Statistical Studies of the Variation of Ionospheric Parameters and Their Relationship with Space Weather Events

• Grant number: 18/06158-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: August 01, 2018
• End date: April 16, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geophysics
• Principal Investigator: Mangalathayil Ali Abdu
• Grantee: Jonas de Sousa dos Santos
• Host Institution: Divisão de Ciência da Computação (IEC). Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA). Ministério da Defesa (Brasil). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 16/24970-7 - The Scintillation Prediction Observation Research Task (SPORT), AP.TEM

Abstract

The Scintillation Prediction Observation Research Task (SPORT) international collaborative mission willadvance our understanding of the nature and evolution of ionospheric structures around sunset to improvepredictions of disturbances that affect radio propagation and telecommunication signals. Structure in thecharged particle number density in the equatorial ionosphere can have a profound impact on the fidelity of HF,VHF and UHF radio signals that are used for ground-to-ground and space-to-ground communication andnavigation. The degree to which such systems can be compromised depends in large part on the spatialdistribution of the structured regions in the ionosphere and the background plasma density in which they areembedded. Plasma structures originate in the bottomside of the ionospheric layer known as the F regionwhere they may be resident most of the time during the nighttime. However, if conditions allow the structuredregions to penetrate through the bottomside F region and into and above the peak of the layer, then theplasma structures may be of sufficient magnitude to create significant perturbations in both the propagationpath of radio signals as well as changes in the signal phase and amplitude, known as scintillation. Discoveringthe conditions under which the most detrimental effects on radio wave propagation exist remains a challengeto both our observational capability and our physical understanding. The background ionospheric conditionsare conveniently described by latitudinal profiles of the plasma density at nearly constant altitude, whichdescribe the effects of ExB drifts and neutral winds, while the appearance and growth of plasma structurerequires committed observations from the ground from at least one fixed longitude. These goals will beaccomplished by a unique combination of satellite observations from a nearly circular middle inclination orbitand the extensive operation of ground based observations from South America near the magnetic equator.Our proposed mission will produce a coordinated set of measurements of the F-peak height and density aswell as the vertical plasma motions and plasma density in the local time region from 1500 to 2400 over amagnetic latitude range from +/-30°. The advent of reliable derivation of F-peak density and height fromradio occultation receivers allows these parameters, which are sensitive functions of the vertical plasmamotion, to be specified from an orbiting satellite in a large range in local time and longitude around theequator. Coupled with in-situ measurements of the plasma drifts and plasma density, it is possible to tietogether the local and regional behaviors described by these data sources using well-established physical linksas well as powerful new machine learning techniques. With SPORT we propose to undertake such a studyutilizing a simple cube-sat payload consisting of the following instruments: Langmuir/impedance probe, driftmeter, radio occultation sensor and a magnetometer. The mission will feature a strong collaboration with theNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Utah State University (USU), University of Alabama inHuntsville (UAH) and the National Institute for Space Research (INPE). The proposed instruments will behosted on an ITA U-class (6U) platform (based on ITASAT) launched from the ISS. This proposal covers the6U platform and its team, the Physics Laboratory at ITA, and a supporting role for the contributedcomponents from the American contingent of NASA USU, UAH and INPE that includes I&T, mission operations, and data collection/reduction/dissemination. Additionally, use of an extensive ground based ionospheric observational network operated by INPE at different locations in Brazil will be available.

Scientific publications

(20)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE PAULA, EURICO R.; DE OLIVEIRA, CESAR B. A.; CATON, RONALD G.; NEGRETI, PATRICIA M.; BATISTA, INEZ S.; MARTINON, ANDRE R. F.; NETO, ACACIO C.; ABDU, MANGALATHAYIL A.; MONICO, JOAO F. G.; SOUSASANTOS, JONAS; et al. Ionospheric irregularity behavior during the September 6-10, 2017 magnetic storm over Brazilian equatorial-low latitudes. EARTH PLANETS AND SPACE, v. 71, APR 11 2019. (18/06158-9, 06/04008-2)

ABDU, M. A.; KHERANI, E. A.; SOUSASANTOS, J.. Role of Bottom-Side Density Gradient in the Development of Equatorial Plasma Bubble/Spread F Irregularities: Solar Minimum and Maximum Conditions. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS, v. 125, n. 10, OCT 2020. (16/24970-7, 18/06158-9)

SILVA, A. L. A.; SOUSASANTOS, J.; MARINI-PEREIRA, L.; LOURENCO, L. F. D.; MORAES, A. O.; ABDU, M. A.. Evaluation of the dusk and early nighttime Total Electron Content modeling over the eastern Brazilian region during a solar maximum period. Advances in Space Research, v. 67, n. 5, p. 1580-1598, MAR 1 2021. (18/06158-9)

SOUSASANTOS, J.; ABDU, M. A.; DE PAULA, E. R.; MORAES, A. O.; SALLES, L. A.; AFFONSO, B. J.. Conjugated asymmetry of the onset and magnitude of GPS scintillation driven by the vertical plasma drift. GPS SOLUTIONS, v. 26, n. 3, p. 13-pg., 2022-07-01. (17/50115-0, 18/06158-9, 16/24970-7)

LEONARDO MARINI-PEREIRA; SAM PULLEN; ALISON DE OLIVEIRA MORAES; JONAS SOUSASANTOS. Ground-Based Augmentation Systems Operation in Low Latitudes - Part 1: Challenges, Mitigations, and Future Prospects. J. Aerosp. Technol. Manag., v. 13, 2021-12-08. (18/06158-9)

JONAS SOUSASANTOS; LEONARDO MARINI-PEREIRA; ALISON DE OLIVEIRA MORAES; SAM PULLEN. Ground-Based Augmentation System Operation in Low Latitudes - Part 2: Space Weather, Ionospheric Behavior and Challenges. J. Aerosp. Technol. Manag., v. 13, 2021-12-08. (16/24970-7, 18/06158-9)

SALLES, LUCAS A.; MORAES, ALISON; VANI, BRUNO; SOUSASANTOS, JONAS; AFFONSO, BRUNO J.; MONICO, JOAO F. GALERA. A deep fading assessment of the modernized L2C and L5 signals for low-latitude regions. GPS SOLUTIONS, v. 25, n. 3, JUL 2021. (18/06158-9, 17/50115-0)

PORTELLA, IGOR PONTE; MORAES, ALISON; DA SILVA PINHO, MARCELO; SOUSASANTOS, JONAS; RODRIGUES, FABIANO. Examining the Tolerance of GNSS Receiver Phase Tracking Loop Under the Effects of Severe Ionospheric Scintillation Conditions Based on Its Bandwidth. RADIO SCIENCE, v. 56, n. 6, JUN 2021. (17/50115-0, 18/06158-9)

MARINI-PEREIRA, L.; LOURENCO, L. F. D.; SOUSASANTOS, J.; MORAES, A. O.; PULLEN, S.. Regional Ionospheric Delay Mapping for Low-Latitude Environments. RADIO SCIENCE, v. 55, n. 12, DEC 2020. (17/50115-0, 18/06158-9)

MORAES, ALISON; SOUSASANTOS, JONAS; DE PAULA, EURICO RODRIGUES; POPOV PEREIRA DA CUNHA, JOSUE JURGEN; LIMA FILHO, VICENTE CARVALHO; VANI, BRUNO CESAR. Performance analysis of kappa-mu distribution for Global Positioning System (GPS) L1 frequency-related ionospheric fading channels. JOURNAL OF SPACE WEATHER AND SPACE CLIMATE, v. 9, MAY 17 2019. (18/06158-9)

AFFONSO, BRUNO JACOBINI; MORAES, ALISON; SOUSASANTOS, JONAS; MARINI-PEREIRA, LEONARDO; PULLEN, SAM. Strong Ionospheric Spatial Gradient Events Induced by Signal Propagation Paths Aligned With Equatorial Plasma Bubbles. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AEROSPACE AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS, v. 58, n. 4, p. 12-pg., 2022-08-01. (18/06158-9, 06/04008-2, 17/50115-0)

