基于MARSIS的火星低纬度电离层统计特性研究

在对欧空局火星快车探测器搭载的MARSIS雷达的浅表层探测数据进行校准过程中,获得了火星电离层的总电子含量(total electron content,TEC)观测数据。利用该数据,计算火星低纬度地区电离层的峰值电子密度和标高;并对其进行统计分析发现,在低纬度地区,火星冬季电离层的标高和峰值电子密度均较夏季高,即冬季电离层较夏季更显著,且春季电离层的电子密度梯度最大。     

On the uncertainties in the measurement of absolute (true) TEC over Indian equatorial and low latitude sectors

The Indian sector encompasses the equatorial and low latitude regions where the ionosphere is highly dynamic and is characterized by the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) resulting in large latitudinal electron density gradients causing errors and uncertainties in the estimation of range delays in satellite based navigation systems. The diurnal and seasonal variations of standard deviations in the TEC data measured during the low sunspot period 2004–2005 at 10 different Indian stations located from equator to the anomaly crest region and beyond are examined and presented. The day-to-day variability in TEC is found to be lowest at the equatorial station and increases with latitude up to the crest region of EIA and decreases beyond.     

大气重力波与电子密度扰动的耦合

本文从相互耦合的大气流体方程和双流体等离子体方程出发, 导出了赤道F区大气重力波和电子密度扰动的耦合色散关系, 据此对两者的共振相互作用作了进一步的理论分析。结果表明, 大气重力波可以通过共振耦合将部分能量转换给带电粒子, 为赤道扩展F提供初始电子密度扰动;在这过程中, 等离子体不稳定性对共振条件和共振耦合有着重要的影响。      

Low-latitude ionospheric scintillations and total electron content obtained with the CITRIS instrument on STPSat1 using radio transmissions from DORIS ground beacons

The primary objective of the Scintillation and Tomography Receiver in Space (CITRIS) is to detect ionospheric irregularities from space at low latitude. For this purpose, the satellite receiver uses the UHF and S-Band transmissions of the ground network of Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS) beacons. CITRIS, developed at the Naval Research Laboratory, differs from the normal DORIS receiver by being able to capture and store the complex amplitude of the 401.25 and 2036.25 MHz transmissions at 200 Hz sample rate. Ground processing of the CITRIS data yields total electron content (TEC) and both phase and amplitude scintillations. With CITRIS flying on the US Space Test Program (STP) satellite STPSat1, 2 years of data were collected and processed to determine the fluctuations in ionospheric TEC and radio scintillations associated with equatorial irregularities. CITRIS flights over DORIS transmitters yield direct measurements of the horizontal plasma density fluctuations associated with equatorial plasma bubbles. Future flights of CITRIS can provide valuable complements to other satellite instruments such as GPS occultation receivers used to estimate vertical electron density profiles in the ionosphere.     

Regional 4-D modeling of the ionospheric electron density from satellite data and IRI

Accurate knowledge of the electron density is the key point in correcting ionospheric delays of electromagnetic measurements and in studying ionosphere physics. During the last decade Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) have become a promising tool for monitoring ionospheric parameters such as the total electron content (TEC). In this contribution we present a four-dimensional (4-D) model of the electron density consisting of a given reference part, i.e., the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI), and an unknown correction term expanded in terms of multi-dimensional base functions. The corresponding series coefficients are calculable from the satellite measurements by applying parameter estimation procedures. Since satellite data are usually sampled between GPS satellites and ground stations, finer structures of the electron density are modelable just in regions with a sufficient number of ground stations. The proposed method is applied to simulated geometry-free GPS phase measurements. The procedure can be used, for example, to study the equatorial anomaly.     

Theoretical simulation of electron density and temperature distribution at Indian equatorial and low latitude ionosphere

The electron density and temperature distribution of the equatorial and low latitude ionosphere in the Indian sector has been investigated by simultaneously solving the continuity, momentum and energy balance equations of ion and electron flux along geomagnetic field lines from the Northern to the Southern hemisphere. Model algorithm is presented and results are compared with the electron density and electron temperature measured in situ by Indian SROSS C2 satellite at an altitude of ∼500 km within 31°S–34°N and 75 ± 10°E that covers the Indian sector during a period of low solar activity. Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) observed in electron density, morning and afternoon enhancements, equatorial trough in electron temperature have been simulated by the model within reasonable limits of accuracy besides reproducing other normal diurnal features of density and temperature.     

In situ studies of electron density during equatorial spread-F

A Langmuir probe operated in fixed bias mode was launched onboard a RH-560 rocket from the Sriharikota Range (SHAR, Lat.13° 42'N, Geog. Long.80° 14'E, dip 10°) India on October 1, 1980 at 21h03 IST, to study the electron density profile and the electron density irregularities in the equatorial spread-F. The payload was designed to study medium and large scale irregularities. A highly variable and structured electron density profile was obtained. This was the first rocket launch in the Indian zone during spread-F condition.     

