2009年1月平流层爆发性增温期间全球电离层响应的研究

2009年1月平流层爆发性增温(Stratospheric Sudden Warming, SSW)事件是有记录以来最强、持续时间最长的一次主增温事件(Major Warming Event, MWE), 期间太阳活动和地磁活动均处于较低的水平, 因此非常有利于研究电离层对平流层增温事件的响应情况. 本文利用COSMIC (Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate)系统提供的掩星数据, 使用Kriging方法分别构建了此次SSW期间及平静期的电离层N_mF₂, h_mF₂和110～750km高度范围的垂直积分TEC (简称VTEC)地图, 同时从全球定位导航卫星系统服务组织(International GNSS Service, IGS)发布的全球电离层TEC地图(Global Ionospheric Maps, GIMs)中提取了日固坐标系(Sun-fixed, 地磁纬度和地方时)下全球TEC地图. 通过对比发现, SSW期间与平静期相比, 地磁纬度中低纬电离层参数存在早晨上升, 下午和夜间下降的现象. 利用OSTM/JASON-2卫星高度计观测值进行验证后的结果显示, 此前研究均未有提及的夜间时段电离层参数N_mF₂, h_mF₂和TEC (VTEC和IGS TEC)的下降现象的确存在.      

利用RDSS系统测量数据提取电离层TEC参数的研究

提出了一种基于无线测定卫星业务(RDSS)系统观测数据提取电离层TEC参数的方法,利用此方法计算分析了2006年5月地面中心地区电离层垂向TEC的日变化趋势.研究结果表明,利用RDSS系统观测数据提取的电离层垂向TEC,在北京时间每日凌晨0400时左右达到最小值,在午后1400时左右达到最大值,符合电离层TEC参数受太阳活动影响较大的物理规律.结果说明研究方法是可行且有效的,文章还对可能存在的误差进行了探讨.      

国际参考电离层模型输出参数峰值高度性能

电离层峰值高度H_mF₂是描述电离层形态的重要参数之一,国际参考电离层模型IRI-2016中融入了大量电离层测高仪和无线电掩星探测数据,用以提升H_mF₂的预测精度.本文利用太阳活动低年（2007—2010年）气象、电离层和气候卫星联合观测系统COSMIC探测数据描述全球范围内COSMIC H_mF₂的三维形态变化,对比分析了IRI-2016与IRI-2012模型的预测结果,同时分析了IRI-2016模型输出H_mF₂的性能.结果表明,IRI模型在中高纬度地区的输出结果高于COSMIC反演结果,而赤道及低纬地区则大都偏低.与IRI-2012模型相比,IRI-2016模型的输出结果在夜间至凌晨时段呈现较为明显的纬向梯度变化且大部分区域输出值偏高,但在白天时段赤道附近区域的输出值大都偏低.上述结果为电离层IRI模型的完善提供了一定参考.      

利用人工神经网络提前1h预报电离层TEC

提出了一种利用人工神经网络提前1h预报电离层TEC的简便方法. 考虑到实际工程应用要求, 没有使用其他空间天气参数, 而是选择电离层TEC观测数据本身作为输入参数. 输入参数为当前时刻TEC、一阶差分、相对差分和时间, 输出参数为预报时刻TEC. 利用文中介绍的GPS/TEC处理方法解算厦门站2004年电离层TEC观测数据, 对预报方法进行评估, 全年平均相对误差为9.3744%, 预报结果与观测值相关性达到了0.96678. 结果表明, 利用人工神经网络方法提前1h预报电离层TEC有很好的应用前景.      

基于星载AIS数据的TEC测量方法

基于星载船舶自动识别系统（AIS），提出一种计算全球电离层电子总含量（TEC）的方法。通过在卫星上搭载两个相互垂直的线极化天线，测量AIS信号穿过电离层时的法拉第旋转角，再通过法拉第旋转角与TEC的关系估算TEC。基于天拓五号卫星的AIS数据进行了实验验证，并分析了硬件设备误差和观测参数误差对结果造成的影响。实验表明，本方法测量出的TEC值与基于全球定位系统（GPS）测量的TEC值差值平均为0.762 TECU，证明了此方法的可行性。与现有的TEC测量方法相比，该方法只需利用现有的AIS系统，无需部署地面站，可大幅提高数据更新速率。      

