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Metadata

Willis Island Ionospheric Scintillation Monitor

SPASE version 2.2.3

Numerical Data Product: Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre Willis Island Ionospheric Scintillation Monitor

Resource ID
spase://ASWS/NumericalData/Ionospheric_Scintillation_Monitor/Wil_Ionospheric_Scintillation_Monitor
Name
Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre Willis Island Ionospheric Scintillation Monitor
Alternate name
Description

Ionospheric scintillation is a rapid fluctuation of radio-frequency signal phase and/or amplitude, generated as a signal passes through the ionosphere. Scintillation occurs when a radio frequency signal in the form of a plane wave traverses a region of small scale irregularities in electron density. The irregularities cause small-scale fluctuations in refractive index and subsequent differential diffraction (scattering) of the plane wave producing phase variations along the phase front of the signal. As the signal propagation continues after passing through the region of irregularities, phase and amplitude scintillation develops through interference of multiple scattered signals. The Ionospheric Scintillation Monitor in Willis Island was installed in 11/12/2010 and still works now.

Additional information
World Data Centre: Data Display and Download: Ionospheric Scintillation Monitor

includes browse display interface, button to get daily data file and link to data availability chart

Language
en
Documentation

includes descriptions of station logfiles, data formats and examples and hardware

Language
en
Real Time Information

Online viewer of real time Ionospheric Scintillation Monitor data, Latest Conditions, Regional Map, Recent Scintillation Events.

Language
en
Acknowledgement

Contact
Role Person
1. General contact spase://SMWG/Person/Kehe.Wang
2. Metadata contact spase://SMWG/Person/Kehe.Wang
Release date
2016-02-25 17:00:00
Repository
Name
spase://SMWG/Repository/SWS
Availability
Online
Access rights
Open
URL
https access to Ionospheric Scintillation Monitor data

https access to the station Ionospheric Scintillation Monitor data data of Willis Island.

Language
en
Format
Text
Encoding
None
Acknowledgement
Provider processing level
The Ionospheric Scintillation Monitor data are processed data and are uncalibrated.
Instrument
spase://ASWS/Instrument/Ground/Willis Island/Ionospheric_Scintillation_Monitor
Measurement type
Active waves
Temporal description
Start date
2010-12-11 00:00:00
Relative stop date
1 day ago
Note

The earliest Ionospheric Scintillation Monitor data since 11/12/2010. Digital data are current to within a day.

Observed regions
Earth.NearSurface.Ionosphere
Caveats
Keywords
GPS
ISM
Ionosphere
Ionospheric Scintillation Monitor

Parameters

Parameter #1

Name
S4 Final
Description

S4 is a dimensionless number with a theoretical upper limit of 1.0, commonly estimated over an interval of 60 seconds. There are two defined regimes of amplitude scintillation: weak and strong, which roughly correspond to the type of scattering associated with each. Strong scintillation is generally considered to occur when S4 is greater than ~0.6 and is associated with strong scattering of the signal in the ionosphere. Below this is weak scintillation. An S4 level below 0.3 is unlikely to have a significant impact on GPS.

Caveats
Cadence
1 minute
Units
S4 Final (Ionospheric Amplitude Scintillation Index)
Valid minimum
0.000000
Valid maximum
1.000000
Quantity
Electromagnetic

Parameter #2

Name
Sigma60
Description

Phase scintillation is quantified by the Prms (or Φrms) index which is defined as the standard deviation of the signal phase over a given time interval. This index is measured either in radians or degrees. A Prms greater than ~ 1° is considered to be strong scintillation. At mid-latitudes, Prms rarely exceeds 1° for more than 1% of the time.

Caveats
Cadence
1 minute
Units
Sigma60 (Ionospheric Phase Scintillation Index)
Valid minimum
0.000000
Valid maximum
1.000000
Quantity
Electromagnetic
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