In this paper we present the results of a study on the characteristics of large-scale wave structure in the equatorial ionospheric F region that serve as precursor to postsunset development of the spread F/plasma bubble irregularities. The study is based on analysis of Digisonde data from three equatorial sites in Brazil (Fortaleza, Sao Luis, and Cachimbo) for a period of about 2months at a medium solar activity phase. Small-amplitude oscillations in the F layer heights, extracted at a number of plasma frequencies, present characteristics as them being generated from upward propagating gravity waves. They represent wave structures in polarization electric field having zonal scale of a few hundred kilometers. Their amplitudes in the afternoon hours undergo amplification toward evening, leading to postsunset development of equatorial spread F/plasma bubble irregularities, on a statistical basis. On the days of their larger amplitudes they appear to occur in phase coherence on all days, and correspondingly, the evening prereversal vertical drift velocities are larger than on days of the smaller amplitudes of the wave structure that appear at random phase on the different days. The sustenance of these precursor wave structures is supported by the relatively large ratio (approaching unity) of the F region-to-total field line-integrated Pedersen conductivities as calculated using the Sheffield University Plasmasphere-Ionosphere Model simulation of the low-latitude ionosphere. The significant amplification in the wave structure toward sunset and the phase coherent nature of their occurrences on different days are explained tentatively on the basis of the spatial resonance mechanism.

Observations of winds and gravity waves (GW) by MF radars from the Arctic to the Equator are used to provide frequency spectra and spectral variances of horizontal motions, and information on the predominant azimuthal directions of propagation for the waves. The years used are mainly 1993/4; the height layer 76–88 km; and the GW bands 10 100 min. and 1–6 hrs. The high/mid-latitude locations of Tromsø, Saskatoon, London/Urbana, Yamagawa, generally demonstrate similar behaviour: the monthly spectra have slopes near −5/3 in winter months, but smaller (absolute) slopes at higher frequencies (<2 hrs.) in summer. Corresponding to this, the spectral densities (10–100 min.) are larger for conditions of higher mean background windspeed—this is related by means of a new correlation-vector technique to GW propagating anti-parallel to the mean zonal winds, and the closure of the solstitial mesospheric jets. Also consistent with this, the sizes and orientations of perturbation ovals (fitted to the wind variations), demonstrate strong semi-annual-oscillations (SAO), and generally similar monthly and latitudinal directions. This suggests strong control, especially of the high-frequency GW band, by the dominant zonal wind-structures of the mesosphere. In contrast the low-latitude locations of Hawaii and Christmas Island demonstrate uniquely different behaviours, with indications of significant inter-annual variability. The frequency spectra for all months tend to have smaller slopes at higher frequencies. Also the dependence of spectral density in both GW bands, upon background wind speed, is negative rather than positive, and is shown to be generally consistent with GW propagating parallel to the mean-global winds. This is consistent with weaker vertical shears in the zonal winds (76–88 km), and lower GW momentum depositions. The perturbation ovals reveal much weaker SAO, and more variable orientations, consistent with more dependency upon GW sources, and less control by the mean winds of the mesosphere.

Radio wave returns from spread F plasma structures as received by ionosondes can originate from total/specular reflection, partial reflection or coherent backscattering. The dominant mechanism to account for the spread F traces in equatorial ionograms is still an open question. Depending upon the precise mechanism, ionosondes are sensitive to irregularity scale sizes of tens of meters to several tens/hundreds of kilometers. In this paper we analyze signatures of range spreading F layer traces in Digisonde ionograms, taken at Fortaleza (3.9°S, 38.45°W, dip: −9°) and Sao Luis (2.33 S, 44.2W, dip angle: −0.5°), and at a dip equatorial site Cachimbo (9.5°S, 54.8°W, dip: −4.2°) and at its two conjugate sites Bova Vista (02.8°N, 60.7°W, dip: 22.0°) and Campo Grande (20.5 S, 54.7 W, dip −22.3°) in Brazil, to determine the dominant process/mechanism of echo returns from the irregularity structures. A significant component of the ESF trace structures is found to be consistent with the echoes originating from coherent backscattering at field line perpendicular directions. The degree of range spreading of the echoes is found to increase linearly with the top frequency of the echo trace, which is shown to be a more precise indicator of the irregularity strength. Further, the irregularity strength exhibits a significant increase from the equator toward the EIA crests, as well as a strong asymmetry between the conjugate sites.

