Ionospheric scintillation observed during October 2003 storm

Rapid fluctuations in the amplitude and phase of radio waves
propagating through the ionosphere may be caused by small-scale plasma
density irregularities. Ionospheric scintillation events have been observed
on signals from GPS satellites during successive phases of October 2003
storm. Those observations have been made by means of a commercial
single frequency GPS receiver, suitably operated in order to carry out the
measurements of those fluctuations caused by small-scale electron density
irregularities. The relationship between scintillation and TEC fluctuations
is also investigated by means of dual frequency data from a close
geodetic receiver. Structures of enhanced electron density have been
observed during occurrence of scintillation and high TEC fluctuations
events. Phase scintillation is characterized by means of a recently new
proposed estimator, which provides a more robust information than classical
phase scintillation index against data detrending effects.