Multi-station investigations of low latitude ionosphere using low orbiting and geostationary satellites

Abstract

Some new phenomena on low-latitude ionospheric total electron content (ITEC) observed at low and equatorial latitudes are reported; data acquired with the ATS-6 satellite and the S-66 satellite at stations in India are involved. Results pertain to: integrated production rates and semiannual variation with equinoctial peaks; seasonal variation of the F-region effective loss coefficient; blanketing sporadic E modes; ITEC over the Indian subcontinent, and an equatorial anomaly in ITEC; traveling ionospheric disturbances moving NE in morning hours over the subcontinent and reversing direction in the afternoon; and scintillations. Conclusive evidence for the effectiveness of blanketing sporadic E modes in producing satellite signal scintillations is claimed.