Impact of Sudden Stratospheric Warming and Elevated Stratopause Events on the Very Low Frequency Radio Signal

Schneider, H.; Wendt, V.; Banyś, D.; Hansen, M.; Clilverd, M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7388-1529; Verronen, P.T.. 2025 Impact of Sudden Stratospheric Warming and Elevated Stratopause Events on the Very Low Frequency Radio Signal. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 130 (3), e2024JA033320. 26, pp. 10.1029/2024JA033320

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Official URL: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.102...

Abstract/Summary

Sudden Stratospheric Warmings (SSW) and Elevated Stratopause (ES) events are mid-to-high latitudinal, atmospheric wave-driven phenomena leading to significant changes in wind, temperatures, and vertical mass transport, especially at stratospheric and mesospheric altitudes. Presumably, SSW and ES-induced changes also cause modifications in the highly variable D-region ionization. This bottom side of the ionosphere behaves with the Earth's surface as a reflection boundary for Very Low Frequency (VLF) radio signal transmission used for long-distance communication. Since perturbations of the D-region ionization are also notable in the VLF signal, it is a valuable tool for continuous investigations of the D-region. Here, we study the impact of four SSW/ES events on the VLF signal amplitude between the high latitude transmitter-receiver link Keflavik, Iceland, to Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, to gain further knowledge about interactions between the D-region and the atmosphere during these atmospheric phenomena. For three of four SSW/ES events, a very similar VLF signal amplitude signature is observed, characterized by a significant increase during the SSW period in the signal amplitude followed by a decrease during the ES period. This study aims to reveal a possible mechanism driving these similar VLF signal amplitude variations, involving modified electron neutral collision frequencies and electron densities due to changed temperatures and minor constituent concentrations according to the SSW/ES events. However, the VLF signal amplitude for one event increased 2 weeks later than during the other three events and did not show a decrease during the ES period. Possible causes for the different VLF signal amplitude variations are discussed.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1029/2024JA033320
ISSN:	2169-9402
Additional Keywords:	sudden stratospheric warming, elevated stratopause, VLF signal amplitude, collision frequency, electron density, minor constituents
Date made live:	18 Mar 2025 10:52 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/538117

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1029/2024JA033320

ISSN:

2169-9402

Additional Keywords:

sudden stratospheric warming, elevated stratopause, VLF signal amplitude, collision frequency, electron density, minor constituents

Date made live:

18 Mar 2025 10:52 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/538117