Spatial correlation of TEC at two midlatitude locations 11000 km apart

Abstract

Simultaneous ionospheric total electron content (TEC) data obtained from two midlatitude stations, Osan (37.2°N, 121.l°E) and Athens (37.5°N, 23.5°E) during January-December 1980 have been used to investigate the response of TEC to variations in geophysical factors at the two stations and to study the effect of longitude separation on the correlation of TEC. Day-to-day variability as given by per cent standard deviation shows, on an average, values between 20% and 25% during daytime and between 30% and 40% during nighttime. Correlation coefficients obtained for ΔTEC showed that improvement in prediction of TEC as a function of local times should be within about 20% or less.