First results of Low-latitude Ionospheric Irregularities measured by NavIC and GPS near the Anomaly Crest and the Magnetic Equator

TL;DR

This study uses simultaneous NavIC and GPS measurements to characterize low-latitude ionospheric irregularities over India, revealing irregularity scale sizes from 500 meters to 6 kilometers during different solar and geophysical conditions.

Contribution

First simultaneous measurement of ionospheric irregularity scale sizes over India using NavIC and GPS, providing detailed PSD analysis during various geomagnetic conditions.

Findings

Irregularity scale sizes range from 500 m to 6 km.

Temporal PSD varies with solar and geomagnetic activity.

Characterization of ionospheric scintillation over Indian region.

Abstract

Ionospheric irregularity studies are important aspects for understanding ionospheric physics and related processes, especially near the low-latitude regions. However, simultaneous measurements (utilizing the L-band signals of NavIC and GPS) of irregularity scale sizes over the Indian longitude sector, has not been addressed extensively. To address this problem, the paper presents simultaneous characterization of low-latitude ionospheric irregularities over a location near the northern EIA crest (Indore: 22.52$^\circ$N, 75.92$^\circ$E geographic and magnetic dip of 32.23$^\circ$N) and a location (Hyderabad: 17.41$^\circ$N, 78.55$^\circ$E geographic and magnetic dip of 21.69$^\circ$N) between the crest and the magnetic equator, utilizing the Indian navigation system, NavIC and GPS L5 signal C/N$_o$ variations to determine the range of the ionospheric irregularity scale sizes using Power Spectral Density (PSD) analysis. The study period spans from September 2017- September 2019, covering both disturbed and quiet-time conditions in the declining phase of solar cycle 24. Observations show that the irregularity scale size ranges from about 500 m to 6 km. This study for the first time, shows the nature of the temporal PSD for ionospheric scintillation during varying solar and geophysical conditions, by measuring the irregularity scale sizes utilizing simultaneous observations from NavIC and GPS from locations near the northern crest of the EIA and in between crest and the magnetic equator, ensuring proper characterization of ionosphere over the geosensitive Indian subcontinent.