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GPS Signal Corruption by the Discrete Aurora: Precise Measurements From the Mahali Experiment
Author(s) -
Semeter Joshua,
Mrak Sebastijan,
Hirsch Michael,
Swoboda John,
Akbari Hassan,
Starr Gregory,
Hampton Don,
Erickson Philip,
Lind Frank,
Coster Anthea,
Pankratius Victor
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2017gl073570
Subject(s) - global positioning system , substorm , geodesy , gps signals , scintillation , signal (programming language) , context (archaeology) , geology , ionosphere , lock (firearm) , amplitude , phase (matter) , remote sensing , interplanetary scintillation , physics , geophysics , assisted gps , computer science , geography , telecommunications , optics , magnetosphere , magnetic field , detector , paleontology , coronal mass ejection , archaeology , quantum mechanics , solar wind , programming language
Abstract Measurements from a dense network of GPS receivers have been used to clarify the relationship between substorm auroras and GPS signal corruption as manifested by loss of lock on the received signal. A network of nine receivers was deployed along roadways near the Poker Flat Research Range in central Alaska, with receiver spacing between 15 and 30 km. Instances of large‐amplitude phase fluctuations and signal loss of lock were registered in space and time with auroral forms associated with a sequence of westward traveling surges associated with a substorm onset over central Canada. The following conclusions were obtained: (1) The signal corruption originated in the ionospheric E region, between 100 and 150 km altitude, and (2) the GPS links suffering loss of lock were confined to a narrow band (<20 km wide) along the trailing edge of the moving auroral forms. The results are discussed in the context of mechanisms typically cited to account for GPS phase scintillation by auroral processes.