CHARACTERISTICS OF EQUATORIAL PLASMA BUBBLES DETERMINED USING TEC MAP FOR THE DURATION BETWEEN JANUARY 2015 –APRIL 2018 DURING THE DECREASING SEGMENT OF SOLAR CYCLE 24 AROUND BANGALORE (13.02◦ N, 77.57◦ E) USING IRNSS DATA

Abstract

Total Electron Content (TEC) analysis is a well-established method in navigation for studying abrupt variations in the TEC. Identification of Equatorial Plasma Bubbles (EPBs) is performed using TEC analysis and the method of TEC analysis is better when compared to other methods.TEC analysis provides information about equatorial plasma bubble studies. Daily variation, seasonal changes in the ionospheric total electron content and percentage frequentness of equatorial plasma bubble in low solar activity phase is determined using TEC analysis for the duration between January 2015 and April 2018. TEC is estimated using IRNSS data over Bangalore. The present analysis determines that the average TEC percentage of occurrence of EPBs is consistent with variations of sunspot cycle and solar flux between January 2015 and April 2018. This is observed in the low solar activity period and agrees with TEC dynamics.