Spatiotemporal distributions of the electron density in the ionosphere by records of the total electron content and phase of VLF radio signals

Abstract

Features of the structure and dynamics of the ionospheric plasma are studied in a comparison the ionospheric total electron content measurements with the phase and amplitude measurements of VLF–LF radio signals on global and regional paths. The ionospheric structure over Europe is reconstructed. The spatiotemporal dynamics of moving ionospheric disturbances under conditions of a powerful geomagnetic storm of March 17, 2015, is examined based on the reconstruction results. Analysis of the phase variation of VLF radio signals, together with the TEC measurement data, is not only an additional tool in the study of the dynamics of ionospheric disturbances; it also makes it possible to estimate electron density disturbances in different ionospheric layers.