services can also be affected and debilitated by solar flare radio noise (Kintner et al, 2009;Cannon et al, 2013).…”