First Observations of Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances Using Automated Amateur Radio Receiving Networks

Nathaniel A. Frissell; Stephen R. Kaeppler; Diego F. Sanchez; Gareth W. Perry; William D. Engelke; Philip J. Erickson; Anthea J. Coster; J. Michael Ruohoniemi; Joseph B.H. Baker; Mary Lou West

doi:10.1029/2022GL097879

First Observations of Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances Using Automated Amateur Radio Receiving Networks

Nathaniel A. Frissell, Stephen R. Kaeppler, Diego F. Sanchez, Gareth W. Perry, William D. Engelke, Philip J. Erickson, Anthea J. Coster, J. Michael Ruohoniemi, Joseph B.H. Baker, Mary Lou West

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

We demonstrate a novel method for observing Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (LSTIDs) using high frequency (HF) amateur radio reporting networks, including the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN), Weak Signal Propagation Reporter Network (WSPRNet), and PSKReporter. LSTIDs are quasi-periodic variations in ionospheric densities with horizontal wavelengths >1,000 km and periods between 30 and 180 min. On Nov 3, 2017, LSTID signatures were observed simultaneously over the continental United States in amateur radio, SuperDARN HF radar, and GNSS Total Electron Content with a period of ∼2.5 hr, propagation azimuth of ∼163°, horizontal wavelength of ∼1680 km, and phase speed of ∼1,200 km hr⁻¹. SuperMAG SME index enhancements and Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar measurements suggest the LSTIDs were driven by auroral electrojet intensifications and Joule heating. This novel measurement technique has applications in future scientific studies and for assessing the impact of LSTIDs on HF communications.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	e2022GL097879
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	49
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL097879
State	Published - Mar 16 2022
Externally published	Yes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Geophysics
Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)

Keywords

GNSS TEC
LSTID
SuperDARN
Traveling ionospheric Disturbance
amateur radio
midlatitude ionosphere

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10.1029/2022GL097879

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Frissell, N. A., Kaeppler, S. R., Sanchez, D. F., Perry, G. W., Engelke, W. D., Erickson, P. J., Coster, A. J., Ruohoniemi, J. M., Baker, J. B. H., & West, M. L. (2022). First Observations of Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances Using Automated Amateur Radio Receiving Networks. Geophysical Research Letters, 49(5), Article e2022GL097879. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL097879

@article{5418147f1bf543fd865242557b010c3b,

title = "First Observations of Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances Using Automated Amateur Radio Receiving Networks",

abstract = "We demonstrate a novel method for observing Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (LSTIDs) using high frequency (HF) amateur radio reporting networks, including the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN), Weak Signal Propagation Reporter Network (WSPRNet), and PSKReporter. LSTIDs are quasi-periodic variations in ionospheric densities with horizontal wavelengths >1,000 km and periods between 30 and 180 min. On Nov 3, 2017, LSTID signatures were observed simultaneously over the continental United States in amateur radio, SuperDARN HF radar, and GNSS Total Electron Content with a period of ∼2.5 hr, propagation azimuth of ∼163°, horizontal wavelength of ∼1680 km, and phase speed of ∼1,200 km hr−1. SuperMAG SME index enhancements and Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar measurements suggest the LSTIDs were driven by auroral electrojet intensifications and Joule heating. This novel measurement technique has applications in future scientific studies and for assessing the impact of LSTIDs on HF communications.",

keywords = "GNSS TEC, LSTID, SuperDARN, Traveling ionospheric Disturbance, amateur radio, midlatitude ionosphere",

author = "Frissell, {Nathaniel A.} and Kaeppler, {Stephen R.} and Sanchez, {Diego F.} and Perry, {Gareth W.} and Engelke, {William D.} and Erickson, {Philip J.} and Coster, {Anthea J.} and Ruohoniemi, {J. Michael} and Baker, {Joseph B.H.} and West, {Mary Lou}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of United States National Science Foundation (NSF) Grants AGS‐2045755 and AGS‐2002278 and NASA Grants 80NSSC21K0002 and 80NSSC21K1772. We are especially grateful to the amateur radio community who voluntarily produced and provided the HF radio observations used in this presentation, especially the operators of the reversebeacon.net , wsprnet.org , pskreporter.info, and hamcall.net . Blackstone SuperDARN data are made available with support from NSF AGS‐1935110. This material is based upon work supported by the Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar which is a major facility funded by the NSF through cooperative agreement AGS‐1840962 to SRI International. Algorithms used to calculate the electric field and Joule heating rates were developed under NSF AGS‐1853408 and AGS‐1552269. GNSS TEC data products and access through the Madrigal distributed data system are provided to the community by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology under support from NSF grant AGS‐1952737. Individual contributors of GNSS data are listed in the Open Research section. We gratefully acknowledge the SuperMAG collaborators ( https://supermag.jhuapl.edu/info/?page=acknowledgement ) who contributed to the SuperMAG database (Gjerloev, 2012 ) and the SuperMAG SME(r) indices (Newell & Gjerloev, 2011a , 2011b ). NAF thanks Rachel Frissell, Bill Liles, Ethan Miller, and Dev Raj Joshi for helpful discussions. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022. The Authors.",

year = "2022",

month = mar,

day = "16",

doi = "10.1029/2022GL097879",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "49",

journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",

issn = "0094-8276",

publisher = "American Geophysical Union",

number = "5",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - First Observations of Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances Using Automated Amateur Radio Receiving Networks

AU - Frissell, Nathaniel A.

AU - Kaeppler, Stephen R.

AU - Sanchez, Diego F.

AU - Perry, Gareth W.

AU - Engelke, William D.

AU - Erickson, Philip J.

AU - Coster, Anthea J.

AU - Ruohoniemi, J. Michael

AU - Baker, Joseph B.H.

AU - West, Mary Lou

N1 - Funding Information: The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of United States National Science Foundation (NSF) Grants AGS‐2045755 and AGS‐2002278 and NASA Grants 80NSSC21K0002 and 80NSSC21K1772. We are especially grateful to the amateur radio community who voluntarily produced and provided the HF radio observations used in this presentation, especially the operators of the reversebeacon.net , wsprnet.org , pskreporter.info, and hamcall.net . Blackstone SuperDARN data are made available with support from NSF AGS‐1935110. This material is based upon work supported by the Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar which is a major facility funded by the NSF through cooperative agreement AGS‐1840962 to SRI International. Algorithms used to calculate the electric field and Joule heating rates were developed under NSF AGS‐1853408 and AGS‐1552269. GNSS TEC data products and access through the Madrigal distributed data system are provided to the community by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology under support from NSF grant AGS‐1952737. Individual contributors of GNSS data are listed in the Open Research section. We gratefully acknowledge the SuperMAG collaborators ( https://supermag.jhuapl.edu/info/?page=acknowledgement ) who contributed to the SuperMAG database (Gjerloev, 2012 ) and the SuperMAG SME(r) indices (Newell & Gjerloev, 2011a , 2011b ). NAF thanks Rachel Frissell, Bill Liles, Ethan Miller, and Dev Raj Joshi for helpful discussions. Publisher Copyright: © 2022. The Authors.

PY - 2022/3/16

Y1 - 2022/3/16

N2 - We demonstrate a novel method for observing Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (LSTIDs) using high frequency (HF) amateur radio reporting networks, including the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN), Weak Signal Propagation Reporter Network (WSPRNet), and PSKReporter. LSTIDs are quasi-periodic variations in ionospheric densities with horizontal wavelengths >1,000 km and periods between 30 and 180 min. On Nov 3, 2017, LSTID signatures were observed simultaneously over the continental United States in amateur radio, SuperDARN HF radar, and GNSS Total Electron Content with a period of ∼2.5 hr, propagation azimuth of ∼163°, horizontal wavelength of ∼1680 km, and phase speed of ∼1,200 km hr−1. SuperMAG SME index enhancements and Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar measurements suggest the LSTIDs were driven by auroral electrojet intensifications and Joule heating. This novel measurement technique has applications in future scientific studies and for assessing the impact of LSTIDs on HF communications.

AB - We demonstrate a novel method for observing Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (LSTIDs) using high frequency (HF) amateur radio reporting networks, including the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN), Weak Signal Propagation Reporter Network (WSPRNet), and PSKReporter. LSTIDs are quasi-periodic variations in ionospheric densities with horizontal wavelengths >1,000 km and periods between 30 and 180 min. On Nov 3, 2017, LSTID signatures were observed simultaneously over the continental United States in amateur radio, SuperDARN HF radar, and GNSS Total Electron Content with a period of ∼2.5 hr, propagation azimuth of ∼163°, horizontal wavelength of ∼1680 km, and phase speed of ∼1,200 km hr−1. SuperMAG SME index enhancements and Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar measurements suggest the LSTIDs were driven by auroral electrojet intensifications and Joule heating. This novel measurement technique has applications in future scientific studies and for assessing the impact of LSTIDs on HF communications.

KW - GNSS TEC

KW - LSTID

KW - SuperDARN

KW - Traveling ionospheric Disturbance

KW - amateur radio

KW - midlatitude ionosphere

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U2 - 10.1029/2022GL097879

DO - 10.1029/2022GL097879

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85126601453

SN - 0094-8276

VL - 49

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 5

M1 - e2022GL097879

ER -

First Observations of Large Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances Using Automated Amateur Radio Receiving Networks

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