scholarly journals Modification of the solar activity indices in the International Reference Ionosphere IRI and IRI-Plas models due to recent revision of sunspot number time series

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 59-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Тамара Гуляева ◽  
Tamara Gulyaeva

The International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) imports global effective ionospheric IG12 index based on ionosonde measurements of the critical frequency foF2 as a proxy of solar activity. Similarly, the global electron content (GEC), smoothed by the sliding 12-months window (GEC12), is used as a solar proxy in the ionospheric and plasmaspheric model IRI-Plas. GEC has been calculated from global ionospheric maps of total electron content (TEC) since 1998 whereas its productions for the preceding years and predictions for the future are made with the empirical model of the linear dependence of GEC on solar activity. At present there is a need to re-evaluate solar and ionospheric indices in the ionospheric models due to the recent revision of sunspot number (SSN2) time series, which has been conducted since 1st July, 2015 [Clette et al., 2014]. Implementation of SSN2 instead of the former SSN1 series with the ionospheric model could increase model prediction errors. A formula is proposed to transform the smoothed SSN212 series to the proxy of the former basic SSN112=R12 index, which is used by IRI and IRI-Plas models for long-term ionospheric predictions. Regression relationships are established between GEC12, the sunspot number R12, and the proxy solar index of 10.7 cm microwave radio flux, F10.712. Comparison of calculations by the IRI-Plas and IRI models with observations and predictions for Moscow during solar cycles 23 and 24 has shown the advantage of implementation of GEC12 index with the IRI-Plas model.

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 87-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Тамара Гуляева ◽  
Tamara Gulyaeva

The International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) imports global effective ionospheric IG12 index based on ionosonde measurements of the critical frequency foF2 as a proxy of solar activity. Similarly, the global electron content (GEC), smoothed by the sliding 12-months window (GEC12), is used as a solar proxy in the ionospheric and plasmaspheric model IRI-Plas. GEC has been calculated from global ionospheric maps of total electron content (TEC) since 1998 whereas its productions for the preceding years and predictions for the future are made with the empirical model of the linear dependence of GEC on solar activity. At present there is a need to re-evaluate solar and ionospheric indices in the ionospheric models due to the recent revision of sunspot number (SSN2) time series, which has been conducted since July 1, 2015 [Clette et al., 2014]. Implementation of SSN2 instead of the former SSN1 series with the ionospheric model could increase model prediction errors. A formula is proposed to transform the smoothed SSN212 series to the proxy of the former basic SSN112=R12 index, which is used by the IRI and IRI-Plas models for long-term ionospheric predictions. Regression relationships are established between GEC12, the sunspot number R12, and the proxy solar index of 10.7 cm microwave radio flux, F10.712. Comparison of calculations by the IRI-Plas and IRI models with observations and predictions for Moscow during solar cycles 23 and 24 has shown the advantage of implementation of GEC12 index with the IRI-Plas model.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1551
Author(s):  
Zihuai Guo ◽  
Yibin Yao ◽  
Jian Kong ◽  
Gang Chen ◽  
Chen Zhou ◽  
...  

Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) can provide dual-frequency observation data, which can be used to effectively calculate total electron content (TEC). Numerical studies have utilized GNSS-derived TEC to evaluate the accuracy of ionospheric empirical models, such as the International Reference Ionosphere model (IRI) and the NeQuick model. However, most studies have evaluated vertical TEC rather than slant TEC (STEC), which resulted in the introduction of projection error. Furthermore, since there are few GNSS observation stations available in the Antarctic region and most are concentrated in the Antarctic continent edge, it is difficult to evaluate modeling accuracy within the entire Antarctic range. Considering these problems, in this study, GNSS STEC was calculated using dual-frequency observation data from stations that almost covered the Antarctic continent. By comparison with GNSS STEC, the accuracy of IRI-2016 and NeQuick2 at different latitudes and different solar radiation was evaluated during 2016–2017. The numerical results showed the following. (1) Both IRI-2016 and NeQuick2 underestimated the STEC. Since IRI-2016 utilizes new models to represent the F2-peak height (hmF2) directly, the IRI-2016 STEC is closer to GNSS STEC than NeQuick2. This conclusion was also confirmed by the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) occultation data. (2) The differences in STEC of the two models are both normally distributed, and the NeQuick2 STEC is systematically biased as solar radiation increases. (3) The root mean square error (RMSE) of the IRI-2016 STEC is smaller than that of the NeQuick2 model, and the RMSE of the two modeling STEC increases with solar radiation intensity. Since IRI-2016 relies on new hmF2 models, it is more stable than NeQuick2.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 4559
Author(s):  
Marjolijn Adolfs ◽  
Mohammed Mainul Hoque

