Severe L-band scintillation over low-to-mid latitudes caused by an extreme equatorial plasma bubble: joint observations from ground-based monitors and GOLD
Abstract The occurrence of plasma irregularities and ionospheric scintillation over the Caribbean region have been reported in previous studies, but a better understanding of the source and conditions leading to these events is still needed. In December 2021, three ground-based ionospheric scintilla...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Earth, Planets and Space |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40623-023-01797-5 |
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| author | Jonas Sousasantos Josemaria Gomez Socola Fabiano S. Rodrigues Richard W. Eastes Christiano G. M. Brum Pedrina Terra |
| author_facet | Jonas Sousasantos Josemaria Gomez Socola Fabiano S. Rodrigues Richard W. Eastes Christiano G. M. Brum Pedrina Terra |
| author_sort | Jonas Sousasantos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The occurrence of plasma irregularities and ionospheric scintillation over the Caribbean region have been reported in previous studies, but a better understanding of the source and conditions leading to these events is still needed. In December 2021, three ground-based ionospheric scintillation and Total Electron Content monitors were installed at different locations over Puerto Rico to better understand the occurrence of ionospheric irregularities in the region and to quantify their impact on transionospheric signals. Here, the findings for an event that occurred on March 13–14, 2022 are reported. The measurements made by the ground-based instrumentation indicated that ionospheric irregularities and scintillation originated at low latitudes and propagated, subsequently, to mid-latitudes. Imaging of the ionospheric F-region over a wide range of latitudes provided by the GOLD mission confirmed, unequivocally, that the observed irregularities and the scintillation were indeed caused by extreme equatorial plasma bubbles, that is, bubbles that reach abnormally high apex heights. The joint ground- and space-based observations show that plasma bubbles reached apex heights exceeding 2600 km and magnetic dip latitudes beyond 28°. In addition to the identification of extreme plasma bubbles as the source of the ionospheric perturbations over low-to-mid latitudes, GOLD observations also provided experimental evidence of the background ionospheric conditions leading to the abnormally high rise of the plasma bubbles and to severe L-band scintillation. These conditions are in good agreement with the theoretical hypothesis previously proposed. Graphical Abstract |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T23:06:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8c884907f2af4e99b2246eacf6d1cf27 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1880-5981 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T23:06:24Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Earth, Planets and Space |
| spelling | doaj.art-8c884907f2af4e99b2246eacf6d1cf272023-03-22T10:40:00ZengSpringerOpenEarth, Planets and Space1880-59812023-03-0175111210.1186/s40623-023-01797-5Severe L-band scintillation over low-to-mid latitudes caused by an extreme equatorial plasma bubble: joint observations from ground-based monitors and GOLDJonas Sousasantos0Josemaria Gomez Socola1Fabiano S. Rodrigues2Richard W. Eastes3Christiano G. M. Brum4Pedrina Terra5Willian B. Hanson Center for Space Sciences, University of Texas at DallasWillian B. Hanson Center for Space Sciences, University of Texas at DallasWillian B. Hanson Center for Space Sciences, University of Texas at DallasLaboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado BoulderArecibo ObservatoryArecibo ObservatoryAbstract The occurrence of plasma irregularities and ionospheric scintillation over the Caribbean region have been reported in previous studies, but a better understanding of the source and conditions leading to these events is still needed. In December 2021, three ground-based ionospheric scintillation and Total Electron Content monitors were installed at different locations over Puerto Rico to better understand the occurrence of ionospheric irregularities in the region and to quantify their impact on transionospheric signals. Here, the findings for an event that occurred on March 13–14, 2022 are reported. The measurements made by the ground-based instrumentation indicated that ionospheric irregularities and scintillation originated at low latitudes and propagated, subsequently, to mid-latitudes. Imaging of the ionospheric F-region over a wide range of latitudes provided by the GOLD mission confirmed, unequivocally, that the observed irregularities and the scintillation were indeed caused by extreme equatorial plasma bubbles, that is, bubbles that reach abnormally high apex heights. The joint ground- and space-based observations show that plasma bubbles reached apex heights exceeding 2600 km and magnetic dip latitudes beyond 28°. In addition to the identification of extreme plasma bubbles as the source of the ionospheric perturbations over low-to-mid latitudes, GOLD observations also provided experimental evidence of the background ionospheric conditions leading to the abnormally high rise of the plasma bubbles and to severe L-band scintillation. These conditions are in good agreement with the theoretical hypothesis previously proposed. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s40623-023-01797-5Extreme Plasma BubblesSevere L-band scintillationLow-to-mid latitude irregularitiesSpace weather |
| spellingShingle | Jonas Sousasantos Josemaria Gomez Socola Fabiano S. Rodrigues Richard W. Eastes Christiano G. M. Brum Pedrina Terra Severe L-band scintillation over low-to-mid latitudes caused by an extreme equatorial plasma bubble: joint observations from ground-based monitors and GOLD Earth, Planets and Space Extreme Plasma Bubbles Severe L-band scintillation Low-to-mid latitude irregularities Space weather |
| title | Severe L-band scintillation over low-to-mid latitudes caused by an extreme equatorial plasma bubble: joint observations from ground-based monitors and GOLD |
| title_full | Severe L-band scintillation over low-to-mid latitudes caused by an extreme equatorial plasma bubble: joint observations from ground-based monitors and GOLD |
| title_fullStr | Severe L-band scintillation over low-to-mid latitudes caused by an extreme equatorial plasma bubble: joint observations from ground-based monitors and GOLD |
| title_full_unstemmed | Severe L-band scintillation over low-to-mid latitudes caused by an extreme equatorial plasma bubble: joint observations from ground-based monitors and GOLD |
| title_short | Severe L-band scintillation over low-to-mid latitudes caused by an extreme equatorial plasma bubble: joint observations from ground-based monitors and GOLD |
| title_sort | severe l band scintillation over low to mid latitudes caused by an extreme equatorial plasma bubble joint observations from ground based monitors and gold |
| topic | Extreme Plasma Bubbles Severe L-band scintillation Low-to-mid latitude irregularities Space weather |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40623-023-01797-5 |
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