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GPS Scintillations and TEC Variations in Association With a Polar Cap Arc
Author(s) -
Wang Yong,
Cao Zheng,
Xing ZanYang,
Zhang QingHe,
Jayachandran P. T.,
Oksavik K.,
Balan Nanan,
Shiokawa K.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9402
pISSN - 2169-9380
DOI - 10.1029/2020ja028968
Subject(s) - tec , geology , ionosonde , geodesy , global positioning system , ionosphere , polar , geophysics , total electron content , interplanetary magnetic field , amplitude , physics , solar wind , optics , electron density , astronomy , plasma , telecommunications , computer science , quantum mechanics
A unique example of a polar cap arc producing clear amplitude and phase scintillations in GPS L‐band signals is presented using observations from an all‐sky imager and a GPS receiver and a digital ionosonde at Resolute Bay and the SuperDARN Inuvik radar. During the southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) condition, the polar cap arc moved quickly from the dusk‐side to the midnight auroral oval at a speed of ∼700 m/s, as revealed by all‐sky 557.7 and 630.0 nm images. When it intersected the raypath of GPS signals, both amplitude and phase scintillations appeared, which is very different from previous results. Moreover, the scintillations were precisely determined through power spectral analysis. We propose that the strong total electron content (TEC) enhancement (∼6 TECU) and flow shears in association with the polar cap arc under the southward IMF condition were creating the scintillations. It provides evidence for the existence of polar cap arc scintillations that may be harmful for satellite applications even through L‐band signals.