Ionospheric Disturbances Generated by the 2015 Calbuco Eruption: Comparison of GITM‐R Simulations and GNSS Observations

Abstract Volcanic eruptions provide broad spectral forcing to the atmosphere and understanding the primary mechanisms that are relevant to explain the variety in waveform characteristics in the Ionosphere‐Thermosphere (IT) is still an important open question for the community. In this study, Global...

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Main Authors: J. Tyska, Y. Deng, S. Zhang, C. Y. Lin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-02-01
Series:Space Weather
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003502
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author J. Tyska
Y. Deng
S. Zhang
C. Y. Lin
author_facet J. Tyska
Y. Deng
S. Zhang
C. Y. Lin
author_sort J. Tyska
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Volcanic eruptions provide broad spectral forcing to the atmosphere and understanding the primary mechanisms that are relevant to explain the variety in waveform characteristics in the Ionosphere‐Thermosphere (IT) is still an important open question for the community. In this study, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Total Electron Content (TEC) data are analyzed and compared to simulations performed by the Global Ionosphere‐Thermosphere Model with Local Mesh Refinement (GITM‐R) for the first phase of the 2015 Calbuco eruption that occurred on 22 April. A simplified source representation and spectral acoustic‐gravity wave (AGW) propagation model are used to specify the perturbation at the lower boundary of GITM‐R at 100 km altitude. Two assumptions on the propagation structure, Direct Spherical (DS) and Ground Coupled (GC), are compared to the GNSS data and these modeling specifications show good agreement with different aspects of the observations for some waveform characteristics. Most notably, GITM‐R is able to reproduce the relative wave amplitude of AGWs as a function of radial distance from the vent, showing acoustic dominant forcing in the near field (<500 km) and gravity dominant forcing in the far‐field (>500 km). The estimated apparent phase speeds from GITM‐R simulations are consistent with observations with ∼10% difference from observation for both acoustic wave packets and a trailing gravity mode. The relevance of the simplifications made in the lower atmosphere to the simulated IT response is then discussed.
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spelling doaj-art-8775306aee934b93b12f1e6fb35350592025-01-14T16:30:41ZengWileySpace Weather1542-73902024-02-01222n/an/a10.1029/2023SW003502Ionospheric Disturbances Generated by the 2015 Calbuco Eruption: Comparison of GITM‐R Simulations and GNSS ObservationsJ. Tyska0Y. Deng1S. Zhang2C. Y. Lin3University of Texas at Arlington Arlington TX USAUniversity of Texas at Arlington Arlington TX USAMassachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory Westford MA USANational Central University Taoyuan TaiwanAbstract Volcanic eruptions provide broad spectral forcing to the atmosphere and understanding the primary mechanisms that are relevant to explain the variety in waveform characteristics in the Ionosphere‐Thermosphere (IT) is still an important open question for the community. In this study, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Total Electron Content (TEC) data are analyzed and compared to simulations performed by the Global Ionosphere‐Thermosphere Model with Local Mesh Refinement (GITM‐R) for the first phase of the 2015 Calbuco eruption that occurred on 22 April. A simplified source representation and spectral acoustic‐gravity wave (AGW) propagation model are used to specify the perturbation at the lower boundary of GITM‐R at 100 km altitude. Two assumptions on the propagation structure, Direct Spherical (DS) and Ground Coupled (GC), are compared to the GNSS data and these modeling specifications show good agreement with different aspects of the observations for some waveform characteristics. Most notably, GITM‐R is able to reproduce the relative wave amplitude of AGWs as a function of radial distance from the vent, showing acoustic dominant forcing in the near field (<500 km) and gravity dominant forcing in the far‐field (>500 km). The estimated apparent phase speeds from GITM‐R simulations are consistent with observations with ∼10% difference from observation for both acoustic wave packets and a trailing gravity mode. The relevance of the simplifications made in the lower atmosphere to the simulated IT response is then discussed.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003502acoustic‐gravity wavesionosphere‐thermosphere couplingnatural hazard
spellingShingle J. Tyska
Y. Deng
S. Zhang
C. Y. Lin
Ionospheric Disturbances Generated by the 2015 Calbuco Eruption: Comparison of GITM‐R Simulations and GNSS Observations
Space Weather
acoustic‐gravity waves
ionosphere‐thermosphere coupling
natural hazard
title Ionospheric Disturbances Generated by the 2015 Calbuco Eruption: Comparison of GITM‐R Simulations and GNSS Observations
title_full Ionospheric Disturbances Generated by the 2015 Calbuco Eruption: Comparison of GITM‐R Simulations and GNSS Observations
title_fullStr Ionospheric Disturbances Generated by the 2015 Calbuco Eruption: Comparison of GITM‐R Simulations and GNSS Observations
title_full_unstemmed Ionospheric Disturbances Generated by the 2015 Calbuco Eruption: Comparison of GITM‐R Simulations and GNSS Observations
title_short Ionospheric Disturbances Generated by the 2015 Calbuco Eruption: Comparison of GITM‐R Simulations and GNSS Observations
title_sort ionospheric disturbances generated by the 2015 calbuco eruption comparison of gitm r simulations and gnss observations
topic acoustic‐gravity waves
ionosphere‐thermosphere coupling
natural hazard
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003502
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AT ydeng ionosphericdisturbancesgeneratedbythe2015calbucoeruptioncomparisonofgitmrsimulationsandgnssobservations
AT szhang ionosphericdisturbancesgeneratedbythe2015calbucoeruptioncomparisonofgitmrsimulationsandgnssobservations
AT cylin ionosphericdisturbancesgeneratedbythe2015calbucoeruptioncomparisonofgitmrsimulationsandgnssobservations