scholarly journals A Review of Voxel-Based Computerized Ionospheric Tomography with GNSS Ground Receivers

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 3432
Author(s):  
Weijun Lu ◽  
Guanyi Ma ◽  
Qingtao Wan
Keyword(s):  
Electron Density ◽  
Algebraic Method ◽  
Coefficient Matrix ◽  
Satellite System ◽  
Space Physics ◽  
Event Analysis ◽  
Radio Waves ◽  
Ionospheric Tomography ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Computerized Ionospheric Tomography

Ionized by solar radiation, the ionosphere causes a phase rotation or time delay to trans-ionospheric radio waves. Reconstruction of ionospheric electron density profiles with global navigation satellite system (GNSS) observations has become an indispensable technique for various purposes ranging from space physics studies to radio applications. This paper conducts a comprehensive review on the development of voxel-based computerized ionospheric tomography (CIT) in the last 30 years. A brief introduction is given in chronological order starting from the first report of CIT with simulation to the newly proposed voxel-based algorithms for ionospheric event analysis. The statement of the tomographic geometry and voxel models are outlined with the ill-posed and ill-conditioned nature of CIT addressed. With the additional information from other instrumental observations or initial models supplemented to make the coefficient matrix less ill-conditioned, equation constructions are categorized into constraints, virtual data assimilation and multi-source observation fusion. Then, the paper classifies and assesses the voxel-based CIT algorithms of the algebraic method, statistical approach and artificial neural networks for equation solving or electron density estimation. The advantages and limitations of the algorithms are also pointed out. Moreover, the paper illustrates the representative height profiles and two-dimensional images of ionospheric electron densities from CIT. Ionospheric disturbances studied with CIT are presented. It also demonstrates how the CIT benefits ionospheric correction and ionospheric monitoring. Finally, some suggestions are provided for further research about voxel-based CIT.

Toward ionospheric tomography in Antarctica: first steps and comparison with dynasonde observations

1996 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.A.T. Heaton ◽  
G.O.L. Jones ◽  
L. Kersley
Keyword(s):  
Electron Density ◽  
Total Electron Content ◽  
Satellite System ◽  
Electron Density Profile ◽  
Electron Content ◽  
Total Electron ◽  
Ionospheric Tomography ◽  
Contour Maps ◽  
Tomographic Method ◽  
Independent Observations

Total electron content (TEC) measurements obtained at two Antarctic stations over nine months beginning early in 1994 have been analysed as a first step to performing ionospheric tomography. Two receiving systems were deployed at the Faraday and Halley research stations operated by the British Antarctic Survey to monitor signals from a random selection of passes of satellites in the Navy Navigational Satellite System. The resultant measurements of total electron content have been inverted and combined with ionosonde measurements of true height and foF2 to yield two-dimensional contour maps of ionospheric electron density. In spite of the poor geometry of the observations, some 130 satellite passes were found to be suitable for reconstruction using the techniques developed for ionospheric tomography. The contour maps of plasma density have been compared with independent observations of the vertical electron density profile measured by the dynasonde ionospheric sounder located at Halley. An example is presented of a deep trough investigated by the technique, illustrating the potential of the tomographic method for study of an extended spatial region of the ionosphere over inhospitable terrain.

scholarly journals Complementing regional ground GNSS-STEC computerized ionospheric tomography (CIT) with ionosonde data assimilation

GPS Solutions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Ssessanga ◽  
Mamoru Yamamoto ◽  
Susumu Saito ◽  
Akinori Saito ◽  
Michi Nishioka
Keyword(s):  
Data Assimilation ◽  
Region Of Interest ◽  
Satellite System ◽  
Peak Height ◽  
Ionospheric Tomography ◽  
Occultation Data ◽  
Ionospheric Imaging ◽  
Computerized Ionospheric Tomography ◽  
Log Normal ◽  
Global Navigation Satellite

AbstractA near-real-time computerized ionospheric tomography (CIT) technique was developed over the East Asian sector to specify the 3-D electron density field. The technique is based on a plethora of Global Navigation Satellite System observables within the region of interest which is bounded horizontally 110°–160°E and 10°–60°N and extending from 80 to 25,000 km in altitude. Prior to deployment, studies validated the CIT results using ionosonde, middle-upper atmosphere radar and occultation data and found the technique to adequately reconstruct the regional ionosphere vertical structure. However, with room for improvement in estimating the peak height and avoiding physically unrealistic negative densities in the final solution, we present preliminary results from a technique that addresses these issues by incorporating CIT results into a data assimilation (DA) technique. The DA technique adds ionosonde bottomside measurements into CIT results, thereby improving the accuracy of the reconstructed bottomside 3-D structure. More specifically, on average CIT NmF2 and hmF2 improve by more than 60%. Further, during analysis, ionospheric electron densities are assumed to be better described by probability log-normal distribution, which introduces the positivity constraint that is mandatory in ionospheric imaging.

scholarly journals Survey of electron density changes in the daytime ionosphere over the Arecibo observatory due to lightning and solar flares

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Caitano L. da Silva ◽  
Sophia D. Salazar ◽  
Christiano G. M. Brum ◽  
Pedrina Terra
Keyword(s):  
Electron Density ◽  
Solar Flares ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Lower Ionosphere ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Optical Observations ◽  
Radio Waves ◽  
D Region ◽  
E Region ◽  
Arecibo Observatory

