scholarly journals A New Mapping Function for Spaceborne TEC Conversion Based on the Plasmaspheric Scale Height

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 4758
Author(s):  
Mengjie Wu ◽  
Peng Guo ◽  
Wei Zhou ◽  
Junchen Xue ◽  
Xingyuan Han ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mapping Function ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Scale Height ◽  
Electron Content ◽  
Total Electron ◽  
Core Plasma ◽  
Mapping Models ◽  
Leo Satellite ◽  
Simple Parameter ◽  
Slant Total Electron Content

The mapping function is crucial for the conversion of slant total electron content (TEC) to vertical TEC for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite-based observations. Instead of collapsing the ionosphere into one single shell in commonly used mapping models, we defined a new mapping function assuming the vertical ionospheric distribution as an exponential profiler with one simple parameter: the plasmaspheric scale height in the zenith direction of LEO satellites. The scale height obtained by an empirical model introduces spatial and temporal variances into the mapping function. The performance of the new method is compared with the mapping function F&K by simulating experiments based on the global core plasma model (GCPM), and it is discussed along with the latitude, seasons, local time, as well as solar activity conditions and varying LEO orbit altitudes. The assessment indicates that the new mapping function has a comparable or better performance than the F&K mapping model, especially on the TEC conversion of low elevation angles.

scholarly journals An Enhanced Mapping Function with Ionospheric Varying Height

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Xiang ◽  
Yang Gao
Keyword(s):  
Total Electron Content ◽  
Mapping Function ◽  
Lower Latitude ◽  
Line Of Sight ◽  
Electron Content ◽  
Vertical Total Electron Content ◽  
Total Electron ◽  
Effective Height ◽  
Essential Parameter ◽  
Slant Total Electron Content

Mapping function (MF) converts the line-of-sight slant total electron content (STEC) into the vertical total electron content (VTEC), and vice versa. In an MF, an essential parameter is the ionospheric effective height. However, the inhomogeneous ionosphere makes this height vary spatially and temporally, meaning it is not a global constant. In the paper, we review several mapping functions and propose a mapping function that utilizes the ionospheric varying height (IVH). We investigate impacts of the IVH on mapping errors and on the ionospheric modeling, as well as on the satellite and receiver differential code biases (DCBs). Our analysis results indicate that the mapping errors using IVH are smaller than those from the fixed height of 450 km. The integral height achieves smaller mapping errors than using a fixed height of 450 km, an improvement of about 8% when compared with the fixed height of 450 km. And 35% smaller mapping errors were found using HmF2 at the lower latitude. Also, the effects of IVH on the satellite DCBs are about 0.1 ns, and larger impacts on the receiver DCBs at 1.0 ns.

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.

The electron content of the ionosphere in winter

1961 ◽  
Vol 263 (1313) ◽  
pp. 189-211 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Total Electron Content ◽  
Faraday Rotation ◽  
Scale Height ◽  
Electron Content ◽  
Radio Waves ◽  
Total Electron ◽  
Neutral Particles ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Wide Scatter ◽  
Magnetic Index

Observations at two closely spaced frequencies of the Faraday rotation of moon-reflected radio waves are described. These measurements have provided accurate values for the total electron content of the ionosphere for many hours on successive days. The observations reported here span a period of one month during the winter of 1960. Short-period fluctuations of the total electron content were observed. These were of about 2 to 3% in amplitude and occurred chiefly during the day-time. The gross shape of the F 2 region as determined by the ratio of the number of electrons above the F 2 peak to the number below was roughly constant during the day, but showed a wide scatter of values at night. The scale height of the ionizable constituent at the F 2 peak was found to be about the same as that of the neutral particles during the day, indicating almost complete mixing. At night, the scale height of the ionizable constituent appeared to increase with the planetary magnetic index K p . It is not possible to say if this was the result of heating of the region or the consequence of electrodynamic drifts.

scholarly journals Ionospheric Responses to the June 2015 Geomagnetic Storm from Ground and LEO GNSS Observations

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (14) ◽  
pp. 2200
Author(s):  
Chao Gao ◽  
Shuanggen Jin ◽  
Liangliang Yuan
Keyword(s):  
Geomagnetic Storm ◽  
Geomagnetic Storms ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Horizontal Gradient ◽  
Electron Content ◽  
Vertical Total Electron Content ◽  
Total Electron ◽  
Leo Satellites ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Gnss Observations