With the availability of fast computing machines, as well as the advancement of machine learning techniques and Big Data algorithms, the development of a more sophisticated total electron content (TEC) model featuring the Nighttime Winter Anomaly (NWA) and other effects is possible and is presented here. The NWA is visible in the Northern Hemisphere for the American sector and in the Southern Hemisphere for the Asian longitude sector under solar minimum conditions. During the NWA, the mean ionization level is found to be higher in the winter nights compared to the summer nights. The approach proposed here is a fully connected neural network (NN) model trained with Global Ionosphere Maps (GIMs) data from the last two solar cycles. The day of year, universal time, geographic longitude, geomagnetic latitude, solar zenith angle, and solar activity proxy, F10.7, were used as the input parameters for the model. The model was tested with independent TEC datasets from the years 2015 and 2020, representing high solar activity (HSA) and low solar activity (LSA) conditions. Our investigation shows that the root mean squared (RMS) deviations are in the order of 6 and 2.5 TEC units during HSA and LSA period, respectively. Additionally, NN model results were compared with another model, the Neustrelitz TEC Model (NTCM). We found that the neural network model outperformed the NTCM by approximately 1 TEC unit. More importantly, the NN model can reproduce the evolution of the NWA effect during low solar activity, whereas the NTCM model cannot reproduce such effect in the TEC variation.


1970 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 276-300
Author(s):  
Msganaw Aragaw ◽  
Abraha Gebiregiorgis ◽  
Kassa Tsegaye

Ionospheric GPS total electron content (TEC) is an important parameter to monitor for possible Space Weather impacts. The effects of solar activity on TEC at low latitude stations with geographic locations (latitude, longitude) of Addis Ababa (9.040 N, 38.770 E) and Bahir Dar (11.60 N, 37.360 E) in Ethiopia, East Africa in the year of 2015 around peak of solar cycle 24 has been carried out. The data from the two stations was used to study the diurnal, monthly and seasonal variations of TEC and its dependence with solar activity and space weather effects. These observations were investigated and further discussed with an analysis of Disturbance Storm Time (Dst) and Ap indices, solar radio flux (F10.7cm) and sunspot number during the period of 2015. During the period of low or high sunspot number, that provided GPS ionospheric TEC builds up slowly or quickly. The obtained results reveal TEC undergoes diurnal and seasonal variations, daily variation of TEC value at both stations sharply increases to its peak from 0900 -1500 UT and decreases around 1600 - 0700 UT. Seasonal variations showed that TEC maximizes during the equinoctial months and least in summer over the two stations. In all seasons the maximum value of TEC in Addis Ababa is higher. The effects of geomagnetic storms on TEC values have been found negative and positive output.  


1997 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 1015-1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Feichter ◽  
R. Leitinger

Abstract. The double-sunspot-cycle variation in terrestrial magnetic activity has been well known for about 30 years. In 1990 we examined and compared the low-solar-activity (LSA) part of two consecutive cycles and predicted from this database and from published results the existence of a double-sunspot-cycle variation in total electron content (TEC) of the ionosphere too. This is restricted to noontime when the semi-annual component is well developed. Since 1995 we have had enough data for the statistical processing for high-solar-activity (HSA) conditions of two successive solar cycles. The results confirm the LSA findings. The annual variation of TEC shows a change from an autumn maximum in cycle 21 to a spring maximum during the next solar cycle. Similar to the aa indices for geomagnetic activity the TEC data show a phase change in the 1-year component of the Fourier transform of the annual variation. Additionally we found the same behaviour in the F-layer peak electron density (Nmax) over four solar cycles. This indicates that there exists a double-sunspot-cycle variation in the F-layer ionization over Europe too. It is very likely coupled with the 22-year cycle in geomagnetic activity.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document