Using low-cost scintillation monitor (ScintPi) measurements to evaluate the elongation of equatorial L-Band scintillation patterns

Ionospheric scintillation is an important component of space weather and can described as rapid fluctuations in the phase and/or amplitude of trans-ionospheric radio signals. Ionospheric scintillation can affect the performance of systems relying on trans-ionospheric signals such as global navigation satellite systems (GNSS). Scintillation can also be used to remote sense the ionosphere and to carry out fundamental experimental studies of ionospheric irregularities.
Recently, Gomez Socola and Rodrigues (2022) developed a low-cost GNSS-based, dual-frequency and multi-constellation monitors for studies of ionospheric scintillation and total electron content (TEC). We have been working on the development and tests of an autonomous ScintPi platform that could be used in applications where internet and electricity are not readily
available.
Between March 10 and March 20, 2023, we conducted an experimental campaign at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory in Peru. The campaign collected measurements made by temporary autonomous ScintPi 3.0 platforms spaced in the magnetic meridional and zonal directions. The monitors were spaced at distances of 0.9 km and 5.5 km in the magnetic North-South direction, with an additional monitor spaced 150 m in the magnetic zonal direction. The measurements made by the receivers targeted an investigation of the elongation, with respect to the geomagnetic field, of low-latitude L-Band scintillation patterns. The previous study (Kintner et al., 2004) that motivated this experiment measured the elongation using a magnetic North-South baseline of only ~1 km. This experiment examines the ability of ScintPi to identify elongation along baselines of similar length and longer. In this poster, we will describe the experiment, measurements, and present and discuss main
results.
We would like to thank the staff of the Jicamarca Radio Observatory for technical support.