AbstractOptical observations of transient luminous events and remote-sensing of the lower ionosphere with low-frequency radio waves have demonstrated that thunderstorms and lightning can have substantial impacts in the nighttime ionospheric D region. However, it remains a challenge to quantify such effects in the daytime lower ionosphere. The wealth of electron density data acquired over the years by the Arecibo Observatory incoherent scatter radar (ISR) with high vertical spatial resolution (300-m in the present study), combined with its tropical location in a region of high lightning activity, indicate a potentially transformative pathway to address this issue. Through a systematic survey, we show that daytime sudden electron density changes registered by Arecibo’s ISR during thunderstorm times are on average different than the ones happening during fair weather conditions (driven by other external factors). These changes typically correspond to electron density depletions in the D and E region. The survey also shows that these disturbances are different than the ones associated with solar flares, which tend to have longer duration and most often correspond to an increase in the local electron density content.

Strong equatorial plasma bubble associated with prominent TEC enhancement observed at mid-latitude ionosphere under the quiescent condition

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fuqing Huang ◽  
Jiuhou Lei ◽  
Chao Xiong
Keyword(s):  
Electron Density ◽  
Electron Content ◽  
Radio Waves ◽  
Plasma Bubble ◽  
Total Electron ◽  
Middle Latitudes ◽  
Multiple Observations ◽  
Equatorial Plasma Bubbles ◽  
Low Latitudes

<p>Equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) are typically ionospheric irregularities that frequently occur at the low latitudes and equatorial regions, which can significantly affect the propagation of radio waves. In this study, we reported a unique strong EPB that happened at middle latitudes over the Asian sector during the quiescent period. The multiple observations including total electron content (TEC) from Beidou geostationary satellites and GPS, ionosondes, in-situ electron density from SWARM and meteor radar are used to explore the characteristic and mechanism of the observed EPB. The unique strong EPB was associated with great nighttime TEC/electron density enhancement at the middle latitudes, which moves toward eastward. The potential physical processes of the observed EPB are also discussed.</p>

scholarly journals High-rate altimetry in SNR-based GNSS-R: Proof-of-concept of a synthetic vertical array

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauricio Kenji Yamawaki ◽  
Felipe Geremia-Nievinski ◽  
João Francisco Monico
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Satellite System ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Proof Of Concept ◽  
Radio Waves ◽  
Vertical Array ◽  
Remote Sensing Technique ◽  
Single Antenna ◽  
Global Navigation Satellite

Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry (GNSS-R) has emerged as a promising remote sensing technique for coastal sea level monitoring. The GNSS-R based on signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) observations employs a single antenna and a conventional receiver. It performs best for low elevation satellites, where direct and reflected radio waves are very similar in polarization and direction of arrival. One of the disadvantages of SNR-based GNSS-R for sea level altimetry is its low temporal resolution, which is of the order of one hour for each independent satellite pass. Here we present a proof-of-concept based on a synthetic vertical array. It exploits the mechanical movement of a single antenna at high rate (about 1 Hz). SNR observations can then be fit to a known modulation, of the order of the antenna sweeping rate. We demonstrate that centimetric altimetry precision can be achieved in a 5-minute session. [©2021 IEEE]

scholarly journals Galactic structure and turbulence, pulsar distances, and the intergalactic medium

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (S291) ◽  
pp. 211-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Cordes
Keyword(s):  
Electron Density ◽  
Intergalactic Medium ◽  
Galactic Structure ◽  
Density Model ◽  
Radio Bursts ◽  
Radio Waves ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Scattering Measurements ◽  
Galactic Model ◽  
Multi Wavelength

AbstractThis paper summarizes how multi-wavelength measurements will be aggregated to determine Galactic structure in the interstellar medium (ISM) and produce the next-generation electron density model. Fluctuations in density and magnetic field from parsec scales down to about 1000 km cause a number of propagation effects in both radio waves and cosmic rays. Density microstructure appears to include Kolmogorov-like turbulence. The next generation electron-density model, NE2012, will include about double the number of lines of sight with dispersion and scattering measurements and it will be anchored with a much larger number of pulsar parallax distances. The foreground Galactic model is crucial for inferring similar ionized structures in the intergalactic medium (IGM) from scattering measurements on high-z objects. Intergalactic scattering is discussed with reference to distant sources of radio bursts. In particular, the cosmological radio scattering horizon is defined along with its analog for the ISM.

scholarly journals EISCAT verification in the development of ionospheric tomography

1996 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 1413-1421 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. K. Walker ◽  
J. A. T. Heaton ◽  
L. Kersley ◽  
C. N. Mitchell ◽  
S. E. Pryse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Density ◽  
Tomographic Reconstruction ◽  
Tomographic Image ◽  
High Latitudes ◽  
Ionospheric Electron Density ◽  
Ionospheric Tomography ◽  
Eiscat Radar

Abstract. This paper highlights the important role played by the EISCAT radar for verification in the development of tomographic techniques to produce images of ionospheric electron density. A brief review is given of some of the stages in the application of tomographic reconstruction techniques to the ionosphere. Results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the method in imaging ionospheric structures at high latitudes. In addition, the results include the first tomographic image of the ionosphere for a region extending from mid-latitudes over mainland Scandinavia to high latitudes above Svalbard.

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