The Polar Cap (PC) Index: PCS Version Based on Dome‐C Data

Abstract The standard polar cap (PC) indices, PCN (North) based on magnetic data from Qaanaaq in Greenland and PCS (South) based on data from Vostok in Antarctica, have been submitted from the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Danish Meteorological Institute, and the Danish Space Research Institute in different versions. In order to consolidate PCS indices based on Vostok data or replace poor or missing index data, derivation procedures have been developed to generate alternative PCS index values based on data from Dome Concordia (Dome‐C) magnetic observations from epoch 2009–2020 of solar cycle 24. The reference levels and calibration parameters needed for calculations of Dome‐C‐based PCS values in post‐event and real‐time versions are defined and explained in the present work. Assessments of the new PCS index have shown its unprecedented high relevance. Part of the methods used here, such as the quiet reference level construction and the correlation and regression procedures used for calculations of scaling parameters, deviate from corresponding features considered inadequate of the International Association for Geomagnetism and Aeronomy‐endorsed PC index derivation methods.