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Strong Sporadic E Occurrence Detected by Ground‐Based GNSS
Author(s) -
Sun Wenjie,
Ning Baiqi,
Yue Xinan,
Li Guozhu,
Hu Lianhuan,
Chang Shoumin,
Lan Jiaping,
Zhu Zhengping,
Zhao Biqiang,
Lin Jian
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9402
pISSN - 2169-9380
DOI - 10.1002/2017ja025133
Subject(s) - gnss applications , tec , ionosphere , sporadic e propagation , satellite system , remote sensing , geology , middle latitudes , satellite , latitude , geodesy , geography , environmental science , physics , geophysics , atmospheric sciences , astronomy
The ionospheric sporadic E ( E s ) layer has significant impact on radio wave propagation. The traditional techniques employed for E s layer observation, for example, ionosondes, are not dense enough to resolve the morphology and dynamics of E s layer in spatial distribution. The ground‐based Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) technique is expected to shed light on the understanding of regional strong E s occurrence, owing to the facts that the critical frequency ( f o E s ) of strong E s structure is usually high enough to cause pulse‐like disturbances in GNSS total electron content (TEC), and a large number of GNSS receivers have been deployed all over the world. Based on the Chinese ground‐based GNSS networks, including the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China and the Beidou Ionospheric Observation Network, a large‐scale strong E s event was observed in the middle latitude of China. The strong E s shown as a band‐like structure in the southwest‐northeast direction extended more than 1,000 km. By making a comparative analysis of E s occurrences identified from the simultaneous observations by ionosondes and GNSS TEC receivers over China middle latitude statistically, we found that GNSS TEC can be well employed to observe strong E s occurrence with a threshold value of f o E s , 14 MHz.