GPS total electron content (TEC) has shown quasiperiodic oscillations of varying amplitude associated with poleward moving Sun‐aligned arcs. The amplitude of TEC variations showed a maximum of ∼3 TECU and seemed to decrease as the arcs moved poleward from the source/generation region. Simultaneous DMSP data showed that fluctuations in TEC and optical intensification were caused by precipitation of high‐energy (>500 eV) particles. Concurrent ionosonde observations also exhibited quasiperiodic variations (within limit of the resolution of the data) in peak ionospheric electron density of the ionosphere. Bottom height of the ionospheric layers produced by precipitating particles varied between 130 km (upper E region) and 300 km ( F region), indicating variable particle precipitation energy. Frequency analysis of high‐resolution TEC data showed a broad range of discrete frequency components from 1.60 mHz to 22.80 mHz present in the TEC oscillations, which may provide insight into the energization/modulation of precipitating particles by these oscillations. A broad distribution of equivalent vertical thickness of arcs was calculated using GPS TEC and ionosonde measurements of peak electron density. This distribution showed a minimum thickness of 21 km, a maximum of 84 km, and an average of 49 km. The equivalent vertical thickness also showed a linear relationship with bottomside height of the ionospheric layer (auroral arc). The relationship showed an increase in the vertical thickness with an increase in bottomside height of the layer. This relationship is a consequence of variations in the energy of the precipitating particles causing different ionospheric production profiles.

Global Positioning System (GPS) total electron content (TEC) measurements, although highly precise, are often rendered inaccurate due to satellite and receiver differential code biases (DCBs). Calculated satellite DCB values are now available from a variety of sources, but receiver DCBs generally remain an undertaking of receiver operators and processing centers. A procedure for removing these receiver DCBs from GPS-derived ionospheric TEC at high latitudes, using Canadian Advanced Digital Ionosonde (CADI) measurements, is presented. Here, we will test the applicability of common numerical methods for estimating receiver DCBs in high-latitude regions and compare our CADI-calibrated GPS vertical TEC (vTEC) measurements to corresponding International GNSS Service IONEX-interpolated vTEC map data. We demonstrate that the bias values determined using the CADI method are largely independent of the topside model (exponential, Epstein, and α-Chapman) used. We further confirm our results via comparing bias-calibrated GPS vTEC with those derived from incoherent scatter radar (ISR) measurements. These CADI method results are found to be within 1.0 TEC units (TECU) of ISR measurements. The numerical methods tested demonstrate agreement varying from within 1.6 TECU to in excess of 6.0 TECU when compared to ISR measurements.

For the magnetospheric storm of May 14–16, 1997 geophysical data of satellites DMSP and IMP-8 are compared with data of radio propagation on the high-latitude HF radio path of Heiss Island – St. Petersburg and data from European ionosondes. Peculiarities of variations of the operational frequencies range MOF–LOF (maximum and lowest observed frequencies) on the path were considered. The range has been determined by the method of oblique ionospheric sounding (OIS). The latter is more informative for observations during a magnetic storm compared to the vertical sounding method. Nevertheless, an analysis of variations of the critical frequency of the ionospheric F2 layer from the chain of European ionosondes was carried out. For interpretation of results, data of magnetospheric parameters, AE-indexes and riometer data were used. The variations of both frequency range on the path and critical frequencies of the F2 layer through the ionosondes chain during the disturbed period had certain regularities of behaviour. These regularities are being explained from the physical point of view. The analysis of the satellite DMSP data has showed that a magnetospheric disturbance causes displacement equatorward of precipitation and some growth of its width and energy.