风云三号C星GNOS北斗掩星电离层探测初步结果

利用风云三号卫星C星GNOS掩星探测仪电离层数据,分析了2013年10月FY-3C GNOS探测的北斗掩星电离层廓线分布,将2013年10月1日至2015年10月10日期间FY-3C GNOS观测的F₂层峰值电子密度（N_mF₂）与地面电离层测高仪观测结果进行对比,验证了FY-3C GNOS北斗电离层掩星的探测精度.结果表明,FY3-C GNOS北斗电离层掩星与电离层测高仪探测的N_mF₂数据相关系数为0.96,平均偏差为10.21%,标准差为19.61%.在不同情况下其数据精度有如下特征:白天精度高于夜晚;夏季精度高于分季,分季精度高于冬季;中纬地区精度高于低纬地区,低纬地区精度高于高纬地区; BDS倾斜同步轨道（IGSO）卫星精度高于同步轨道（GEO）卫星和中轨道（MEO）卫星.FY-3C GNOS北斗电离层掩星与国际上其他掩星电离层数据精度的一致性对GNSS掩星探测资料的综合利用具有重大意义.      

GPS卫星信标信噪比的统计分析

GPS卫星信标信噪比(SNR)受到卫星上的发射机增益、地面站的接收机增益、卫星与接收机之间的几何距离、接收机处的仰角、信标传播路径上电离层介质衰减等因素的共同影响.首先提出了一种从SNR观测数据中分离出SNR在电离层中衰减的算法,并应用于MANA接收站(273.751°E,12.149°N)2003年的观测数据,得到了一个电离层介质引起的对L波段信标SNR衰减日变化的平均情况.通过与IRI模式计算的电波垂直穿过电离层时衰减的SNR比较发现,由我们得到的SNR在电波垂直穿过电离层时的衰减与IRI模式计算的衰减随地方时的变化符合得比较好.      

基于双频GPS观测的电离层TEC与硬件延迟反演方法

利用全球定位系统（Global Positioning System,GPS）的双频观测数据反演得到电离层的总电子含量（Total Electron Content,TEC）,使得广域甚至全球范围高时空分辨率的电离层观测研究成为可能,但由于GPS卫星和接收机对信号的硬件延迟可导致TEC测量系统偏差,因此,需要探索反演TEC并估测GPS卫星与接收机硬件延迟的有效算法.本文根据电离层电波传播理论,阐述了基于双频GPS观测提取电离层TEC的方法,给出TEC与硬件延迟的基本关系.综合研究了TEC与硬件延迟的反演方法,进行分析与归纳分类,在此基础上提出了有待深入研究的问题.      

TIEGCM集合卡尔曼滤波同化模型设计及初步试验

选择参数化的电离层热层理论模型TIEGCM作为背景模型,基于COSMIC掩星观测的电子密度廓线数据,应用集合卡尔曼滤波方法建立全球电离层电子密度同化模型,实现了全球电离层的电子密度同化.同化结果表明,该同化模型能将观测资料有效同化到背景模式中,获得全球三维电离层电子密度.与背景模式相比,同化得到的电子密度相对于观测值的偏差显著下降.对于有同化和无同化参与的试验,N_mF₂的标准偏差分别降低约60%和20%.此外,分组同化与同时同化的结果对比显示,平均偏差改善基本一致,同时同化后的标准偏差在峰值高度以上略有减小.      

利用COSMIC数据分析全球对流层顶温度和高度的变化特性

利用COSMIC卫星无线电掩星观测的温度数据分析了全球范围的对流层顶参量的变化特性.COSMIC多颗卫星连续观测的温度数据有很好的全球覆盖和很好的垂直分辨率,是分析全球范围对流层顶变化的重要探测数据.经过数据筛选,得到日平均温度的全年分布数据.采用大气温度递减率判据得到对流层顼温度和对流层顶高度的全球分布和变化.结果表明,全球范国内的对流层顶温度和对流层顶高度分布的基本结果与利用无线电探空资料和欧洲气象局再分析数据得到的结果基本一致;对流层项温度和对流层顶高度呈现明显的季节变化,赤道附近和中纬度地区的对流层顶高度变化与高纬地区的对流层顶高度变化出现反相:对流层顶温度和高度的变化呈现明显的南北半球不对称性.     

