The first GPS-TEC imaging of the space structure of MS wave packets excited by the solar terminator

• Published in: Annales geophysicae (1988) Vol. 27; no. 4; pp. 1521 - 1525
• Main Authors: Afraimovich, E. L., Edemskiy, I. K., Voeykov, S. V., Yasyukevich, Yu. V., Zhivetiev, I. V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Copernicus GmbH 02.04.2009; Copernicus Publications
• Subjects: Global Positioning System; Railroad construction
• ISSN: 1432-0576; 0992-7689; 1432-0576
• DOI: 10.5194/angeo-27-1521-2009

Using TEC measurements from the dense network of GPS sites GEONET, we have obtained the first GPS-TEC image of the space structure of medium-scale traveling wave packets (MS TWP) excited by the morning solar terminator (ST). We found that ST-generated wave packets have duration of about 1–2 h and time shift of about 1.5–6 h after the morning ST appearance at an altitude of 300 km. The TWP wave front extends along the morning ST line with the angular shift of about 20°. The time period and wave-length of ST-generated wave packets are about 10–20 min and 200–300 km, respectively. The velocity of the TWP phase front traveling is of about 300 m/s. The space image of MS TWP manifests itself in pronounced anisotropy and high coherence over a long distance of about 2000 km.