Regions of enhanced ionization are a frequent occurrence in the high latitude ionosphere, and can significantly affect the absorption of propagating radio waves in this region. Using Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers of the Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Network (CHAIN) and co-located riometers at several high latitude stations, we have concurrently examined variations in ionospheric total electron content (TEC) and absorption of 30 MHz cosmic radio noise (CRN) for different types of ionospheric absorption events. A survey of 128 events including substorm injections, auroral precipitation and polar patches revealed four clear relationships between TEC and absorption. At stations close to auroral latitudes we found separate relationships for events associated with precipitation of low (<; 20 keV) and high (<; 200 keV) energy particles in addition to substorm injections. For stations located well inside the polar cap we found separate relationships associated with low energy precipitation and polar patches, while substorm injections and high energy precipitation were less frequent at these latitudes. The distinct relationships can be attributed to the nature of the absorption and TEC measurements as well as the height-dependent electron production rate for precipitating particles at a range of energies. The TEC-absorption relationships show good agreement with theoretical relationships for non-deviative absorption in the lower ionosphere and deviative absorption in the upper ionosphere.

The motion of Medium Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (MSTIDs) was measured for 1 year from the eastern tip of Brazil, about 10 degrees degrees south of the magnetic and geographic equators using spaced fixed frequency radio transmitters. The motion was very similar during all of the year. The daytime average direction was towards 150 degrees azimuth (clockwise from north) and speed was typically in the range 150-300 m/s. The azimuth varied only slightly during the day being slightly more easterly during evening-morning hours. During winter months there were also some TIDs whose motion was northward. None of the known sources for MSTIDs fits well with MSTIDs having these velocity patterns. A possible unconfirmed source is the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Citation: MacDougall, J., M. A. Abdu, I. Batista, R. Buriti, A. F. Medeiros, P. T. Jayachandran, and G. Borba (2011), Spaced transmitter measurements of medium scale traveling ionospheric disturbances near the equator, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L16806, doi: 10.1029/2011GL048598.

Accuracy and validity of scintillation indices estimated using the power and phase of the GPS signal depend heavily on the detrending method used and the selection of the cutoff frequency of the associated filter. A Butterworth filter with a constant cutoff frequency of 0.1 Hz is commonly used in detrending GPS data. In this study, the performance of this commonly used filter is evaluated and compared with a new wavelet-based detrending method using GPS data from high latitudes. It was observed that in detrending high-latitude GPS data, a wavelet filter performed better than Butterworth filters as the correlation between amplitude- and phase-scintillation indices in S 4 and σ ϕ improved significantly from 0.53, when using a Butterworth filter, to 0.79, when using the wavelet filtering method. We also introduced an improved phase-scintillation index, σ CHAIN, which we think is comparatively a better parameter to represent phase scintillations at high latitudes as the correlation between S 4 and σ CHAIN was as high as 0.90. During the analysis, we also noted that the occurrence of the “phase scintillation without amplitude scintillation” phenomenon was significantly reduced when scintillation indices were derived using the wavelet-based detrending method. These results seem to indicate that wavelet-based detrending is better suited for GPS scintillation signals and also that σ CHAIN is a better parameter for representing GPS phase scintillations at high latitudes.

Using ionospheric total electron content (TEC) measured by Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers of the Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Network (CHAIN) we provide clear evidence for a systematic and propagating temporary TEC enhancement produced by compression of the magnetosphere due to a sudden increase in solar wind dynamic pressure. The magnetospheric compression is evident in THEMIS/GOES satellite data. Application of a GPS triangulation technique revealed that the TEC changes propagated with a speed of 3-6 km/s in the antisunward direction near noon and similar to 8 km/s in the sunward direction in the pre-noon lower latitude sector. Characteristics of these TEC changes along with riometer absorption measurements seems to indicate that the TEC change is due to electron density enhancement in the F region and is possibly due to particle precipitation associated with sudden magnetospheric compression. Citation: Jayachandran, P. T., C. Watson, I. J. Rae, J. W. MacDougall, D. W. Danskin, R. Chadwick, T. D. Kelly, P. Prikryl, K. Meziane, and K. Shiokawa (2011), Highlatitude GPS TEC changes associated with a sudden magnetospheric compression, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L23104, doi: 10.1029/2011GL050041.

