350 rub
Journal Electromagnetic Waves and Electronic Systems №8 for 2010 г.
Article in number:
Analysis of Ionospheric Parameters Based on Radio Occultation, Ionosonde Measurements, IRI and NeQuick Model Data
Keywords: ionosphere electron concentration ionospheric models radio occultation experiment
Authors:
E.S. Andreeva, V.E. Kunitsyn, M.V. Lokota
Abstract:
Verification results of FormoSat-3/COSMIC Radio Occultation data based on ionosonde measurements in different regions of the world (North Europe, Alaska and Taiwan) during the period of 2006-2008 are presented. The F2-layer critical frequencies yielded by radio occultation profiles are in fairly good agreement with those from ionosonde data for quiet geomagnetic conditions. The discrepancy in the F2-layer critical frequencies from radio occultation profiles and ionosonde data increases with ionospheric storminess enhancement. As a rule, critical frequencies from ionosonde data are higher than those from radio occultation profiles. The results of comparisons of the IRI-2001, IRI-2007, NeQuick models with the radio occultation electron density profiles of FormoSat-3/COSMIC system for different geomagnetic conditions are reported. Our analysis showed that models NeQuick, IRI-2001, IRI-2007 rather well reproduce the maximum values of electron density practically regardless of geophysical conditions. But models reproduce the electron density profiles much worse particularly in the near-equatorial ionosphere (Taiwan region). This is due to Taiwan location in the region of equatorial anomaly, that is, in the region of steep electron density gradients. Thus, radio occultation profiles of mid-latitude and subauroral weakly disturbed (Kp<4) ionosphere can be used for different geophysical and radio physical applications, and as well as an additional projection in the ionospheric radio tomography.
Pages: 44-52
References
  1. Phinney, R.A. and Anderson, D.L., The radio occultation method for studying planetary atmospheres // Joun. Geoph. Res. 1968.  V. 73. No. 5. P. 1819-1927. 
  2. Kursinski, E.R., Hajj, G.A., Bertiger. W.I., et al., Initial results of the radio occlutaion observations of Earth-s atmosphere using Global Positioning Systems // Science. 1996. V. 271. P. 1107-1110.
  3. Яковлев О.И. Космическая радиофизика. М.: Научная книга. 1998
  4. Куницын В.Е., Е.Д.Терещенко, Е.С.Андреева. Радиотомография ионосферы. М.: Физматлит. 2007.
  5. Hajj G.A. and RеmansL.J. Ionospheric electron density profiles obtained with the Global Positioning System: Results from the GPS/MET experiment // Radio Sci. 1998. V. 33. No. 1. P. 175-190.
  6. Tsai L.C., Tsai W.H.Improvement of GPS/MET Ionospheric Profiling and Validation Using the Chung-Li Ionosonde Measurements and the IRI model // Terrestrial Atmospheric and Oceanic Science. 2004. V. 15. No. 4. P. 589-607.
  7. Tsai L.C., Tsai W.H., Schreiner W.S., Berkey F.T., LiuJ.Y. Comparisons of GPS/MET retrieved ionospheric electron density and ground based ionosonde data // Earth Planets Space. 2001. V. 53. P. 193-205.
  8. Jiuhou L., Syndergaard S., Burns A.G., Stanley C.S. Comparison of COSMIC ionospheric measurements with ground based observations and model predictions: Preliminary results // J. Geophys. Res. 2007. V. 112. A07308. Doi:10.1029/2006JA012240.
  9. Garcia-Fernandez M., Hernandez-Pajares M., Juan J.M., Sanz J. Performance of the improved Abel transform to estimate electron density profiles from GPS occultation data. // GPS Solution.2005. V. 9. P. 105-110.
  10. Jakowski N., Schlegel K., Stolle1 C., Rietveld M. Comparison of high latitude electron density profiles obtained with the GPS radio occultation technique and EISCAT measurements // Annales Geophysicae. 2004. V. 22. P. 2015-2022.
  11. Radicella S. M. The NeQuick model genesis, uses and evolution // Annals of Geophysics.2009. V. 52. No. 3/4. P. 1049-1059.
  12. Bilitza D., Reinisch B.W. International Reference Ionosphere 2007: Improvements and new parameters // Advances in Space Research.2008. V. 42. P. 599-609.
  13. Hocke K. and Igarashi K. Electron density in the F region derived from GPS/MET radio occultation data and comparison with IRI model //Earth Planets Space. 2002. V. 54. P. 947-954.
  14. Coïsson P., Radicella S.M., Leitinger R., Nava B. Topside electron density in IRI and NeQuick: Features and limitations // Advances in Space Research. 2006. V. 37. P. 937-942.
  15. Jakowski N., Tsybulya K., Radicella S.M., et al. Comparison of elecron density profiles from CHAMP data with NeQuick model // in book: Earth Observation with CHAMP. Results from three years in orbit (Editors C.Reigber, H.Luhr, P.Schwintser, J.Wickert). 2005. P. 483-489.