A Statistical Study of the Decreased TEC Region During Summer at Northern High Latitudes

Abstract Based on the vertical Total Electron Content (TEC) data observed by the Global Navigation Satellite System in the northern hemisphere, a large area of low plasma density during summer at high latitudes, termed decreased TEC region, was investigated statistically between 2014 and 2024. Compa...

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Main Authors: Jian‐ping Wang, Bei‐chen Zhang, Qing‐yu Zhang, Shun‐rong Zhang, Qing‐he Zhang, Guo‐jun Wang, Jian‐jun Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-04-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL114676
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author Jian‐ping Wang
Bei‐chen Zhang
Qing‐yu Zhang
Shun‐rong Zhang
Qing‐he Zhang
Guo‐jun Wang
Jian‐jun Liu
author_facet Jian‐ping Wang
Bei‐chen Zhang
Qing‐yu Zhang
Shun‐rong Zhang
Qing‐he Zhang
Guo‐jun Wang
Jian‐jun Liu
author_sort Jian‐ping Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Based on the vertical Total Electron Content (TEC) data observed by the Global Navigation Satellite System in the northern hemisphere, a large area of low plasma density during summer at high latitudes, termed decreased TEC region, was investigated statistically between 2014 and 2024. Compared with the classical depleted structures that usually occur in the nighttime F region at high latitudes during winter, decreased TEC region is usually found in the sunlit polar cap ionosphere during summer. The decreased TEC region is predominantly located in regions above 70° magnetic latitude for moderate and high solar activity. The lower‐TEC region is biased towards the dawn and midnight sectors. Along the 18:25–06:25 Magnetic Local Time meridian, the depth of the decreased TEC region reached 7.6TECu in 2014. The decreased TEC region is deeper for higher Kp (Kp > 2) than for low Kp (Kp ≤ 2).
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institution DOAJ
issn 0094-8276
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publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Wiley
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series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-66ad678a9d2a4dd6af3df8d94c3abcf82025-08-20T02:56:35ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-04-01528n/an/a10.1029/2025GL114676A Statistical Study of the Decreased TEC Region During Summer at Northern High LatitudesJian‐ping Wang0Bei‐chen Zhang1Qing‐yu Zhang2Shun‐rong Zhang3Qing‐he Zhang4Guo‐jun Wang5Jian‐jun Liu6Instistute of Physics and Optoelectronics Technology Baoji University of Arts and Sciences Baoji ChinaCenter for Space Physics and Astronomy Polar Research Institute of China Shanghai ChinaCenter for Space Physics and Astronomy Polar Research Institute of China Shanghai ChinaHaystack Observatory Massachusetts Institute of Technology Westford MA USAState Key Laboratory of Space Weather Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaState Key Laboratory of Space Weather Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaCenter for Space Physics and Astronomy Polar Research Institute of China Shanghai ChinaAbstract Based on the vertical Total Electron Content (TEC) data observed by the Global Navigation Satellite System in the northern hemisphere, a large area of low plasma density during summer at high latitudes, termed decreased TEC region, was investigated statistically between 2014 and 2024. Compared with the classical depleted structures that usually occur in the nighttime F region at high latitudes during winter, decreased TEC region is usually found in the sunlit polar cap ionosphere during summer. The decreased TEC region is predominantly located in regions above 70° magnetic latitude for moderate and high solar activity. The lower‐TEC region is biased towards the dawn and midnight sectors. Along the 18:25–06:25 Magnetic Local Time meridian, the depth of the decreased TEC region reached 7.6TECu in 2014. The decreased TEC region is deeper for higher Kp (Kp > 2) than for low Kp (Kp ≤ 2).https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL114676
spellingShingle Jian‐ping Wang
Bei‐chen Zhang
Qing‐yu Zhang
Shun‐rong Zhang
Qing‐he Zhang
Guo‐jun Wang
Jian‐jun Liu
A Statistical Study of the Decreased TEC Region During Summer at Northern High Latitudes
Geophysical Research Letters
title A Statistical Study of the Decreased TEC Region During Summer at Northern High Latitudes
title_full A Statistical Study of the Decreased TEC Region During Summer at Northern High Latitudes
title_fullStr A Statistical Study of the Decreased TEC Region During Summer at Northern High Latitudes
title_full_unstemmed A Statistical Study of the Decreased TEC Region During Summer at Northern High Latitudes
title_short A Statistical Study of the Decreased TEC Region During Summer at Northern High Latitudes
title_sort statistical study of the decreased tec region during summer at northern high latitudes
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL114676
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