Solar flares detected by the new narrowband VLF receiver at SANAE IV

Abstract

A narrowband receiver was installed at the SANAE IV base in Antarctica to monitor specific very low frequency (VLF) radio signals from transmitters around the world. VLF waves propagating through the Earth-Ionosphere Waveguide are excellent probes of the varying properties of the lower region of the ionosphere. This paper describes the set-up of the narrowband system and demonstrates its capabilities with data from a set of solar flares on 08 February and 12 February 2010.

Keywords

• ionosphere
• VLF waves
• solar flares
• remote sensing
• wave propagation