The contribution of the ionospheric disturbances registered by EISCAT radar to GPS signal scintillations

It is performed an analysis of the influence of ionosphere disturbances on GPS scintillations at the auroral oval using receiver at Skibotn station (SKN, CGM — 66.28N, 103.41E). The ionosphere parameters were determined using EISCAT UHF radar data. We analyze the events for the years 2015-2022 when the GPS and EISCAT data were available. In this paper we present typical events. The optical aurora observations at Skibotn stations in 557.7 and 630.0nm spectrum lines were used as well. It is shown that the strongest GPS phase scintillations (σΦ > 1) were produced by the ionosphere disturbances in the E-region (100–120 km), these disturbances were accompanied by the appearance of the auroral arcs. Ionosphere disturbances in the F-region (> 200 km) do not produce any significant phase scintillations. The night-time and evening substorms accompanied by the negative magnetic bay produce strongest GPS phase scintillations. At the same time, positive magnetic bays, associated with the growth of the eastern electrojet, during magnetic storm produce comparable phase scintillation as night-time substorms. We did not find a clear growth of the amplitude scintillations during considered events.