PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Saito, Susumu
AU  - Hosokawa, Keisuke
AU  - Sakai, Jun
AU  - Tomizawa, Ichiro
TI  - Study of structures of the sporadic E layer by using dense GNSS network observations
AID  - 10.1002/navi.454
DP  - 2021 Dec 21
TA  - NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation
PG  - 751--758
VI  - 68
IP  - 4
4099  - https://navi.ion.org/content/68/4/751.short
4100  - https://navi.ion.org/content/68/4/751.full
SO  - NAVIGATION2021 Dec 21; 68
AB  - The sporadic E (Es) layer has been known to introduce long-range propagation of aeronautical very high frequency (VHF) navigation beyond the radio horizon and cause potential interference on the navigation system. This study utilizes a rate of total electron content (TEC) index (ROTI) map with dense Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observations for effective Es layer detection. The daytime Es layer shows a well-defined frontal structure when ROTI values are mapped at the typical Es layer height (100 km). A methodology of detecting and characterizing the Es layer frontal structure without manual operation is developed by utilizing the Hough transform. The front direction and drift velocity are successfully derived. Sub-structures in the Es layer front are revealed by analysis using the characteristics of the frontal structure and TEC variation. The developed method is suitable for an automated real-time Es-layer monitoring system in a wide area.