Properties of high latitude irregularities with a short-baseline 2D GPS scintillation array

Variations in plasma density in the ionospheric layer can cause fluctuations in the received amplitude or phase of a trans-ionospherically propagating radio wave. Such fluctuations are termed scintillation, and can lead to loss of continuity in radio-navigation for users of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as GPS, Beidou, GLONASS, and Galileo. A scintillating signal can cause a user´s receiver to lose lock on one or more satellites at a given instant. These satellites are then temporarily unavailable for position, navigation and timing estimates, reducing accuracy. Scintillation is observed most frequently in the equatorial and auroral zones. In these regions, different physical mechanisms are responsible for the formation of ionospheric irregularities that cause scintillation.