An empirical model of L-band scintillation S4 index constructed by using FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC data. Issue 5 (1st September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Shih-Ping; Bilitza, Dieter; Liu, Jann-Yenq; Caton, Ronald; Chang, Loren C.; Yeh, Wen-Hao
• Is Part Of: Advances in space research. Volume 60:Issue 5(2017)
• Page Start: 1015
• Page End: 1028
• Publication Date: 2017-09-01
• Subjects: S4 scintillation -- FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC -- Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS); Space sciences -- Periodicals; Astronautics -- Periodicals; Geophysics -- Periodicals; 500.505
• DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2017.05.031
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0273-1177

Abstract

Abstract: Modern society relies heavily on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology for applications such as satellite communication, navigation, and positioning on the ground and/or aviation in the troposphere/stratosphere. However, ionospheric scintillations can severely impact GNSS systems and their related applications. In this study, a global empirical ionospheric scintillation model is constructed with S4-index data obtained by the FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC (F3/C) satellites during 2007–2014 (hereafter referred to as the F3CGS4 model). This model describes the S4-index as a function of local time, day of year, dip-latitude, and solar activity using the index PF10.7. The model reproduces the F3/C S4-index observations well, and yields good agreement with ground-based reception of satellite signals. This confirms that the constructed model can be used to forecast global L-band scintillations on the ground and in the near surface atmosphere.