Analysis of the ionosphere/plasmasphere electron content variability during strong geomagnetic storm

The ionosphere/plasmasphere electron content (PEC) variations during strong geomagnetic storms in November 2004 were estimated by combining of mid-latitude Kharkov incoherent scatter radar observations and GPS TEC data derived from global TEC maps. The comparison between two independent measurements was performed by analysis of the height-temporal distribution for specific location corresponding to the mid-latitudes of Europe. The percentage contribution of PEC to GPS TEC indicated the clear dependence from the time with maximal values (more than 70%) during night-time. During day-time the lesser values (30–45%) were observed for quiet geomagnetic conditions and rather high values of the PEC contribution to GPS TEC (up to 90%) were observed during strong negative storm. These changes can be explained by the competing effects of electric fields and winds, which tend to raise the layer to the region with lower loss rate and movement of the ionospheric plasma to the plasmasphere.     

A new global version of M(3000)F2 prediction model based on artificial neural networks

A new version of global empirical model for the ionospheric propagation factor, M(3000)F2 prediction is presented. Artificial neural network (ANN) technique was employed by considering the relevant geophysical input parameters which are known to influence the M(3000)F2 parameter. This new version is an update to the previous neural network based M(3000)F2 global model developed by Oyeyemi et al. (2007), and aims to address the inadequacy of the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) M(3000)F2 model (the International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR) M(3000)F2 model). The M(3000)F2 has been found to be relatively inaccurate in representing the diurnal structure of the low latitude region and the equatorial ionosphere. In particular, the existing hmF2 IRI model is unable to reproduce the sharp post-sunset drop in M(3000)F2 values, which correspond to a sharp post-sunset peak in the peak height of the F2 layer, hmF2. Data from 80 ionospheric stations globally, including a good number of stations in the low latitude region were considered for this work. M(3000)F2 hourly values from 1987 to 2008, spanning all periods of low and high solar activity were used for model development and verification process. The ability of the new model to predict the M(3000)F2 parameter especially in the low latitude and equatorial regions, which is known to be problematic for the existing IRI model is demonstrated.     

Estimation of GPS instrumental biases from small scale network

With 4 GPS receivers located in the equatorial anomaly region in southeast China, this paper proposes a grid-based algorithm to determine the GPS satellites and receivers biases, and at the same time to derive the total electron content (TEC) with time resolution of 15 min and spatial resolution of 1° by 3.5° in latitude and longitude. By assuming that the TEC is identical at any point within a given grid block and the biases do not vary within a day, the algorithm arranges unknown biases and TECs with slant path TEC from the 4 receivers’ observations into a set of equations. Then the instrumental biases and the TECs are determined by using the least squares fitting technique. The performance of the method is examined by applying it to the GPS receiver chain observations selected from 16 geomagnetically quiet days in four seasons of 2006. It is found that the fitting agrees with the data very well, with goodness of fit ranging from 0.452 TECU to 1.914 TECU. Having a mean of 0.9 ns, the standard deviations for most of the GPS satellite biases are less than 1.0 ns for the 16 days. The GPS receiver biases are more stable than that of the GPS satellites. The standard deviation in the 4 receiver bias is from 0.370 ns to 0.855 ns, with a mean of 0.5 ns. Moreover, the instrumental biases are highly correlated with those derived from CODE and JPL with independent methods. The typical precision of the derived TEC is 5 TECU by a conservative estimation. These results indicate that the proposed algorithm is valid and qualified for small scale GPS network.     

Investigation of GPS-TEC measurements using ANN method indicating seismo-ionospheric anomalies around the time of the Chile (Mw = 8.2) earthquake of 01 April 2014

In 94 km NW of Iquique in Chile (19.610°S, 70.776°W) a powerful earthquake of M_w = 8.2 took place at 23:46:47 UTC (20:46:47 LT) on April 01, 2014. Using GPS-TEC (Total Electron Content) measurements, potential unusual variations around the time and location of the Chile earthquake have been detected based on the median and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) methods. The indices D_st, K_p, A_p and F10.7 were used to distinguish pre-earthquake anomalies from the other anomalies related to the solar-geomagnetic activities. Using the median method, striking anomalies in time series of TEC data are observed 4 days before the earthquake at 14:00 and 16:00 UTC. The ANN method detected a number of anomalies, 4 (02:00 and 16:00 UTC) and 13 (24:00 UTC) days preceding the earthquake. The results indicate that the ANN method due to its capability of non linear learning is quite promising and deserves serious attention as a robust predictor tool for seismo-ionospheric anomalies detection.     

