Researchers at the University of Bath have discovered evidence that the Northern Lights can interfere with GPS (global positioning system) signals. They have released a study entitled “GPS Scintillation in High Arctic Associated with an Auroral Arc.” A multi-disciplinary team headed by Professor Cathryn Mitchell deployed specialized sat-nav equipment in Northern Scandinavia. Mitchell discovered the anomaly in the signal strength by setting up her computer to display the signals in movie form. Her team colleagues performed ray tracing simulations to rule out other causes such as local reflections from rocky outcroppings of nearby mountains. Other team members were able to provide coincident auroral measurements over Northern Scandinavia to support the hypothesis that aurora could be the cause of signal loss. The most compelling evidence came between the velocity of the auroral arcs seen from optical cameras and that measured from the spaced sat-nav receivers. Learn more details of this research at the University of Bathwebsite.
Northern Lights Can Interfere with Sat-Nav Signals
