Skip to main content
Earth, Planets and Space
Download PDF

Statistical study of medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances observed with the GPS networks in Southern California

Earth, Planets and Space volume 59, pages 95–102 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Using global positioning system (GPS) data taken from 350 dual-frequency GPS receivers in Southern California in 2002, we investigated two-dimensional maps of total electron content (TEC) perturbations with a time resolution of 30 s and a spatial resolution of 0.15°×0.15° in longitude and latitude to reveal statistical characteristics of medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs). We found that MSTIDs can be categorized into three types. One type is daytime MSTIDs, which frequently occur in winter and equinoxes. Since most of the daytime MSTIDs propagated southeastward, we speculate that the daytime MSTIDs could be caused by atmospheric gravity waves in the thermosphere. A second type is nighttime MSTIDs, which frequently occur in summer. Nighttime MSTIDs propagate southwestward. This propagation direction is consistent with the idea that polarization electric fields could play an important role in generating nighttime MSTIDs. The third is dusk MSTIDs, which frequently occur in summer and propagate northwestward. Dusk MSTIDs could be caused by gravity waves originating from the sunset terminator because they have wavefronts almost parallel to the sunset terminator.

References

  • Afraimovich, E. L., O. N. Boitman, E. I. Zhovty, A. D. Kalikhman, and T. G. Porog, Dynamics and anisotropy of traveling ionospheric disturbances as deduced from transionospheric sounding data, Radio. Sci., 34, 477–487, 1999.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Afraimovich, E. L., N. P. Perevalova, and S. V. Voyeikov, Traveling wave packets of total electron content disturbances as deduced from global GPS network data, J. Atmos. Solar-Terr. Phys., 65, 1245–1262, 2003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Afraimovich, E. L., E. I. Astafieva, E. I. Astafieva, M. B. Gokhberg, V. M. Lapshin, V. E. Permyakova, G. M. Steblov, and S. L. Shalimov, Variations of the total electron content in the ionosphere from GPS data recorded during the Hector Mine earthquake of October 16, 1999, California. Russ. J. Earth Sci., 6, 339–354, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowman, G. G., Upper atmosphere neutral-particle density variations compared with spread-F occurrence rates at locations around the world, Ann. Geophys., 10, 676–682, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bretherton, F. P., The propagation of groups of gravity waves in a shear flow, Quant. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 92, 466–480, 1967.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calais, E., J. S. Haase, and J. B. Minster, Detection of ionospheric perturbations using a dense GPS array in Southern California, Geophys. Res. Lett., 30, 1–4, 2003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cowling, D. H., H. D. Webb, and K. C. Yeh, Group rays of internal gravity waves in a wind stratified atmosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 76, 213–220, 1971.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, J. V., J. M. Holt, and R. H. Wand, A differential-Doppler study of traveling ionospheric disturbances from Millstone Hill, Radio Sci., 18, 435–451, 1983.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fukao, S., Y. Yamamoto, W. L. Oliver, T. Takami, M. D. Yamanaka, M. Yamamoto, T. Nakamura, and T. Tsuda, Middle and upper atmosphere radar observations of ionospheric horizontal gradients produced by gravity waves, J. Geophys. Res., 98, 9443–9451, 1991.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia, F. J., M. C. Kelley, J. J. Makela, and C. S. Huang, Airglow observations of mesoscale low-velocity traveling traveling ionospheric disturbances at midlatitudes, J. Geophys. Res., 105, 18,407–18,415, 2000.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galushko, V. G., V. V. Paznukhov, Y. M. Yampolski, and J. C. Foster, Incoherent scatter radar observations of AGW/TID events generated by the moving solar terminator, Ann. Geophys., 16, 821–827, 1998.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamza, A. M., Perkins instability revisited, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 22,567–22,575, 1999.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hawarey, M., Traveling ionospheric disturbance over California mid 2000, Nonlinear Proc. Geophys., 13, 1–7, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedin, A. E., E. L. Fleming, A. H. Manson, F. J. Scmidlin, S. K. Avery, R. R. Clark, S. J. Franke, G. J. Fraser, T. Tsunda, F. Vial, and R. A. Vincent, Empirical wind model for the upper, middle, and lower atmosphere, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 58, 1421–1447, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hines, C. O., Internal atmospheric gravity waves at ionospheric heights, Can. J. Phys., 38, 1441–1481, 1960.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hines, C. O., An effect of ohmic losses in upper atmospheric gravity waves, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 30, 851–856, 1968.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hooke, W. H., Ionospheric irregularities produced by internal atmospheric gravity waves, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 30, 795–823, 1968.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hooke, W. H., The ionospheric response to internal gravity waves 1. The F region response, J. Geophys. Res., 75, 5535–5544, 1970.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunsucker, R., Atmospheric gravity waves generated in the highlatitude ionosphere: a review, Rev. Geophys. Space Phys., 20, 293–315, 1982.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson, A. R., R. C. Carlos, R. S. Massey, and G. Wu, Observations of traveling ionospheric disturbances with a satellite-beacon radio interferometer: Seasonal and local time behavior, J. Geophys. Res., 100, 1653–1665, 1995.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalikhman, A. D., Medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances and thermospheric winds inthe F-region, J. Atmos. Soler-Terr. Phys., 42, 697–703, 1980.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, M. C. and J. J. Makela, Resolution of the discrepancy between experiment and theory of midlatitude F-region structures, Geophys. Res. Lett., 28, 2589–2592, 2001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, M. C. and C. A. Miller, Electrodynamics of midlatitude spread F, 3. Electrohydrodynamic waves- A new look at the role of electric fields in thermospheric wave dynamics, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 11,539–11,547, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirchengast, G., K. Hocke, and K. Schlegel, The gravity wave-TID relationship: insight via theoretical model-EISCAT data comparison, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 58, 233–243, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kotake, N., Y. Otsuka, T. Tsugawa, T. Ogawa, and A. Saito, Climatolog-ical study of GPS total electron content variations caused by medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances, J. Geophys. Res., 111, A04306, doi:10.1029/2005JA011418, 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kubota, M., K. Shiokawa, M. K. Ejiri, Y. Otsuka, T. Ogawa, T. Sakanoi, H. Fukunishi, M. Yamamoto, S. Fukao, and A. Saito, Traveling ionospheric disturbances observed in the OI 630-nm nightglow images over Japan by using a multi-point imager network during the FRONT campaign, Geophys. Res. Lett., 24, 4037–4040, 2000.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, C. H. and K. C. Yeh, Effect of ion drag on propagation of acoustic-gravity waves in the atmospheric F region, J. Geophys. Res., 74, 2248–2255, 1969.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mannucci, A. J., B. A. Iijima, U. J. Lindqwister, X. Pi, L. Sparks, and B. D. Wilson, 25. GPS and Ionosphere, in Review of Radio Science 1996–1999, edited by W. R. Stone, 625–665, URSI, 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mendillo, M., J. Baumgardner, D. Nottingham, J. Aarons, B. Reinisch, J. Scali, and M. Kelley, Investigations of thermospheric-ionospheric dynamics with 6300-Å images from the Arecibo Observatory, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 7331–7343, 1997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mercier, C., Some characteristics of atmospheric gravity waves observed by radio-interferometry, Ann. Geophys., 14, 42–58, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, C. A., W. E. Swartz, M. C. Kelley, M. Mendillo, D. Nottingham, J. Scali, and B. Reinisch, Electrodynamics of midlatitude spread F, 1. Observations of unstable, gravity wave-induced ionospheric electric fields at tropical latitudes, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 11,521–11,532, 1997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, M. G., C. H. J. Calderon, and K. A. Ballard, Techniques for the study of TID’s with multi-station rapid-run ionosondes, Radio Sci., 13, 729–741, 1978.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliver, W. L., Y Otsuka, M. Sato, T. Takami, and S. Fukao, A climatology of F region gravity wave propagation over the middle and upper atmosphere radar, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 14,499–14,512, 1997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perkins, F., Spread F and ionospheric currents, J. Geophys. Res., 78, 218–226, 1973.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rishbeth, H., The F-layer dynamo, Planet. Space Sci., 19, 263–267, 1971.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saito, A., S. Miyazaki, and S. Fukao, High resolution mapping of TEC perturbations with the GSI GPS network over Japan, Geophys. Res. Lett., 25, 3079–3082, 1998.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shiokawa, K., C. Ihara, Y Otsuka, and T. Ogawa, Statistical study of nighttime medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances using midlatitude airglow images, J. Geophys. Res., 108, 1052, doi:10.1029/2002JA009491, 2003a.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shiokawa, K., C. Ihara, Y Otsuka, and T. Ogawa, Ground and satellite observations of nighttime medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbance at midlatitude, J. Geophys. Res., 108, 1145, doi:10.1029/2002JA009639, 2003b.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsugawa, T., A. Saito, and Y Otsuka, A statistical study of large-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances using the GPS network in Japan, J. Geophys. Res., 109, 6302, doi:10.1029/2003JA010302, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waldock, J. A. and T. B. Jones, The effects of neutral winds on the propagation of medium-scale atmospheric gravity wave at mid-latitudes, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 46, 217–231, 1984.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waldock, J. A. and T. B. Jones, HF Doppler observations of medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances observed at mid-latitudes, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 48, 245–260, 1986.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waldock, J. A. and T. B. Jones, Source regions of medium scale traveling ionospheric disturbances observed at mid-latitudes, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 49, 105–114, 1987.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory, Nagoya University, Toyokawa Aichi, 442-8507, Japan

    Nobuki Kotake, Yuichi Otsuka & Tadahiko Ogawa

  2. Atmospheric Sciences Off Route 40, MIT Haystack Observatory, Westford, MA, 01886-1299, USA

    Takuya Tsugawa

  3. Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwakechou, Sakyou-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan

    Akinori Saito

Authors
  1. Nobuki Kotake
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yuichi Otsuka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tadahiko Ogawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Takuya Tsugawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Akinori Saito
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nobuki Kotake.

Rights and permissions

Open Access  This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made.

The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder.

To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kotake, N., Otsuka, Y., Ogawa, T. et al. Statistical study of medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances observed with the GPS networks in Southern California. Earth Planet Sp 59, 95–102 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03352681

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03352681

Key words

  • MSTID
  • mid-latitude ionosphere
  • GPS
  • total electron contents