Features of background variations in total electron content of ionosphere over the Antarctic peninsula

Abstract

Variations in the total electron content over the Antarctic Peninsula are investigated using data from a local network of permanent GNSS stations for 450 days within 2009 and 2010. Diurnal and seasonal dependences of velocities and directions of motion of ionospheric inhomogeneities are analyzed. In the daytime, inhomogeneities propagate predominantly north-eastwards for all seasons with velocities 300 to 500 m/s. While in the evening, the north-western and south-western directions are prevailing for autumn-winter and spring-summer periods, respectively. The nighttime ionospheric irregularities are characterized by a wider range of velocities and motion directions as compared with the daytime ones.