Statistical characteristics of low-latitude ionospheric scintillation over China

The Global Positioning System (GPS) L-band ionospheric scintillation produced by electron density irregularities in the ionospheric E- and F-regions, is mainly a low- and high-latitude phenomenon. In this study, the statistical behavior of GPS ionospheric scintillation over a Chinese low-latitude station Sanya (18.3°N, 109.6°E; dip lat: 12.8°N) has been investigated. A detailed study on the seasonal and solar activity dependence of scintillation occurrence during July 2004-December 2012 show that the amplitude scintillation pattern, with a maximum occurrence during equinox of solar maximum, agrees with plasma bubble observations by in situ satellites in this longitude. A few daytime periodic scintillation events are found during June solstice months of solar minimum. Interestingly, a significant equinoctial asymmetry of scintillation onset time is found in 2011-2012. The initiation of scintillation during September-October is on average earlier than that of March-April about 25 min. Meanwhile, the zonal drifts of irregularities estimated using two spatially separated GPS receivers over Sanya show a similar behavior during the two equinoxes, slowly decreasing from 150 m/s at post-sunset to 50 m/s near midnight. The possible mechanisms responsible for the occurrence characteristics of GPS scintillation over Sanya, and relevant aspects of the zonal drifts of the irregularities are discussed.