Methodology for Precisely Determining Ionosphere Travelling Disturbances Using NavIC

Abstract

The ionosphere is often disturbed by irregularity phenomenon known as Medium Scale Travelling Ionospheric Disturbances (MSTIDs) which appear as oscillating waves causing fluctuation in the ionospheric Total Electron Content (TEC). This paper provides a methodology to precisely identify MSTIDs using dual frequency NavIC measurements. A network of three stations situated geographically apart by ~ 30 km and forming a triangle was established in the northern part (at around 77° E, 28° N) of Indian region. The method is then used on the dual frequency NavIC measurements observed at the three stations to precisely determine the MSTIDs occurred during 2020. The present paper brings out for the first time the occurrence statistics of the MSTIDs derived using the NavIC measurements obtained from NavIC network in India. This paper also provides statistics for the characteristics of observed MSTIDs such as propagation direction, horizontal phase velocity, period and amplitude obtained using NavIC for the first time.