A study of VLF signals variations associated with the changes of ionization level in the D-region in consequence of solar conditions

TL;DR

This study analyzes seven years of VLF/LF radio signal data to understand how solar activity, especially X-ray flares, influences ionization levels in the D-region of the ionosphere, affecting radio wave propagation.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of VLF/LF signal variations over multiple years, linking them to solar conditions and ionospheric electron density changes, with new insights into short-path propagation effects.

Findings

Amplitude and phase perturbations correlate with X-ray flux intensity.

Electron density enhancements vary with solar flare classes.

Propagation characteristics are influenced by diurnal, seasonal, and solar variations.

Abstract

In this paper we confine our attention to the analysis of amplitude and phase data acquired by monitoring VLF/LF radio signals emitted by four European transmitters during a seven-year period (2008-2014). All the data were recorded at a Belgrade site (44.85$^{0}$ N, 20.38$^{0}$ E) by the Stanford University ELF/VLF receiver AWESOME. Propagation of VLF/LF radio signal takes place in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide and strongly depends on ionization level of the D-region, which means that it is mainly controlled by solar conditions. Some results of amplitude and phase variations on GQD/22.10 kHz, DHO/23.40 kHz, ICV/20.27 kHz and NSC/45.90 kHz radio signals measurements at short distances ($D < 2$ Mm) over Central Europe and their interpretation are summarized in this paper. Attention is restricted to regular diurnal, seasonal and solar variations including sunrise and sunset effects on propagation characteristics of four VLF/LF radio signals. We study VLF/LF propagation over short path as a superposition of different number of discrete modes which depends on the variations of the path parameters. Although the solar X-ray flare effects on propagation of VLF/LF radio signals are well recognized on all paths, similarities and differences between them are defined under existing conditions over the paths. Statistical results show that the size of amplitude and phase perturbations on VLF/LF radio signal is in correlation with the intensity of X-ray flux. We present the calculations of electron density enhancements in the D-region caused by different classes of solar X-ray flares during the period of ascending phase and maximum of the solar cycle 24.