Analysis of the Ionospheric Irregularities and Phase Scintillation at Low and Middle Latitudes Based on Swarm Observations

Abstract

This study presents a statistical analysis of the ionospheric irregularities and topside ionospheric scintillation at low and middle latitudes by using in situ electron density and upward-looking total electron content data measured by the Swarm constellation during 2014–2021. The main purpose of this study is to determine whether the phase scintillation could present similar seasonal, longitudinal, latitudinal, local time, and solar activity features as the in situ ionospheric irregularities do at low and middle latitudes, and how the irregularities affect the phase scintillation. The results are summarized as follows: (1) At low latitudes, the occurrence rate of equatorial plasma irregularities (EPIs) at the equinoxes and December solstice peaks before midnight, but during the June solstice, the EPIs mainly occur after midnight. The occurrence rate of EPIs has a positive correlation with solar activity. The distribution of topside scintillation occurrence is relatively consistent with EPIs, but during the June solstice, the scintillation occurrence rate remains at a very low level. (2) The midlatitude irregularities mainly occur after midnight, and their occurrence rate is negatively correlated with solar activity. Midlatitude irregularities mainly occur during the solstices, concentrated over the Pacific region during the June solstice and over the Pacific American sector during the December solstice. Especially, the distribution of midlatitude irregularities has hemispheric asymmetry, with a higher occurrence rate in the winter hemisphere. However, the occurrence of midlatitude scintillation is comparable in both hemispheres during the June solstice, and it concentrates in the southern hemisphere during the December solstice. (3) The EPIs concentrate more at the altitudes of Swarm A, while the midlatitude irregularities mainly occur at the altitudes of Swarm B.