Observations of electron density in the solar corona during sunspot minimum and global electric currents around the sun

The observed difference in electron density between the equatorial plane and the polar direction is compared for three empirical distributions: the Allen distribution, the Saito distribution, and the Saito-Munro-Jackson distribution. It is shown that from 1.5R_o to 5R_o the observed difference in electron density is sufficient to result in a global azimuthal electric current flow around the sun. The dependence of the calculated current density on the radial distance and solar latitude is discussed.     

Signatures of strong geomagnetic storms in the equatorial latitude

Ionosonde data from two equatorial stations in the African sector have been used to study the signatures of four strong geomagnetic storms on the height – electron density profiles of the equatorial ionosphere with the objective of investigating the effects and extent of the effects on the three layers of the equatorial ionosphere. The results showed that strong geomagnetic storms produced effects of varying degrees on the three layers of the ionosphere. Effect of strong geomagnetic storms on the lower layers of the equatorial ionosphere can be significant when compared with effect at the F2-layer. Fluctuations in the height of ionization within the E-layer were as much as 0% to +20.7% compared to −12.5% to +8.3% for the F2-layer. The 2007 version of the International Reference Ionosphere, IRI-07 storm-time model reproduced responses at the E-layer but overestimated the observed storm profiles for the F1- and F2-layers.     

Evaluation of the IRI-2007 model options for the topside electron density

The International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) 2007 provides two new options for the topside electron density profile: (a) a correction of the IRI-2001 model, and (b) the NeQuick topside formula. We use the large volume of Alouette 1, 2 and ISIS 1, 2 topside sounder data to evaluate these two new options with special emphasis on the uppermost topside where IRI-2001 showed the largest discrepancies. We will also study the accurate representation of profiles in the equatorial anomaly region where the profile function has to accommodate two latitudinal maxima (crests) at lower altitudes but only a single maximum (at the equator) higher up. In addition to IRI-2001 and the two new IRI-2007 options we also include the Intercosmos-based topside model of Triskova, Truhlik, and Smilauer [Triskova, L., Truhlik, V., Smilauer, J. An empirical topside electron density model for calculation of absolute ion densities in IRI. Adv. Space Res. 37 (5), 928–934, 2006] (TTS model) in our analysis. We find that overall IRI-2007-NeQ gives the best results but IRI-2007-corrected provides a more realistic representation of the altitudinal–latitudinal structure in the equatorial anomaly region. The applicability of the TTS model is limited by the fact that it is not normalized to the F2 peak density and height.     

IRI 2001/90 TEC predictions over a low latitude station

Total electron content (TEC) over Tucumán (26.9°S, 294.6°W) measured with Faraday technique during the high solar activity year 1982, is used to check IRI 2001 TEC predictions at the southern crest of the equatorial anomaly region. Comparisons with IRI 90 are also made. The results show that in general IRI overestimates TEC values around the daily minimum and underestimates it the remaining hours. Better predictions are obtained using ground ionosonde measurements as input coefficients in the IRI model. The results suggest that for hours of maximum TEC values the electron density profile is broader than that assumed by the model. The main reason for the disagreement would be the IRI shape of the electron density profile.     

Radio occultation electron density profiles from the FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC satellites over the Brazilian region: A comparison with Digisonde data

This study aims to validate the electron density profiles from the FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC satellites with data from Digisondes in Brazil during the low solar activity period of the years 2006, 2007 and 2008. Data from three Brazilian Digisondes located in Cachoeira Paulista (22.7°S, 45°W), São Luís (2.5°S, 44.2°W) and Fortaleza (3.8°S, 38°W) were used in the comparisons. Only the profiles whose density peak have been obtained near the stations coordinates were chosen for the comparison. Although there is generally good agreement, some cases of discrepancies are observed. Some of these discrepancies cannot be explained simply by the differences in the position and local time of the measurements made by the satellite and the ground-based station. In such cases it is possible that local conditions, such as the presence of a trans-equatorial wind or electron density gradients, could contribute to the observed differences. Comparison of the F2 layer peak parameters, the NmF2 and hmF2, obtained from the two techniques showed that, in general, the agreement for NmF2 is pretty good and the NmF2 has a better correlation than hmF2. Cachoeira Paulista had the worst correlation for hmF2 possibly because this station is situated in the region under the influence of the equatorial ionization anomaly, a region where it is more difficult to apply the RO technique without violating the spherical symmetry condition.     

Equatorial F-region ionization differences between March and September, 1979

Ionospheric total electron content and the F-region maximum electron density at a number of stations in the equatorial region, during the recent solar activity maximum period 1979 to 1980, show significant differences between the two equinoctial periods. Ionization during the month of March is higher than in September, irrespective of the station location both in northern and southern hemispheres, and in different longitude sectors. The observed pattern is compared with those predicted by different models, in particular with one of the authors which includes processes such as ionization production, loss, electrodynamic drifts, winds and global composition changes involved in the equatorial ionosphere. It is found that a change in the neutral composition is primarily responsible for the observed F-region density differences between March and September.     