Geomagnetic storms are extreme space weather events, which have considerable impacts on the ionosphere and power transmission systems. In this paper, the ionospheric responses to the geomagnetic storm on 22 June 2015, are analyzed from ground-based and satellite-based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observations as well as observational data of digital ionosondes, and the main physical mechanisms of the ionospheric disturbances observed during the geomagnetic storm are discussed. Salient positive and negative storms are observed from vertical total electron content (VTEC) based on ground-based GNSS observations at different stages of the storm. Combining topside observations of Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) satellites (GRACE and MetOp satellites) with different orbital altitudes and corresponding ground-based observations, the ionospheric responses above and below the orbits are studied during the storm. To obtain VTEC from the slant TEC between Global Positioning System (GPS) and LEO satellites, we employ a multi-layer mapping function, which can effectively reduce the overall error caused by the single-layer geometric assumption where the horizontal gradient of the ionosphere is not considered. The results show that the topside observations of the GRACE satellite with a lower orbit can intuitively detect the impact caused by the fluctuation of the F2 peak height (hmF2). At the same time, the latitude range corresponding to the peak value of the up-looking VTEC on the event day becomes wider, which is the precursor of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA). However, no obvious response is observed in the up-looking VTEC from MetOp satellites with higher orbits, which indicates that the VTEC responses to the geomagnetic storm mainly take place below the orbit of MetOp satellites.

scholarly journals Ionospheric effects on the F region during the sunrise for the annular solar eclipse over Taiwan on 21 May 2012

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (11) ◽  
pp. 1891-1898 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. J. Chuo
Keyword(s):  
Solar Eclipse ◽  
Peak Height ◽  
Scale Height ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
Slab Thickness ◽  
Electron Content ◽  
Total Electron ◽  
F Region ◽  
Northern Pacific ◽  
Annular Solar Eclipse

Abstract. On 21 May 2012 (20:56, Universal Time; UT, on 20 May), an annular solar eclipse occurred, beginning at sunrise over southeast China and moving through Japan, sweeping across the northern Pacific Ocean, and completing its passage over the western United States at sunset on 20 May 2012 (02:49 UT, 21 May). We investigated the eclipse area in Taiwan, using an ionosonde and global positioning system (GPS) satellite measurements. The measurements of foF2, hmF2, bottomside scale height around the peak height (Hm), and slab thickness (B0) were collected at the ionosonde station at Chung-Li Observatory. In addition, we calculated the total electron content (TEC) to study the differences inside and outside the eclipse area, using 3 receivers located at Marzhu (denoted as MATZ), Hsinchu (TNML), and Henchun (HENC). The results showed that the foF2 values gradually decreased when the annularity began and reached a minimum level of approximately 2.0 MHz at 06:30 LT. The hmF2 immediately decreased and then increased during the annular eclipse period. The TEC variations also appeared to deplete in the path of the eclipse and opposite the outside passing area. Further, the rate of change of the TEC values (dTEC / dt measured for 15 min) was examined to study the wave-like fluctuations. The scale height near the F2 layer peak height (Hm) also decreased and then increased during the eclipse period. To address the effects of the annular eclipse in the topside and bottomside ionosphere, this study provides a discussion of the variations between the topside and bottomside ionospheric parameters during the eclipse period.

Satellite and ground-based magnetic field observations related to volcanic eruptions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konrad Schwingenschuh ◽  
Werner Magnes ◽  
Xuhui Shen ◽  
Jindong Wang ◽  
Bingjun Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Volcanic Eruptions ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
Propagation Path ◽  
Satellite Orbits ◽  
Electron Content ◽  
Ionospheric Disturbances ◽  
Coupling Mechanism ◽  
Field Observations ◽  
Total Electron

<p>In this study we investigate volcanic eruption phenomena related to ionospheric disturbances, e.g. Heki (2006) used total electron content (TEC) measurements for this task. In particular, a model is developed how discharge phenomena (e.g. Houghton etal, 2013) can produce magnetic field variations at SWARM and CSES satellite orbits, i.e. altitudes of ~500 km in the F-region. Several coupling mechanism between lithosphere, atmosphere, and ionosphere are discussed by Simões etal (2012).<br>Experimental evidence is based on magnetic field observations aboard CSES mission in the time frame July 2018 to January 2019. The theoretical considerations include the source mechanism, propagation path, and the signal strength at low earth orbit satellite altitude.</p><p>Ref:<br>(1) Heki, K., Explosion energy of the 2004 eruption of the Asama Volcano, central Japan, inferred from ionospheric disturbances, GRL, 33, L14303, 2006. doi:10.1029/2006GL026249<br>(2) Houghton, I. M. P., K. L. Aplin, and K. A. Nicoll, Triboelectric Charging of Volcanic Ash from the 2011 Grı́msvötn Eruption, PRL, 111, 118501, 2013. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.118501 arXiv:1304.1784<br>(3) Simões F., R. Pfaff, J.-J. Berthelier, J. Klenzing, A Review of Low Frequency Electromagnetic Wave Phenomena Related to Tropospheric-Ionospheric Coupling Mechanisms, SSR, 168:551–593, 2012. doi:10.1007/s11214-011-9854-0</p>

scholarly journals Online user-friendly slant total electron content computation from IRI-Plas: IRI-Plas-STEC

Space Weather ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hakan Tuna ◽  
Orhan Arikan ◽  
Feza Arikan ◽  
Tamara L. Gulyaeva ◽  
Umut Sezen
Keyword(s):  
Total Electron Content ◽  
Electron Content ◽  
Total Electron ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Slant Total Electron Content
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document