IGS电离层产品在双向时间频率传递中的应用

利用IGS组织提供的全球电离层资料对卫星双向时间频率传递中的电离层误差进行修正。IGS提供特定时刻、固定经纬度网格点上的电离层总电子含量。对该电离层资料首先进行空间四点网格内插,然后利用双线性内插得到电离层穿刺点所需时刻的总电子含量,最后将得到电离层数据经过处理用于双向时间频率传递修正。结果表明：电离层对C波段的影响在（0～0.5）ns范围内,这对亚纳秒量级的时间比对是必须考虑的。IGS提供的电离层产品适合应用于双向时间频率传递,具有方法简单、准确度高和价格低廉等特点。     

日照边缘区域电离层对耀斑的响应特点研究

利用MSIS模型和背景太阳辐射谱模型,在一定大耀斑辐射谱假设的前提下,计算了耀斑期间日照边缘区域的电子产生率,分析了这一区域电离层电子密度的变化特点.结果表明,大耀斑期间在日照边缘区域,甚至大于太阳天顶角90°的区域都有明显的电子产生率的增加.从不同太阳天顶角处的电子产生率剖面的形态来看,随着天顶角的增加最大电离率减少,但高度增加.计算还显示了在太阳天顶角小于90°的区域内电子产生率的垂直分布有明显的双峰结构,这种结构对应着电离层的E区和F区,但在天顶角大于90°区域,F区的电子产生率要大得多.考虑到离子和电子的复合过程,这一区域的总电子含量的增加主要产生在高F区.      

A steady-state model for the D- to F-region of the polar cap

For obvious reasons the ionosphere of the polar cap, surrounded by the auroral zone, is only poorly investigated. Even ionosonde data are very scant from geomagnetic latitudes beyond 70°. Since 1997 the European incoherent scatter radar facility EISCAT has an additional installation on Svalbard and has been providing electron density data nearly continuously ever since. These measurements which mainly cover the E- and F-regions are supplemented by rocket data from Heiss Island at a comparable magnetic latitude; these data are more sporadic, but cover lower altitudes and densities. A provisional, steady-state, neural network-based model is presented which uses the data of both sites.     

2006年4月5日中等强度磁暴期间观测到的大经度范围等离子体泡

利用分布在70°E～210°E和20°S～40°N之间的GPS台站的数据,分析了2006年4月5日夜间(中等强度磁暴期间)观测到的电离层等离子体泡的特性.结果表明,本次事件中,等离子体泡大约发生在当地日落后1～1.5 h;空间范围为经度90°E～160°E,纬度12°S～33°N.这是第一次利用地基设备观测到如此大经度范围内的等离子体泡.等离子体泡在南半球出现较早,并且存活时间较长.在其产生的过程中,在约1100 km高度上,映射到磁赤道向上的运动速度约为300m/s,并且等离子体泡在高度上有倾斜.东向电场的存在,对激发等离子体泡起到了一定的作用.      

Relative amplitude of the total electron content variations depending on geomagnetic activity

We developed a method of estimation of a relative amplitude dI/I of the total electron content (TEC) variations in the ionosphere as deduced from the data of the global GPS receivers network. To obtain statistically significant results we picked out three latitudinal belts provided in the Internet by the maximum number of GPS sites. They are high-latitudinal belt (50–80°N, 200–300°E; 59 sites), mid latitude belt (20–50°N, 200–300°E; 817 sites), and equatorial belt (±20°N, 0–360°E; 76 sites). The results of the analysis of the diurnal and latitudinal dependencies of dI/I and dI/I distribution probability for 52 days with different levels of geomagnetic activity are presented. It was found that on average the relative amplitude of the TEC variations varies within the range 0–10% proportionally to the value of the K_p geomagnetic index. In quiet conditions the relative amplitude dI/I of the TEC variations at night significantly exceeds the daytime relative amplitude. At high levels of magnetic field disturbances, the geomagnetic control of the amplitude of TEC variations at high and middle latitudes is much more significant than the regular diurnal variations. At the equatorial belt, on average, the amplitude of TEC variations in quiet and disturbed periods almost does not differ. The obtained results may be useful for development of the theory of ionospheric irregularities.     

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.