Monitoring of ionospheric parameters (such as Total Electron Content and scintillation) is of great importance as it
affects and contributes to the errors encountered by radio signals. It thus requires constant measurements to avoid
disastrous situation for space agencies, parastatals and departments that employ GNSS applications in their daily
operations. The research objective is to have a better understanding of the behaviour of ionospheric scintillation at midlatitude
as it threatens the performances of satellite communication, navigation systems and military operations. This
paper adopts seasonal ionospheric scintillation scenario. The mid-latitude investigation of ionospheric effect of
scintillation was conducted during the increasing solar activity from 2011-2015.
Ionospheric scintillation data were obtained from four ionospheric monitoring stations located at mid-latitude (i.e
Shenzhen North Station, Beijing Changping North Station Branch, Beijing North Station and Beijing Miyun ground
Station). The data was collected from January 2011 to December 2015. There were absence of data due to software
problem or system failure at some locations. The scintillation phenomenon was computed using Global Ionospheric
Scintillation and TEC Monitoring Model. There are four seasons which existed in China namely: Spring, Summer,
Autumn and Winter. The relationship between TEC, amplitude and phase scintillation were observed for each of these
seasons.
The results indicated that the weak amplitude scintillation was observed as against phase scintillation which was high.
Phase scintillation was gradually enhanced from 2011 to 2012 and later declined till 2014. TEC was also at peak around
00:00-10:00 UT (08:00-18:00 LT). The seasonal events temporal density characteristics comply with solar cycle
prediction as such it ascended from 2011 to 2013 and then scintillation parameters declined significantly afterwards.
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