Ionospheric Behaviors over Korean Peninsula During the Super Geomagnetic Storm Using GPS Measurements

Abstract

The super-geomagnetic storms called 2003 Halloween event globally occurred during the period of 29 through 31 which are the following days when the solar flares of X18 class exploded on 28 October 2003. The S4 index from GPS signal strength and the peak electron density (NmF2) from GPS tomography method are analyzed according to the date. The occurrences of the cycle slip and scintillation in the GPS signals are 1,094 and 1,387 on 28 and 29 October, respectively and these values are higher than 604 and 897 on 30 and 31 October. These mean the ionospheric disturbances are not always generated by the period of geomagnetic storm. Therefore, GPS S4 index is useful to monitor the ionospheric disturbances. Behaviors of ionospheric electron density estimated from GPS tomography method are analyzed with the date. At UT = 18 hr, the maximum NmF2 is shown on 28 October. It agrees with NmF2 variation measured from Anyang ionosonde, and the GPS signal are better condition on 30 and 31 October than 28 October. In conclusion, GPS signal condition is relation with geomagnetic activities, and depend upon the variation of the electron density. We will study the long-term data to examine the relationship between the GPS signal quality and the electron density as the further works.