An Analysis of Ionospheric Conditions during Intense Geomagnetic Storms (Dst ≤ −100 nt) in the Period 2011–2018

Abstract

The layer of the Earth’s atmosphere known as the ionosphere presents a significant obstacle to global satellite navigation systems (GNSS) due to its ability to introduce errors. To address this challenge, various navigation systems have introduced new signals designed to minimize the errors caused by the ionosphere. These signals not only aid in error reduction but also facilitate the examination of electron content behavior. This study focuses on the analysis of vTEC plots obtained from RINEX data collected at the INEG station in Aguascalientes, Mexico, from 2011 to 2018, with a particular emphasis on highly intense geomagnetic storms characterized by values below −100 nT. Our analysis of these plots employed the Probability Density Function (PDF), which allows for the graphical representation of data distribution. This distribution is then examined in conjunction with the station’s Total Electron Content (TEC) values and the Dst index during the corresponding geomagnetic storm events. The findings establish the correlation between each of these parameters during such events.

Keywords

• GNSS
• ionosphere
• TEC
• PDF