Space systems. Space environment (natural and artificial). The Earth's ionosphere model: international reference ionosphere (IRI) model and extensions to the plasmasphere

2015 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Brown ◽  
Dieter Bilitza ◽  
Erdal Yiğit

Abstract. The annual anomaly is the ionospheric phenomena in which the globally-averaged electron density is greater in January than it is in July. This anomaly causes the ionospheric solsticial variation – a variation with a periodicity of one year that is in-phase with the January solstice – to be more pronounced over the Northern Hemisphere than the Southern Hemisphere. Predictions of the magnitude of annual anomaly using the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model have been shown to be unreliable so far. The objective of our study is to investigate model prediction of the magnitude of the annual ionospheric anomaly using new ionospheric indices as inputs in the IRI model. These new indices improve predictions ionospheric variations that differ over the two hemispheres. We present a retrospective analysis of the IRI predictions of the ionospheric daytime annual anomaly and solsticial variation using a model-data comparison with observations from over 40 ionosondes for high, moderate, and low solar cycle conditions. Our results show that there is an overall 33 % underestimation of the magnitude of the annual anomaly when the by the IRI. When the new ionospheric indices as used in the IRI, model predictions underestimate the magnitude of the annual anomaly by 6 %. This indicates an improvement of the model predictions when using the new indices. We show that the underestimation of the annual anomaly by IRI is related to a similar underestimation of the magnitude of the ionospheric solsticial variation over the Northern Hemisphere. Based on our results, we infer that the underlying processes of the annual anomaly must vary across each hemisphere.


2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 706-711
Author(s):  
Simona Miclaus ◽  
Paul Bechet ◽  
Mircea Stanic ◽  
Cora Iftode

Abstract Radiocommunications in the HF band depend on the ionospheric parameters of radiowaves reflexion, though the quality of a radio link depends on: the time of day; season; solar cycle; geographical position. Taking into account the ionosphere characteristics over Romania, a forecasting is made over four cities in our country in order to provide the values of the critical frequency foF2 of the F2 ionospheric layer over a 24 hours cycle. A comparative analysis of this parameter is applied by using the International Reference Ionosphere model and interpolated experimental data collected from the European Ionosonde Service. Results show that the f0F2 values are slightly underestimated in all four locations in the model versus measurements, sustaining the necessity of own measurements in order to prepare quality data links in Romania if HF band is to be used for emergency data communications.


2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-68
Author(s):  
Abidina Diabaté ◽  
Jean Louis Zerbo ◽  
Frédéric Ouattara

In this paper, we review on diurnal variations of the foF2 ionospheric parameter predicted by the IRI-2012 model, and data from Ouagadougou ionosonde station located in the crest of the Equatorial Anomaly (Lat: 12.5°N; Long: 358.5°E, dip: 1.43°) during fluctuating geomagnetic activity conditions for the solar cycles 21 and 22. Our investigations are focused on the electrodynamic aspects, the influence of the ionospheric electric currents as well as the variations of the hourly values given by model and experimental measurements. A comparative study pointed out that the IRI-2012 model, through its URSI and CCIR subroutines, gives a good prediction of the critical frequency of the F2 layer between 0700 TL and 0000 TL. In addition, IRI -2012 tries to reproduce, as best as possible, the vertical drift E × B during minimum, decreasing phase, winter, and autumn. However, there is no effect of drift during the other seasons and solar cycle phases. A last, the model does not take into account the PRE phenomenon observed in autumn and the influence of the equatorial electrojet in this ionospheric zone.ReferencesAcharya R., Roy B., Sivaraman M.R., 2010. Dasgupta A. An empirical relation of daytime equatorial total electron content with equatorial electrojet in the Indian zone. J Atmos Terr Phys, 72(10), 774–780.Acharya R., Roy B., Sivaraman M.R.; Dasgupta A., 2011. On conformity of the EEJ based Ionospheric model to the Fountain effect and resulting improvements. J Atmos Terr Phys, 73, 779-784.Adeniyi J.O., Oladipo O.A., Radicella S.M., 2005. Variability of fof2 and comparison with iri model for an equatorial station. The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, IC/2005/085, http://www.ictp.it/~pub_off.Adeniyi1 J.O., Oladjipo O.A., Radicella S.M., 2005. Variability of foF2 and comparison with IRI model for an equatorial station. The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, IC/2005/085.Bilitza D., et al., 2014. The International Reference Ionosphere 2012-a model of international collaborationI.  J. Space Weather Space Clim, 4, A07.Bilitza D., Reinisch B.W., 2008. International Reference Ionosphere 2007: Improvements and new parameters. Adv. Space Res, 42, 599–609.Farley D.T., Bonell E., Fejer B.G., Larsen M.F., 1986. The Prereversal Enhancement of the Zonal Electric Field in the Equatorial Ionosphere. J Geophys Res, 91(A12), 13,723–13,728.Faynot J.M., Villa P., 1979. F region at the magnetic equator. Ann Geophys, 35, 1–9.Fejer B.G., 1981. The equatorial ionospheric electric fields: A review. J Atmos Terr Phys, 43, 377.Fejer B.G., Farley D.T., Woodman R.F., Calderon C., 1979. Dependence of equatorial F region vertical drifts on season and solar cycle. J Geophys Res, 84, 5792.Legrand J.P., Simon P.A., 1989. Solar cycle and geomagnetic activity: A review for geophysicists. Part I. The contributions to geomagnetic activity of shock waves and of the solar wind. Ann. Geophys, 7, 565–578.Obrou K.O., 2008. Contribution à l’amélioration du modèle "International Reference Ionosphere" (IRI) pour l’ionosphère équatoriale. Thèse de doctorat Université de Cocody,  Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.Ouattara F., 2009. Contribution à l’étude des relations entre les deux composantes du champ magnétique solaire et l’Ionosphère Equatoriale. Thèse de Doctorat d’Etat ès Sciences, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Sénégal.Ouattara F., 2013. IRI-2007 foF2 Predictions at Ouagadougou Station during Quiet Time Periods from 1985 to 1995. Archives of Physics Research, 4, 12–18.Ouattara F., Amory-Mazaudier C., 2009. Solar–geomagnetic activity and Aa indices toward a Standard.  J. Atmos. Terr. Phys, 71, 1736–1748.Ouattra F., Nanéma, 2014. Quiet Time foF2 Variation at Ouagadougou Station and Comparison with TIEGCM and IRI-2012 Predictions for 1985 and 1990. Physical Science International Journal, 4(6), 892–902.Oyekola  O.S., Fagundes P.R., 2012. Equatorial F2-layer variations: Comparison between F2 peak parameters at Ouagadougou with the IRI-2007 model.  Earth, Planets Space, 64, 553–566.Rishbeth H., 1971. The F-layer dynamo. Planet, Space Sci, 19, 263.Vassal J.A., 1982. The variation of the magnetic field and its relationship with the equatorial electrojet in Senegal Oriental. Annals of Geophysics, Tome French, 38.Zerbo J.L., Amory-Mazaudier C. Ouattara F., Richardson J., 2012. Solar Wind and Geomagnetism, toward a Standard Classification 1868-2009.  Ann Geophys, 30, 421–426. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/angeo-30-421-2012.Zerbo J.L., Amory-Mazaudier C., Ouattara F., 2013. Geomagnetism during solar cycle 23: Characteristics. J. Adv. Res, 4(3), 265–274. Doi:10.1016/j.jare.2013.08.010.Zerbo J.L., Ouattara F., Zoundi C., Gyébré A., 2011. Solar cycle 23 and geomagnetic activity since 1868. Revue CAMES serie A, 12(2), 255–262.


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