Extreme Low‐Latitude Total Electron Content Enhancement and Global Positioning System Scintillation at Dawn
Abstract
We report on an extreme ionospheric plasma density enhancement and Global Positioning System (GPS) scintillation at dawn, observed within the expanding equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA). The total electron content (TEC) in central America reached 50 TECu at sunrise, the value almost twice as high as the normal afternoon peak. The enhanced EIA expanded poleward and westward from just below 20° magnetic latitude (MLAT) to beyond 30° MLAT at sunrise. The chief ramification of the enhanced EIA was strong GPS scintillation which was observed poleward of 30° northern MLAT and lasted until 8:00 local time. In total, the amplitude scintillation and phase fluctuations lasted for ∼5 h at latitudes north of 20°MLAT in central America.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2021
- Source ID
- 10.1029/2021sw002740
Entities
People
- Anthea J. Coster
- J. L. Semeter
- Sebastijan Mrak
- Yukitoshi Nishimura
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Boston University
- Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology