GPS radio occultation measurements on ionospheric electron density from low Earth orbit

2011 ◽  
Vol 85 (12) ◽  
pp. 941-948 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.-C. Tsai ◽  
Kai-Chien Cheng ◽  
C. H. Liu
Keyword(s):  
Electron Density ◽  
Radio Occultation ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Earth Orbit ◽  
Ionospheric Electron Density ◽  
Gps Radio Occultation

scholarly journals Topside Ionosphere and Plasmasphere Modelling Using GNSS Radio Occultation and POD Data

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1559
Author(s):  
Fabricio S. Prol ◽  
M. Mainul Hoque
Keyword(s):  
Solar Activity ◽  
Electron Density ◽  
Radio Occultation ◽  
Geomagnetic Latitude ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Topside Ionosphere ◽  
Electron Content ◽  
Total Electron ◽  
Solar Activity Level

A 3D-model approach has been developed to describe the electron density of the topside ionosphere and plasmasphere based on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) measurements onboard low Earth orbit satellites. Electron density profiles derived from ionospheric Radio Occultation (RO) data are extrapolated to the upper ionosphere and plasmasphere based on a linear Vary-Chap function and Total Electron Content (TEC) measurements. A final update is then obtained by applying tomographic algorithms to the slant TEC measurements. Since the background specification is created with RO data, the proposed approach does not require using any external ionospheric/plasmaspheric model to adapt to the most recent data distributions. We assessed the model accuracy in 2013 and 2018 using independent TEC data, in situ electron density measurements, and ionosondes. A systematic better specification was obtained in comparison to NeQuick, with improvements around 15% in terms of electron density at 800 km, 26% at the top-most region (above 10,000 km) and 26% to 55% in terms of TEC, depending on the solar activity level. Our investigation shows that the developed model follows a known variation of electron density with respect to geographic/geomagnetic latitude, altitude, solar activity level, season, and local time, revealing the approach as a practical and useful tool for describing topside ionosphere and plasmasphere using satellite-based GNSS data.

scholarly journals The impact of large scale ionospheric structure on radio occultation retrievals

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (12) ◽  
pp. 2837-2850 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Mannucci ◽  
C. O. Ao ◽  
X. Pi ◽  
B. A. Iijima
Keyword(s):  
Electron Density ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Radio Occultation ◽  
Quiet Time ◽  
Ionospheric Electron Density ◽  
Observation Strategy ◽  
Climatological Model ◽  
Ionospheric Data Assimilation ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. We study the impact of large-scale ionospheric structure on the accuracy of radio occultation (RO) retrievals. We use a climatological model of the ionosphere as well as an ionospheric data assimilation model to compare quiet and geomagnetically disturbed conditions. The presence of ionospheric electron density gradients during disturbed conditions increases the physical separation of the two GPS frequencies as the GPS signal traverses the ionosphere and atmosphere. We analyze this effect in detail using ray-tracing and a full geophysical retrieval system. During quiet conditions, our results are similar to previously published studies. The impact of a major ionospheric storm is analyzed using data from the 30 October 2003 "Halloween" superstorm period. At 40 km altitude, the refractivity bias under disturbed conditions is approximately three times larger than quiet time. These results suggest the need for ionospheric monitoring as part of an RO-based climate observation strategy. We find that even during quiet conditions, the magnitude of retrieval bias depends critically on assumed ionospheric electron density structure, which may explain variations in previously published bias estimates that use a variety of assumptions regarding large scale ionospheric structure. We quantify the impact of spacecraft orbit altitude on the magnitude of bending angle and retrieval error. Satellites in higher altitude orbits (700+ km) tend to have lower residual biases due to the tendency of the residual bending to cancel between the top and bottomside ionosphere. Another factor affecting accuracy is the commonly-used assumption that refractive index is unity at the receiver. We conclude with remarks on the implications of this study for long-term climate monitoring using RO.

Ionospheric electron density characteristics over Africa from FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC radio occultation

2020 ◽  
Vol 365 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mefe Moses ◽  
Sampad Kumar Panda ◽  
Sunil Kumar Sharma ◽  
Joseph D. Dodo ◽  
Lazarus M. Ojigi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Density ◽  
Radio Occultation ◽  
Cosmic Radio ◽  
Ionospheric Electron Density

Mutual radio occultation experiment between ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Mars Express: algorithms testing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Nava ◽  
Yenca Migoya-Orue ◽  
Anton Kashcheyev ◽  
Beatriz Sánchez-Cano ◽  
Olivier Witasse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Electron Density ◽  
Doppler Shift ◽  
Radio Occultation ◽  
Trace Gas ◽  
Neutral Atmosphere ◽  
Ionospheric Electron Density ◽  
Density Profiles ◽  
Mars Express ◽  
Electron Density Profiles

<p>Radio Occultation (RO) is a very powerful technique to probe a planetary atmosphere, in providing vertical density profiles of the neutral atmosphere and ionosphere. The standard method uses a radio link between a spacecraft and an Earth ground station. Nevertheless, the possibility to obtain information about the Martian atmosphere with mutual RO events, using data from NASA Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiters (MRO), has been demonstrated by Ao et al. (2015).<br />Taking advantage of two European spacecraft in orbit around Mars, the European Space Agency is currently preparing experiments of mutual RO between Mars Express (MEX) and the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO). In preparation of MEX and TGO data inversion and analysis, a simulation-based strategy has been adopted and an algorithm able to retrieve vertical electron density profiles from Doppler shift measurements has been implemented and validated. Subsequently, in order to test the mentioned algorithm with experimental data, the same three RO events considered in the paper by Ao et al. (2015) have been processed. In particular, for each RO event, having the information about the satellites’ orbit, the (excess) Doppler shift values corresponding to the Mars Odyssey-MRO ray-paths have been converted to bending angles as a function of impact parameter. Then, assuming a spherical symmetry (Fjeldbo et al., 1971) for the ionosphere electron density, the bending angles have been transformed (through Abel integral) to a vertical refractivity profile, which, in turn, has been converted to an ionospheric electron density profile.<br />In this work, the results obtained by the application of the mentioned inversion algorithm to experimental data will be presented, with particular focus on the retrieval of the ionospheric electron density profiles.</p> <p><strong>References</strong></p> <p>Ao, C. O., C. D. Edwards Jr., D. S. Kahan, X. Pi, S. W. Asmar, and A. J. Mannucci (2015), A first demonstration of Mars crosslink occultation measurements, Radio Sci., 50, 997–1007, doi:10.1002/2015RS005750.</p> <p>Fjeldbo, G., A. J. Kliore, and V. R. Eshleman (1971), The neutral atmosphere of Venus as studied with the Mariner V radio occultation<br />experiments, Astron. J., 76, 123–140.</p>

scholarly journals Global Climatology of Equatorial Plasma Bubbles based on GPS Radio Occultation from FormoSat-3/COSMIC

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ankur Kepkar ◽  
Christina Arras ◽  
Jens Wickert ◽  
Harald Schuh ◽  
Mahdi Alizadeh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Density ◽  
Radio Occultation ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Signal To Noise ◽  
Gps Radio Occultation ◽  
Plasma Bubbles ◽  
F Region ◽  
Equatorial Plasma Bubbles ◽  
Noise Ratio

Abstract. The emerging technique of GPS Radio Occultation has been used to detect the ionospheric irregularities prominent in the F-region known as equatorial plasma bubbles. The plasma bubbles are characterized by depreciated regions of electron density. For investigating the plasma bubbles, a nine-year (2008–2016) long time series of signal-to-noise ratio data are used from the vertical GPS radio occultation profiles. The variation in the signal-to-noise ratio of the GPS signals can be linked to vertical changes in the electron density profiles that mainly occur in line with the irregularities in the Earth's ionosphere. The analysis revealed that the F-region irregularities, associated with plasma bubbles occur mainly post sunset close to Earth's geomagnetic equator. Dependence on the solar cycle as well as distinctive seasonal variation is observed when analyzed for different years. In contrast to the other ionospheric remote sensing methods, GPS Radio Occultation technique uniquely personifies the activity of the plasma bubbles based on altitude resolution on a global scale.

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