Effect of magnetic storms and substorms on GPS slips at high latitudes

Abstract

The dynamics of slips in navigation signal parameters of GPS from 2010 to 2014 is considered for the stations of the IGS and CHAIN networks located in the Arctic region. On the basis of almost continuous (more than 8 million hours) observations at around 200 receiving stations, we investigate the probability of “instrumental” loss of phase and pseudo-range as well as short-term variations in the high rate of change of the total electron content (TEC) in different geomagnetic conditions. Quantitative estimates for the impact of geomagnetic disturbances on the slips of these parameters are given. The slip probabilities for TEC are significantly (100–200 times) higher than those of purely instrumental slips and grow during geomagnetic storms and substorms. The growth of instrumental slips may be caused by the increased absorption that occurs during geomagnetic storms, among other reasons, and is an indicator of auroral intrusions of highenergy particles.