Open AccessIonospheric Storm Scale Index Based on High Time Resolution UPC‐IonSAT Global Ionospheric Maps (IsUG)
Author(s) -
Liu Qi,
HernándezPajares Manuel,
Lyu Haixia,
Nishioka Michi,
Yang Heng,
MonteMoreno Enric,
Gulyaeva Tamara,
Béniguel Yannick,
Wilken Volker,
OlivaresPulido Germán,
OrúsPérez Raül
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
space weather
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.254
H-Index - 56
ISSN - 1542-7390
DOI - 10.1029/2021sw002853
Subject(s) - ionosphere , gnss applications , meteorology , global positioning system , geomagnetic storm , space weather , scale (ratio) , storm , environmental science , total electron content , standard deviation , geodesy , geography , computer science , geology , earth's magnetic field , tec , mathematics , cartography , geophysics , telecommunications , physics , statistics , quantum mechanics , magnetic field
The ionospheric storms have adverse effects on the radio communications, satellite communications and also the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) application. A new Ionospheric storm Scale from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) Global Ionosphere Map (GIM), IsUG, is introduced for characterizing the ionospheric state on a global scale. The IsUG is based on the Vertical Total Electron Content (VTEC) derived from the continuously computed UPC Quarter‐of‐an‐hour time resolution Rapid GIM (UQRG), taking as reference the ones during the period 1997 to 2014. It is similar to the I‐scale index previously introduced, although it was over Japan and based on raw GNSS data. The dependence of the VTEC on season, local time and geographical location at each grid point of UQRG is removed by normalizing (i.e., by substracting the mean and dividing by the corresponding standard deviation) the percentage deviation of hourly median VTEC. After validating IsUG versus I‐scale, the IsUG distribution is presented and analyzed at global scale during a severe geomagnetic storm from 7 to 10 November 2004 as an example of the potentialities of the new index. The results suggest that the IsUG global map has a great potential for the scientific study of ionospheric storms from a global perspective and also for space weather warning considering the accuracy of the recently developed real‐time GIMs.