The Ionospheric Effects of the 2022 Hunga Tonga Volcano Eruption and the Associated Impacts on GPS Precise Point Positioning Across the Australian Region
Abstract The Hunga Tonga Volcano eruption launched a myriad of atmospheric waves that have been observed to travel around the world several times. These waves generated traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) in the ionosphere, which are known to adversely impact radio applications such as Global...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2023-05-01
|
| Series: | Space Weather |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003476 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841536482802663424 |
|---|---|
| author | B. A. Carter R. Pradipta T. Dao J. L. Currie S. Choy P. Wilkinson P. Maher R. Marshall K. Harima M. Le Huy T. Nguyen Chien T. Nguyen Ha T. J. Harris |
| author_facet | B. A. Carter R. Pradipta T. Dao J. L. Currie S. Choy P. Wilkinson P. Maher R. Marshall K. Harima M. Le Huy T. Nguyen Chien T. Nguyen Ha T. J. Harris |
| author_sort | B. A. Carter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The Hunga Tonga Volcano eruption launched a myriad of atmospheric waves that have been observed to travel around the world several times. These waves generated traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) in the ionosphere, which are known to adversely impact radio applications such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). One such GNSS application is Precise Point Positioning (PPP), which can achieve cm‐level accuracy using a single receiver, following a typical convergence time of 30 min to 1 hr. A network of ionosondes located throughout the Australian region were used in combination with GNSS receivers to explore the impacts of the Hunga Tonga Volcano eruption on the ionosphere and what subsequent impacts they had on PPP. It is shown that PPP accuracy was not significantly impacted by the arrival of the TIDs and Spread‐F, provided that PPP convergence had already been achieved. However, when the PPP algorithm was initiated from a cold start either shortly before or after the TID arrivals, the convergence times were significantly longer. GNSS stations in northeastern Australia experienced increases in convergence time of more than 5 hr. Further analysis reveals increased convergence times to be caused by a super equatorial plasma bubble (EPB), the largest observed over Australia to date. The EPB structure was found to be ∼42 TECU deep and ∼300 km across, traveling eastwards at 30 m/s. The Hunga Tonga Volcano eruption serves as an excellent example of how ionospheric variability can impact real‐world applications and the challenges associated with modeling the ionosphere to support GNSS. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-57aaf17123554705ae69cc6499ab9e93 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1542-7390 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Space Weather |
| spelling | doaj-art-57aaf17123554705ae69cc6499ab9e932025-01-14T16:26:43ZengWileySpace Weather1542-73902023-05-01215n/an/a10.1029/2023SW003476The Ionospheric Effects of the 2022 Hunga Tonga Volcano Eruption and the Associated Impacts on GPS Precise Point Positioning Across the Australian RegionB. A. Carter0R. Pradipta1T. Dao2J. L. Currie3S. Choy4P. Wilkinson5P. Maher6R. Marshall7K. Harima8M. Le Huy9T. Nguyen Chien10T. Nguyen Ha11T. J. Harris12School of Science RMIT University Melbourne VIC AustraliaInstitute for Scientific Research Boston College Boston MA USASchool of Science RMIT University Melbourne VIC AustraliaSchool of Science RMIT University Melbourne VIC AustraliaSchool of Science RMIT University Melbourne VIC AustraliaRetired, Ionospheric Prediction Service Sydney NSW AustraliaSpace Weather Services Bureau of Meteorology Sydney and Adelaide NSW and SA AustraliaSpace Weather Services Bureau of Meteorology Sydney and Adelaide NSW and SA AustraliaFrontierSI Melbourne VIC AustraliaInstitute of Geophysics Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) Hanoi VietnamInstitute of Geophysics Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) Hanoi VietnamInstitute of Geophysics Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) Hanoi VietnamSchool of Physical Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA AustraliaAbstract The Hunga Tonga Volcano eruption launched a myriad of atmospheric waves that have been observed to travel around the world several times. These waves generated traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) in the ionosphere, which are known to adversely impact radio applications such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). One such GNSS application is Precise Point Positioning (PPP), which can achieve cm‐level accuracy using a single receiver, following a typical convergence time of 30 min to 1 hr. A network of ionosondes located throughout the Australian region were used in combination with GNSS receivers to explore the impacts of the Hunga Tonga Volcano eruption on the ionosphere and what subsequent impacts they had on PPP. It is shown that PPP accuracy was not significantly impacted by the arrival of the TIDs and Spread‐F, provided that PPP convergence had already been achieved. However, when the PPP algorithm was initiated from a cold start either shortly before or after the TID arrivals, the convergence times were significantly longer. GNSS stations in northeastern Australia experienced increases in convergence time of more than 5 hr. Further analysis reveals increased convergence times to be caused by a super equatorial plasma bubble (EPB), the largest observed over Australia to date. The EPB structure was found to be ∼42 TECU deep and ∼300 km across, traveling eastwards at 30 m/s. The Hunga Tonga Volcano eruption serves as an excellent example of how ionospheric variability can impact real‐world applications and the challenges associated with modeling the ionosphere to support GNSS.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003476Hunga Tonga VolcanoionosphereGPSPrecise Point Positioningspace weather |
| spellingShingle | B. A. Carter R. Pradipta T. Dao J. L. Currie S. Choy P. Wilkinson P. Maher R. Marshall K. Harima M. Le Huy T. Nguyen Chien T. Nguyen Ha T. J. Harris The Ionospheric Effects of the 2022 Hunga Tonga Volcano Eruption and the Associated Impacts on GPS Precise Point Positioning Across the Australian Region Space Weather Hunga Tonga Volcano ionosphere GPS Precise Point Positioning space weather |
| title | The Ionospheric Effects of the 2022 Hunga Tonga Volcano Eruption and the Associated Impacts on GPS Precise Point Positioning Across the Australian Region |
| title_full | The Ionospheric Effects of the 2022 Hunga Tonga Volcano Eruption and the Associated Impacts on GPS Precise Point Positioning Across the Australian Region |
| title_fullStr | The Ionospheric Effects of the 2022 Hunga Tonga Volcano Eruption and the Associated Impacts on GPS Precise Point Positioning Across the Australian Region |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Ionospheric Effects of the 2022 Hunga Tonga Volcano Eruption and the Associated Impacts on GPS Precise Point Positioning Across the Australian Region |
| title_short | The Ionospheric Effects of the 2022 Hunga Tonga Volcano Eruption and the Associated Impacts on GPS Precise Point Positioning Across the Australian Region |
| title_sort | ionospheric effects of the 2022 hunga tonga volcano eruption and the associated impacts on gps precise point positioning across the australian region |
| topic | Hunga Tonga Volcano ionosphere GPS Precise Point Positioning space weather |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003476 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bacarter theionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT rpradipta theionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT tdao theionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT jlcurrie theionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT schoy theionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT pwilkinson theionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT pmaher theionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT rmarshall theionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT kharima theionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT mlehuy theionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT tnguyenchien theionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT tnguyenha theionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT tjharris theionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT bacarter ionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT rpradipta ionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT tdao ionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT jlcurrie ionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT schoy ionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT pwilkinson ionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT pmaher ionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT rmarshall ionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT kharima ionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT mlehuy ionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT tnguyenchien ionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT tnguyenha ionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion AT tjharris ionosphericeffectsofthe2022hungatongavolcanoeruptionandtheassociatedimpactsongpsprecisepointpositioningacrosstheaustralianregion |