SHAKING: Adjusted spherical harmonics adding KrigING method for near real-time ionospheric modeling with multi-GNSS observations

Precise positioning based on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technique requires high accuracy ionospheric total electron content (TEC) correction models to account for the ionospheric path delay errors. We present an adjusted Spherical Harmonics Adding KrigING method (SHAKING) approach for regional ionospheric vertical TEC (VTEC) modeling in real time. In the proposed SHAKING method, the VTEC information over the sparse observation data area is extrapolated by the Adjusted Spherical Harmonic (ASH) function, and the boundary distortion in regional VTEC modeling is corrected by the stochastic VTEC estimated using Kriging interpolation. Using real-time GPS, GLONASS and BDS-2/3 data streams of the Crust Movement Observation Network of China (CMONOC), the SHAKING-based regional ionospheric VTEC maps are re-constructed over China and its boundary regions. Compared to GNSS VTECs derived from the independent stations, the quality of SHAKING solution improves by 13–31% and 6–33% with respect to the ASH-only solution during high and low geomagnetic periods, respectively. Compared to the inverse distance weighting (IDW) generated result, significant quality improved of SHAKING-based VTEC maps is also observed, especially over the edge areas with an improvement of 60–80%. Overall, the proposed SHAKING method exhibits notable advantage over the existing regional VTEC modeling techniques, which can be used for regional TEC modeling and associated high-precision positioning applications.     

Response of the ionospheric F-region in the Brazilian sector during the super geomagnetic storm in April 2000 observed by GPS

The response of the ionospheric F-region in the equatorial and low latitude regions in the Brazilian sector during the super geomagnetic storm on 06–07 April 2000 has been studied in the present investigation. The geomagnetic storm reached a minimum D_st of −288 nT at 0100 UT on 07 April. In this paper, we present vertical total electron content (VTEC) and phase fluctuations (in TECU/min) from GPS observations obtained at Imperatriz (5.5°S, 47.5°W; IMPZ), Brasília (15.9°S, 47.9°W; BRAZ), Presidente Prudente (22.12°S, 51.4°W; UEPP), and Porto Alegre (30.1°S, 51.1°W; POAL) during the period 05–08 April. Also, several GPS-based TEC maps are presented from the global GPS network, showing widespread and drastic TEC changes during the different phases of the geomagnetic storm. In addition, ion density measurements on-board the satellite Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F15 orbiting at an altitude of 840 km and the first Republic of China satellite (ROCSAT-1) orbiting at an altitude of 600 km are presented. The observations indicate that one of the orbits of the DMSP satellite is fairly close to the 4 GPS stations and both the DMSP F15 ion-density plots and the phase fluctuations from GPS observations show no ionospheric irregularities in the Brazilian sector before 2358 UT on the night of 06–07 April 2000. During the fast decrease of D_st on 06 April, there is a prompt penetration of electric field of magnetospheric origin resulting in decrease of VTEC at IMPZ, an equatorial station and large increase in VTEC at POAL, a low latitude station. This resulted in strong phase fluctuations on the night of 06–07 April, up to POAL. During the daytime on 07 April during the recovery phase, the VTEC observations show positive ionospheric storm at all the GPS stations, from IMPZ to POAL, and the effect increasing from IMPZ to POAL. This is possibly linked to the equatorward directed meridional wind. During the daytime on 08 April (the recovery phase continues), the VTEC observations show very small negative ionospheric storm at IMPZ but the positive ionospheric storm effect is observed from BRAZ to POAL possibly linked to enhancement of the equatorial ionospheric anomaly.     

Plasmaspheric electron content derived from GPS TEC and FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC measurements: Solar minimum condition

The plasmaspheric electron content (PEC) was estimated by comparison of GPS TEC observations and FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC radio occultation measurements at the extended solar minimum of cycle 23/24. Results are retrieved for different seasons (equinoxes and solstices) of the year 2009. COSMIC-derived electron density profiles were integrated up to the height of 700 km in order to retrieve estimates of ionospheric electron content (IEC). Global maps of monthly median values of COSMIC IEC were constructed by use of spherical harmonics expansion. The comparison between two independent measurements was performed by analysis of the global distribution of electron content estimates, as well as by selection specific points corresponded to mid-latitudes of Northern America, Europe, Asia and the Southern Hemisphere. The analysis found that both kinds of observations show rather similar diurnal behavior during all seasons, certainly with GPS TEC estimates larger than corresponded COSMIC IEC values. It was shown that during daytime both GPS TEC and COSMIC IEC values were generally lower at winter than in summer solstice practically over all specific points. The estimates of PEC (h > 700 km) were obtained as a difference between GPS TEC and COSMIC IEC values. Results of comparative study revealed that for mid-latitudinal points PEC estimates varied weakly with the time of a day and reached the value of several TECU for the condition of solar minimum. Percentage contribution of PEC to GPS TEC indicated the clear dependence from the time with maximal values (more than 50–60%) during night-time and lesser values (25–45%) during day-time.     

Analysis and improvement of ionospheric thin shell model used in SBAS for China region

The most frequently used mapping function for converting slant total electron content (STEC) to vertical total electron content (VTEC) uses a simplified ionospheric single layer model in satellite based augmentation system (SBAS). Aiming at ionospheric single layer model altitude variation, we analyzed the statistical characteristic of mapping function in systemic approach particular for the region of China, and then experimental mapping function was proposed. The experimental mapping function is used in SBAS ionospheric correction and the precision of vertical correction is compared with standard mapping function. The results show that conversion factor errors depend on latitude, time and elevation, experimental mapping function is helpful to the vertical TEC estimation and may improve the precision of SBAS ionospheric refraction correction especially for the low latitude region of China.     

Analysis of the data processing strategies of spherical harmonic expansion model on global ionosphere mapping for moderate solar activity

Spherical harmonic (SH) expansion is widely used to model the global ionosphere map (GIM) of vertical total electron content (VTEC). According to the impact of different data processing methods of the SH expansion model on the VTEC maps, we specifically performed comprehensive analysis in terms of the data sampling rate, the time resolution, the spherical harmonic degree, and the relative constraint. One month of GPS data (January in 2016) from the International GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) Service (IGS) network in a moderate ionospheric activity period at the descending phase of Solar Cycle 24 was processed. To improve the computational efficiency of the daily GIM generation, the data sampling rate of 5?min was recommended allowing the GIM precision loss within 0.10 TECU (total electron content unit). The global VTEC map could be better represented in temporal and spatial domains with higher time resolution and higher spherical harmonic degree, especially at low latitude bands and in the southern hemisphere. The GIM precision improvement was about 10.91% for 1-h and about 15.15% for 0.5-h compared with the commonly used 2-h time resolution. The use of spherical harmonic degree 17 or 20 instead of 15 could improve the precision by 3.19% or 6.06%. We also found that an optimal relative constraint had to be found experimentally considering both the GIM precision and the GIM root mean square (RMS) map.     

太阳活动低年低纬地区VTEC 变化特性分析

利用福州台站(26.1°N, 119.3°E, 磁纬14.4°N)电离层闪烁与TEC监测仪2006-2010年的观测数据, 对该地区垂直总电子含量(VTEC)进行时间变化特性分析. 结果表明, 春秋冬三季的VTEC平均最高值出现在06:00UT, 夏季出现在08:00UT, 所有季节的平均最低值均出现在21:00UT; VTEC变化存在季节异常和弱冬季异常, 春秋季节高, 冬夏季节低, 夏季VTEC比冬季低且最大值出现时间延迟; VTEC在2006-2009年呈现下降的变化趋势, 2010年开始增强, 年际变化与太阳活动及地磁活动变化趋势具有较好的对应关系; VTEC变化与太阳活动存在很好的相关性, 相关系数达到0.5以上, 地磁活动则显示了弱相关的特性; F_10.7与VTEC的相关性随着每天Kp指数总值Σ_kp的增大而减小.      

Negative VTEC with spherical harmonic expansion model under different solar activity conditions

The Earth’s ionosphere can be described by a spherical harmonic (SH) expansion up to a specific degree. However, there exist negative vertical total electron content (VTEC) values in the global ionosphere map (GIM) with the SH expansion model. In this contribution, we specifically investigated the negative VTEC values that are induced by the SH expansion model and validated the performance of the inequality-constrained least squares (ICLS) method in eliminating the negative VTEC values. The GPS data from 2004 to 2017 was selected to cover one solar cycle and the experiments under different solar activity conditions were analyzed. The results in our work show that the occurrence of the negative VTEC values is attributed to the deficiency of the SH expansion model when the VTEC itself is small instead of the unevenly distribution of the GNSS stations. The negative VTEC values appear periodically in the temporal domain, showing apparently one year and half year periods. During one year, two peaks in June and December can be observed in the time series of the negative VTEC values. The number of negative VTEC values in June is obvious larger than that in December. During one solar cycle, the number of negative VTEC values under quiet solar activity condition is obvious larger than that under strong solar activity condition. In the spatial domain, the appearance of the negative VTEC values is strongly related with the movement of the subsolar point. In the latitude of the subsolar point has the largest magnitude, the negative values will appear on the opposite hemisphere and the further from the subsolar point the more negative values. The maximum number of the negative VTEC values in the southern hemisphere appears in June, while the peak value in the northern hemisphere appears in December. The maximum number of negative VTEC values in the southern hemisphere is generally larger than that in the northern hemisphere. In addition, the negative VTEC values are distributed both at middle latitude and high latitude in the southern hemisphere, while they are mainly distributed at high latitude in the northern hemisphere. When the ICLS method is used, the negative VTEC values can be eliminated efficiently and it has nearly no influence on the positive VTEC values. The ICLS method can also improve the receiver’s differential code bias (DCB) and significantly decrease the unreasonable negative slant TEC (STEC) values along the lines of sight. Using the final GIM product of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPLG) as a reference, the root mean square (RMS) of the ICLS solution shows maximum 25%, 20% and 45% improvement relative to the least squares (LS) solution at northern high latitude, southern middle latitude and southern high latitude, respectively.     

NeQuick 2 and IRI Plas VTEC predictions for low latitude and South American sector

Using vertical total electron content (VTEC) measurements obtained from GPS satellite signals the capability of the NeQuick 2 and IRI Plas models to predict VTEC over the low latitude and South American sector is analyzed. In the present work both models were used to calculate VTEC up to the height of GPS satellites. Also, comparisons between the performance of IRI Plas and IRI 2007 have been done. The data correspond to June solstice and September equinox 1999 (high solar activity) and they were obtained at nine stations. The considered latitude range extends from 18.4°N to ?64.7°N and the longitude ranges from 281.3°E to 295.9°E in the South American sector. The greatest discrepancies among model predictions and the measured VTEC are obtained at low latitudes stations placed in the equatorial anomaly region. Underestimations as strong as 40?TECU [1?TECU?=?10¹⁶?m^?2] can be observed at BOGT station for September equinox, when NeQuick2 model is used. The obtained results also show that: (a) for June solstice, in general the performance of IRI Plas for low latitude stations is better than that of NeQuick2 and, vice versa, for highest latitudes the performance of NeQuick2 is better than that of IRI Plas. For the stations TUCU and SANT both models have good performance; (b) for September equinox the performances of the models do not follow a clearly defined pattern as in the other season. However, it can be seen that for the region placed between the Northern peak and the valley of the equatorial anomaly, in general, the performance of IRI Plas is better than that of NeQuick2 for hours of maximum ionization. From TUCU to the South, the best TEC predictions are given by NeQuick2.The source of the observed deviations of the models has been explored in terms of CCIR foF2 determination in the available ionosonde stations in the region. Discrepancies can be also related to an unrealistic shape of the vertical electron density profile and or an erroneous prediction of the plasmaspheric contribution to the vertical total electron content. Moreover, the results of this study could be suggesting that in the case of NeQuick, the underestimation trend could be due to the lack of a proper plasmaspheric model in its topside representation. In contrast, the plasmaspheric model included in IRI, leads to clear overestimations of GPS derived TEC.     

Use of principal component analysis in the identification of the spatial pattern of an ionospheric total electron content anomalies after China’s May 12, 2008, M = 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake

This paper uses principal component analysis (PCA) to determine the spatial pattern of total electron content (TEC) anomalies in the ionosphere post the China’s Wenchuan Earthquake of 12 May, 2008 (UTC) (M_w = 7.9). PCA and image processing are applied to the global ionospheric map (GIM) with transforms conducted for the time period 08:00–10:00 UT on 12 May 2008. Results show that at a height of approximately 200 km the anomaly is widespread and less intense; however, it becomes more localized with height reaching maximum intensity and localization at an altitude of 300 km. The spatial distribution is remarkably similar to that reported for a TEC anomaly previously identified as a precursor anomaly on May 9, 2008 for the same time period. Potential causes of the results are discussed with emphasis given to vertical acoustic gravity waves based on the spatial pattern identified.