Spread F irregularity signatures in the form of range spreading F layer traces are examined in Digisonde ionograms from dip equatorial and conjugate sites in Brazil, to determine the dominant process/mechanism of echo returns from the irregularity structures. A significant component of the ESF echo structures is found to be consistent with them originating from coherent back-scattering at field line perpendicular directions. The spread range of the echoes is found to increase linearly with the top frequency of the echo trace. Further, the irregularity strength is asymmetric at conjugate sites.

We present the results of a comparative study of the equatorial spread F (ESF) and the F layer critical parameter, the base height of the F layer bottomside (h′F) over the two equatorial sites, Ho Chi Minh City – HCM (dip latitude: 2.9°N) in Vietnam and Sao Luis – SL (dip latitude: ∼2°S) in Brazil. The study utilizes simultaneous data collected by a CADI at HCM and a digisonde at SL during the year 2002 with the monthly mean solar 10.7cm flux (F10.7) varying from ∼120 to ∼185. This study focuses on the quiet time seasonal behavior of the F layer parameters in the two widely separated longitude sectors, and addresses the question as to what can we learn from such comparative studies with respect to the ambient ionospheric and thermospheric parameters that are believed to control the ESF generation and hence its longitudinal occurrence pattern. The observed differences/similarities in the diurnal and seasonal patterns of the F Layer height vis-à-vis the ESF occurrences are evaluated in terms of the known longitudinal differences in the F layer heights, thermospheric meridional winds and the geomagnetic peculiarities of the two sites.

High-latitude irregularities can impair the operation of GPS-based devices by causing fluctuations of GPS signal amplitude and phase, also known as scintillation. Severe scintillation events lead to losses of phase lock, which result in cycle slips. We have used data from the Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Network (CHAIN) to measure amplitude and phase scintillation from L1 GPS signals and total electron content (TEC) from L1 and L2 GPS signals to study the relative role that various high-latitude irregularity generation mechanisms have in producing scintillation. In the first year of operation during the current solar minimum the amplitude scintillation has remained very low but events of strong phase scintillation have been observed. We have found, as expected, that auroral arc and substorm intensifications as well as cusp region dynamics are strong sources of phase scintillation and potential cycle slips. In addition, we have found clear seasonal and universal time dependencies of TEC and phase scintillation over the polar cap region. A comparison with radio instruments from the Canadian GeoSpace Monitoring (CGSM) network strongly suggests that the polar cap scintillation and TEC variations are associated with polar cap patches which we therefore infer to be main contributors to scintillation-causing irregularities in the polar cap.

Unlike the geomagnetic storms produced by coronal mass ejections (CMEs), the storms generated by corotating interaction regions (CIRs) are not manifested by dramatic enhancements of the ring current. The CIR-driven storms are however capable of producing other phenomena typical for the magnetic storms such as relativistic particle acceleration, enhanced magnetospheric convection and ionospheric heating. This paper examines ionospheric plasma anomalies produced by a CIR-driven storm in the middle- and high-latitude ionosphere with a specific focus on the polar cap region. The moderate magnetic storm which took place on 14-17 October 2002 has been used as an example of the CIR-driven event. Four-dimensional tomographic reconstructions of the ionospheric plasma density using measurements of the total electron content along ray paths of GPS signals allow us to reveal the large-scale structure of storm-induced ionospheric anomalies. The tomographic reconstructions are compared with the data obtained by digital ionosonde located at Eureka station near the geomagnetic north pole. The morphology and dynamics of the observed ionospheric anomalies is compared qualitatively to the ionospheric anomalies produced by major CME-driven storms. It is demonstrated that the CIR-driven storm of October 2002 was able to produce ionospheric anomalies comparable to those produced by CME-driven storms of much greater Dst magnitude. This study represents an important step in linking the tomographic GPS reconstructions with the data from ground-based network of digital ionosondes.