SOUSASANTOS, J.; ABDU, M. A.; MORAES, A. O.; VANI, B. C.; SILVA, R. P.; SOBRAL, J. H. A.. Long-lasting stagnant equatorial plasma bubble event and the related scintillation over the Brazilian region. Advances in Space Research, v. 68, n. 11, p. 4678-4690, DEC 1 2021. (17/50115-0, 16/24970-7, 18/06158-9)

ABDU, M. A.; KHERANI, E. A.; SOUSASANTOS, J.. Role of Bottom-Side Density Gradient in the Development of Equatorial Plasma Bubble/Spread F Irregularities: Solar Minimum and Maximum Conditions. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS, v. 125, n. 10, p. 15-pg., 2020-10-01. (16/24970-7, 18/06158-9)

DE PAULA, EURICO R.; DE OLIVEIRA, CESAR B. A.; CATON, RONALD G.; NEGRETI, PATRICIA M.; BATISTA, INEZ S.; MARTINON, ANDRE R. F.; NETO, ACACIO C.; ABDU, MANGALATHAYIL A.; MONICO, JOAO F. G.; SOUSASANTOS, JONAS; et al. Ionospheric irregularity behavior during the September 6-10, 2017 magnetic storm over Brazilian equatorial-low latitudes. EARTH PLANETS AND SPACE, v. 71, p. 15-pg., 2019-04-11. (18/06158-9, 06/04008-2)

SAVIO, S.; SOUSASANTOS, J.; PIMENTA, A. A.; YANG, G.; KHERANI, E. A.; WANG, C.; LIU, Z.. Quasiperiodic Rising Structures in the E-F Valley Region Below the Equatorial Plasma Bubble: A Numerical Study. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS, v. 124, n. 8, p. 7247-7255, AUG 2019. (18/06158-9)

SOUSASANTOS, J.; KHERANI, E. A.; SOBRAL, J. H. A.; ABDU, M. A.; MORAES, A. O.; OLIVEIRA, C. B. A.. A Numerical Study on the 3-D Approach of the Equatorial Plasma Bubble Seeded by the Prereversal Vertical Drift. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS, v. 124, n. 6, p. 4539-4555, JUN 2019. (16/24970-7, 18/06158-9)

DE OLIVEIRA, CESAR BUCHILE ABUD; ESPEJO, TEDDY MODESTO SURCO; MORAES, ALISON; COSTA, EMANOEL; SOUSASANTOS, JONAS; LOURENCO, LUIS FELIPE DIAS; ABDU, MANGALATHAYIL ALI. Analysis of Plasma Bubble Signatures in Total Electron Content Maps of the Low-Latitude Ionosphere: A Simplified Methodology. SURVEYS IN GEOPHYSICS, v. 41, n. 4, MAR 2020. (17/50115-0, 06/04008-2, 18/06158-9)

SOUSASANTOS, JONAS; ABDU, MANGALATHAYIL ALI; SANTOS, ANGELA; BATISTA, INEZ; SILVA, ANDRE; LOURES, LUIS EDUARDO. Further complexities on the pre-reversal vertical drift modeling over the Brazilian region: A comparison between long-term observations and model results. JOURNAL OF SPACE WEATHER AND SPACE CLIMATE, v. 10, JUN 9 2020. (16/24970-7, 18/06158-9, 15/25357-4)

SILVA, ANDRE; MORAES, ALISON; SOUSASANTOS, JONAS; MAXIMO, MARCOS; VANI, BRUNO; FARIA, CLODOALDO. Using Deep Learning to Map Ionospheric Total Electron Content over Brazil. REMOTE SENSING, v. 15, n. 2, p. 22-pg., 2023-01-01. (18/06158-9)

SOUSASANTOS, J.; AFFONSO, B. J.; MORAES, A.; RODRIGUES, F. S.; ABDU, M. A.; SALLES, L. A.; VANI, B. C.. Amplitude Scintillation Severity and Fading Profiles Under Alignment Between GPS Propagation Paths and Equatorial Plasma Bubbles. SPACE WEATHER-THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS, v. 20, n. 11, p. 15-pg., 2022-11-01. (16/24970-7, 17/50115-0, 18/06158-9, 06/04008-2)