Multifractal analysis of vertical total electron content (VTEC) at equatorial region and low latitude, during low solar activity

Author(s)

Bolzan, M. J. A. ^{[1, 2]} ; Tardelli, A. ^[1] ; Pillat, V. G. ^[1] ; Fagundes, P. R. ^[1] ; Rosa, R. R. ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Vale Paraiba UNIVAP, Lab Fis & Astron, IP&D, Sao Jose Dos Campos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Goias UFG, Fis Lab, Jatai, Go - Brazil

^[3] Inst Nacl Pesquisas Espaciais INPE, Lab Associado Comp & Matemat Aplicada LAC, Sao Jose Dos Campos, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Annales Geophysicae; v. 31, n. 1, p. 127-133, 2013.
• Web of Science Citations: 5

Abstract

This paper analyses the multifractal aspects of the GPS data (measured during a period of low solar activity) obtained from two Brazilian stations: Belem (01.3 degrees S, 48.3 degrees W) and Sao Jose dos Campos (SJC) (23.2 degrees S, 45.9 degrees W). The results show that the respective geographic sites show important scaling differences as well as similarities when their multifractal signatures for vertical total electron content (VTEC) are compared. The f (alpha) spectra have a narrow shape for great scales, which indicates the predominance of deterministic phenomena, such as solar rotation (27 days) over intermittent phenomena. Furthermore, the f (alpha) spectra for both sites have a strong multifractality degree at small scales. This strong multifractality degree observed at small scales (1 to 12h) at both sites is because the ionosphere over Brazil is a non-equilibrium system. The differences found were that Belem presented a stronger multifractality at small scales (1 h to 12 h) compared with SJC, particularly in 2006. The reason for this behaviour may be associated with the location of Belem, near the geomagnetic equator, where at this location the actions of X-rays, ultraviolet, and another wavelength from the Sun are more direct, strong, and constant throughout the whole year. Although the SJC site is near ionospheric equatorial anomaly (IEA) peaks, this interpretation could explain the higher values found for the intermittent parameter mu for Belem compared with SJC. Belem also showed the presence of one or two flattening regions for f (alpha) spectra at the same scales mentioned before. These differences and similarities also were interpreted in terms of the TEA content, where this phenomenon is an important source of intermittence due the presence of the VTEC peaks at +/- 20 degrees geomagnetic latitudes. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 08/05482-5 - Study of generation, evolution and dynamics of ionospheric irregularities at equatorial and low-latitude regions
• Grantee: Paulo Roberto Fagundes
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants