Comparison of peak characteristics of F2 ionospheric layer over Tehran region at a low solar activity period with IRI-2001 and IRI-2007 models predictions

In the present work values of peak electron density (NmF2) and height of F2 ionospheric layer (hmF2) over Tehran region at a low solar activity period are compared with the predictions of the International Reference Ionosphere models (IRI-2001 and IRI-2007). Data measured by a digital ionosonde at the ionospheric station of the Institute of Geophysics, University of Tehran from July 2006 to June 2007 are used to perform the calculations. Formulations proposed by  and  are utilized to calculate the hmF2. The International Union of Radio Science (URSI) and International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR) options are employed to run the IRI-2001 and IRI-2007 models. Results show that both IRI-2007 and IRI-2001 can successfully predict the NmF2 and hmF2 over Tehran region. In addition, the study shows that predictions of IRI-2007 model with CCIR coefficient has closer values to the observations. Furthermore, it is found that the monthly average of the percentage deviation between the IRI models predictions and the values of hmF2 and NmF2 parameters are less than 10% and 21%, respectively.     

Pre-storm behaviour of NmF2 and TEC (GPS) over equatorial and low latitude stations in the Indian sector

The pre-storm behavior of NmF₂ and TEC over an equatorial station, Trivandrum (8.47°N, 76.91°E, dip 0.6°S) and a low latitude station, Waltair (17.7°N,83.3°E, dip 20°N) has been studied for a total of 18 strong geomagnetic storms with DST ? −100 nT. The simultaneous measurements of GPS-TEC and NmF₂ over Trivandrum and Waltair during the period 2000–2005 have been considered for the present study. It is found that there is a substantial increase in NmF₂ and TEC before the onset of the storm over Waltair, while the increase is not present at Trivandrum. The origin of pre-storm enhancements in electron density still remains unresolved owing to several conditions in their potential sources and occurrence mechanisms. In the present study an attempt is made to identify the possible mechanisms responsible for such enhancements in electron density of the F-region.     

Variations of ionospheric total electron content before three strong earthquakes in the Qinghai-Tibet region

We investigate the ionospheric total electron content (TEC) anomalies occurred in the Qinghai-Tibet region before three large earthquakes (M > 7.0). The temporal and spatial TEC variations were used to detect the ionospheric possible precursors of these earthquakes. We identified two TEC enhancements in the afternoon local time 9 days and 2–3 days before each earthquake, between which a TEC decrement occurred 3–6 days before earthquakes. These anomalies happened in the area of about 30° in latitude and the maximum is localized equatorward from the epicenters. These TEC anomalies can be found in all three earthquakes regardless the geomagnetic conditions. The features of these anomalies have something in common and may have differences from those caused by geomagnetic storms. Our results suggest that these ionospheric TEC perturbations may be precursors of the large earthquakes.     

Comparison between observed ionospheric foF2 and IRI-2001 predictions over periods of severe geomagnetic activities at Grahamstown,South Africa

The observed ionospheric F2 critical frequency (foF2) values over a South Africa mid-latitude station, Grahamstown, (geographic coordinates: 33.3°S, 26.5°E), were analysed and compared with International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model, using the CCIR (Comite´ Consultatif International des Radio communications) and URSI (Union Radio-Scientifique Internationale) coefficients, during four geomagnetically disturbed days in the year 2000. These days are April 5, May 23, August 10 and September 15. The data were analysed for five days around the storm day. Comparisons between the IRI-2001 predicted foF2 values, using both CCIR and URSI coefficients and the observed values are shown with their root-mean-square error (RMSE) and the relative deviation module mean (rdmm) for the various storm periods. The CCIR option performed more accurately than the URSI option.     

Multiple-site investigation of the properties of an HF radio channel and the ionosphere using Digital Radio Mondiale broadcasting

The Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM), one of the new digital radio broadcasting standards, has been designed to overcome typical short wave radio channel difficulties, such as the multipath propagation and fast temporal changes of the received signal level, both related to the properties of the ionosphere along the path of propagation. In particular, some of the RF carriers used in the applied COFDM transmission technique serve to estimate the current state of the radio channel to enable the proper demodulation of the received signal.We have been detecting such RF carriers on select frequency channels (standard DRM broadcast) using a network of recording stations located in different parts of Poland in order to collect data on the HF radio channel. We have been also evaluating the usefulness of this procedure in providing information on the current state of the ionosphere in the refraction region between the transmitter and receivers. When the DRM system becomes more widespread, this method can supplement data that comes from the ionosondes, since it does not require much financial resources and the receivers can be easily scattered over a large area. This paper presents a set of experimental data and its analysis.     

Near-real time monitoring of the TEC fluctuations over the northern hemisphere using GNSS permanent networks

Since the early 1990s, global positioning system measurements have been used to study of the state and rapid changes of the Total Electron Content in the ionosphere. Currently, the increasing number of permanent stations makes it possible to generate maps of the irregularities in the ionosphere for specified regions with sub-daily resolution. The main goal of this work was to apply global navigation satellite system observations to obtain information about ionospheric variability around the North Geomagnetic Pole. In order to detect the ionospheric disturbances, 30-s observation data was used. The Rate of Total Electron Content Index was applied as a measure of the variability in the ionosphere. The first analyses were executed using more than 100 permanent stations. The results show two kinds of products: 2-hour maps in spherical geomagnetic coordinates and daily maps presenting the occurrence of the strong Total Electron Content fluctuations as a magnetic local time function, for the most disturbed days of April 2010. Apart from the main product of the algorithm, the Rate of Total Electron Content time series for individual satellite tracks was presented. The results demonstrated very good sensitivity of the obtained maps, which can detect even quite weak disturbances. The presented algorithm developed at the Geodynamic Research Laboratory of the University of Warmia and Mazury, in cooperation with Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radiowave Propagation, will be applied in the near future to create near-real time service of the conditions in the ionosphere based on the Global Navigation Satellite Systems observations.     

Response of the EIA ionosphere to the 7-8 May 2005 geomagnetic storm

In this paper, response of low latitude ionosphere to a moderate geomagnetic storm of 7–8 May 2005 (SSC: 1920 UT on 7 May with Sym-H minimum, ∼−112 nT around 1600 UT on 8 May) has been investigated using the GPS measurements from a near EIA crest region, Rajkot (Geog. 22.29°N, 70.74°E, Geomag.14°), India. We found a decrease in total electron content (TEC) in 12 h after the onset of the storm, an increase during and after 6 h of Sym-H deep minimum with a decrease below its usual-day level on the second day during the recovery phase of the storm. On 8 May, an increase of TEC is observed after sunset and during post-midnight hours (maximum up to 170%) with the formation of ionospheric plasma bubbles followed by a nearly simultaneous onset of scintillations at L-band frequencies following the time of rapid decrease in Sym-H index (−30 nT/h around 1300 UT).     

Study of GNSS-measured ionospheric total electron content variations generated by powerful HF-heating

The purpose of this work is to report the experimental evidences for the influence of perturbations in the electron density in the dayside mid-latitude ionosphere, that are caused by high-frequency heating of the F2 layer, on the GNSS signals. The experiments were carried out at the Sura heater (Radio Physical Research Institute, N. Novgorod). During the sessions of ionospheric heating with different time modulations of the radiated power the rays linking the navigational satellites with the ground receiver intersected the heated region. Variations in the total electron content (TEC) were studied; these variations are proportional to the reduced phases of navigational signals. It is shown that with the square-wave modulation of the radiated power (with periods of 1, 6, 10 and 15 min), perturbations with periods of the main modulation of heating and its harmonics appear in the spectrum of TEC variations. Examples are presented of identification of the heating-induced variations in TEC, including determination of the amplitudes and time characteristics of these variations.     

Estimation of ground range on the sweep frequency backscatter leading edge

The high frequency management system with backscatter radar supplies the real time ionosphere channel conditions to high frequency users, which leads to the demand for the ground range between the radar location and the scatters on the distant ground. The ionosphere electron density profile is usually inversed to obtain the ground range. An inversion algorithm, with which the ground range on the leading edge of the backscatter ionograms can be obtained without electron density, is presented in this paper. The ray path geometry of the backscatter sounding and the change in the group path on the leading edge with operating frequency are used to derive the ground range. Synthesized backscatter ionogram and experimental backscatter ionograms are processed to validate the algorithm. The results indicate that the algorithm is usable for high frequency management system.     

Upgrading CCIR's foF2 maps using available ionosondes and genetic algorithms

We have developed a new approach towards a new database of the ionospheric parameter $f_{o}F2$. This parameter, being the frequency of the maximum of the ionospheric electronic density profile and its main modeller, is of great interest not only in atmospheric studies but also in the realm of radio propagation. The current databases, generated by CCIR (Committee Consultative for Ionospheric Radiowave propagation) and URSI (International Union of Radio Science), and used by the IRI (International Reference Ionosphere) model, are based on Fourier expansions and have been built in the 60s from the available ionosondes at that time. The main goal of this work is to upgrade the databases by using new available ionosonde data. To this end we used the IRI diurnal/spherical expansions to represent the $f_{o}F2$ variability, and computed its coefficients by means of a genetic algorithm (GA). In order to test the performance of the proposed methodology, we applied it to the South American region with data obtained by RAPEAS (Red Argentina para el Estudio de la Atmósfera Superior, i.e. Argentine Network for the Study of the Upper Atmosphere) during the years 1958–2009. The new GA coefficients provide a global better fit of the IRI model to the observed $f_{o}F2$ than the CCIR coefficients. Since the same formulae and the same number of coefficients were used, the overall integrity of IRI’s typical ionospheric feature representation was preserved. The best improvements with respect to CCIR are obtained at low solar activities, at large (in absolute value) modip latitudes, and at night-time. The new method is flexible in the sense that can be applied either globally or regionally. It is also very easy to recompute the coefficients when new data is available. The computation of a third set of coefficients corresponding to days of medium solar activity in order to avoid the interpolation between low and high activities is suggested. The same procedure as for $f_{o}F2$ can be perfomed to obtain the ionospheric parameter M(3000)F2.