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Observation of total electron content, amplitude and phase scintillations in the auroral ionosphere
Author(s) -
Erukhimov L. M.,
Myasnikov E. N.,
Kosolapenko V. I.,
Cheremnyj V. A.,
Evstaf'ev O. V.
Publication year - 1994
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 - 10.1029/93rs02123
Subject(s) - scintillation , ionosphere , total electron content , earth's magnetic field , quasiperiodic function , amplitude , atmospheric sciences , physics , latitude , tec , geophysics , geology , geodesy , optics , magnetic field , condensed matter physics , quantum mechanics , detector
The connection between the spatial gradient of the equivalent vertical total electron content ( N tot ) of the ionosphere and scintillation patches are examined. It is shown that in the evening hours under quiet geomagnetic conditions, a steplike gradient of N tot with latitude develops at the northern edge of the main ionospheric trough. Later in the evening, the above structure moves southward and the latitudinal gradient of N tot becomes very pronounced and around it a scintillation patch is formed. During magnetic disturbances, the monotonic sharp gradient of N tot is destroyed. A number of maxima of total electron content which become collocated with many scintillation patches are formed. Further, under disturbed conditions, the power law index of both the amplitude and phase scintillation spectra shows a marked variation with latitude which may be quasiperiodic.