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A Method for Automatic Detection of Plasma Depletions by Using GNSS Measurements
Author(s) -
Mersha Mogese Wassaie,
Lewi Elias,
Jakowski Norbert,
Wilken Volker,
Berdermann Jens,
Kriegel Martin,
Damtie Baylie
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
radio science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1944-799X
pISSN - 0048-6604
DOI - 10.1029/2019rs006978
Subject(s) - ionosphere , gnss applications , scintillation , interplanetary scintillation , remote sensing , plasma , satellite , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , geology , geophysics , physics , solar wind , optics , astronomy , detector , coronal mass ejection , quantum mechanics
Enhanced scintillation activities observed at transionospheric radio signals are often correlated with slant total electron content (STEC) depletions in the equatorial ionosphere. In this study, the data derived from high‐rate Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers were used to analyze the observed STEC depletions, commonly associated with plasma bubbles causing radio scintillations in the equatorial ionosphere. We found that the observed STEC depletion can be described by a wedge‐shaped structure. To quantitatively describe the structure of STEC depletions, we developed an effective method to routinely characterize the depth and the width of equatorial plasma depletion in automatized data screening. The developed method has been validated by analyzing data obtained from mostly African GNSS stations in 2014 and 2015. The results confirm current knowledge regarding the seasonal occurrence of radio scintillations and related bubbles. The detection results are compared with those from other published plasma bubble detection techniques.