The response of high latitude ionosphere to the 2015 June 22 storm

This work investigates physical mechanisms triggering phase scintillations on L-band signals under strong
stormy conditions. Thanks to selected ground-based Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) receivers,
located both in Antarctica and in the Arctic, an interhemispheric comparison between high latitude ionospheric
observations in response to the peculiar solar wind conditions occurred on June 22, 2015 is here shown. To
trace back the observed phase scintillations to the physical mechanisms driving it, we combine measurements
from GNSS receivers with in-situ and ground-based observations. Our study highlights the ionospheric
scenario in which irregularities causing scintillation form and move, leveraging on a multi-observation
approach. Such approach allows deducing that scintillations are caused by the presence of fast-moving electron
density gradients originated by particle precipitation induced by solar wind variations. In addition, we show
how the numerous and fast oscillations of the north-south component of the interplanetary magnetic field
(Bz,IMF) result to be less effective in producing moderate/intense scintillation events than during period of long
lasting negative values. Finally, we also demonstrate how the in-situ electron density data can be used to
reconstruct the evolution of the ionospheric dynamics, both locally and globally.