Coordinated in situ measurements of plasma irregularities and ground based scintillation observations at the crest of equatorial anomaly

First comparison of in situ density fluctuations measured by the DEMETER satellite with ground based GPS receiver measurements at the equatorial anomaly station Bhopal (geographic coordinates (23.2°N, 77.6°E); geomagnetic coordinates (14.29°N, 151.12°E)) for the low solar activity year 2005, are presented in this paper. Calculation of the diurnal maximum of the strength of the equatorial electrojet, which can serve as precursor to ionospheric scintillations in the anomaly region is also done. The Langmuir Probe experiment and Plasma Analyzer onboard DEMETER measure the electron and ion densities respectively. Irregularities in electron density distribution cause scintillations on transionospheric links and there exists a close relationship between an irregularity and scintillation. In 40% of the cases, DEMETER detects the irregularity structures (dNe/Ne ? 5% and dNi/Ni (O⁺) ? 5%) and GPS L band scintillations (S4 ? 0.2) are also observed around the same time, for the low solar activity period. It is found that maximum irregularity intensity is obtained in the geomagnetic latitude range of 10–20° for both electron density and ion density. As the GPS signals pass through this irregularity structure, scintillations are recorded by the GPS receiver installed at the equatorial anomaly station, Bhopal it is interesting to note that in situ density fluctuations observed on magnetic flux tubes that pass over Bhopal can be used as indicator of ionospheric scintillations at that site. Many cases of density fluctuations and associated scintillations have been observed during the descending low solar activity period. The percentage occurrence of density irregularities and scintillations shows good correspondence with diurnal maximum of the strength of electrojet, however this varies with different seasons with maximum correspondence in summer (up to 66%) followed by equinox (up to 50%) and winter (up to 46%). Also, there is a threshold value of EEJ strength to produce density irregularities ((dNe/Ne)_max ? 5%) and for moderate to strong scintillations (S4 ? 0.3) to occur. For winter this value is found to be ∼40 nT whereas for equinox and summer it is around 50 nT.     

Structure of the equatorial lower ionosphere from the Thumba Langmuir probe experiments

A Langmuir probe designed and developed at the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad has been used on a variety of rockets since 1966 from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station, TERLS (8°31'N, 76°52'E, dip.lat. 0°47'S) to study the structure of the equatorial lower ionosphere. Good quality data is available from a set of twenty five rocket flights conducted during the period 1966 to 1978. This data has been obtained using a single standardised instrument at a single location and using a uniform procedure for data reading and analysis, and adopting a calibration procedure to convert the measured probe currents into electron densities which involves a height dependent calibration factor. The data has been used to establish the gross features of the equatorial lower ionosphere under daytime, night time, morning twilight and evening twilight periods.     

Variability of the ionospheric electron density at fixed heights and validation of IRI-2007 profile’s prediction at Ilorin

A study on the variability of the equatorial ionospheric electron density was carried out at fixed heights below the F2 peak using one month data for each of high and low solar activity periods. The data used for this study were obtained from ionograms recorded at Ilorin, Nigeria, and the study covers height range from 100 km to the peak of the F2 layer for the daytime hours and height range from 200 km to the peak of the F2 layer for the nighttime hours. The results showed that the deviation of the electron density variation from simple Chapman variation begins from an altitude of about 200 km for the two months investigated. Daytime minimum variability of between 2.7% and 9.0% was observed at the height range of about 160 and 200 km during low solar activity (January 2006) and between 3.7% and 7.8% at the height range of 210 and 260 km during high solar activity (January 2002). The nighttime maximum variability was observed at the height range of 210 and 240 km at low solar activity and at the height range of 200 and 240 km at high solar activity. A validation of IRI-2007 model electron density profile’s prediction was also carried out. The results showed that B0 option gives a better prediction around the noontime.     

Equatorial predictions from a new neural network based global foF2 model

A new neural network (NN) based global empirical model for the foF2 parameter, which represents the peak ionospheric electron density, has been developed using extended temporal and spatial geophysical relevant inputs. It has been proposed that this new model be considered as a suitable replacement for the International Union of Radio Science (URSI) and International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR) model options currently used within the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model for the purpose of F2 peak electron density predictions. The most recent version of the model has incorporated data from 135 global ionospheric stations including a number of equatorial stations.     

The equatorial ionization anomaly at the topside F region of the ionosphere along 75°E

Electron density measured by the Indian satellite SROSS C2 at the altitude of ∼500 km in the 75°E longitude sector for the ascending half of the solar cycle 22 from 1995 to 1999 are used to study the position and density of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA). Results show that the latitudinal position and peak electron density of the EIA crest and crest to trough ratios of the anomaly during the 10:00–14:00 LT period vary with season and from one year to another. Both EIA crest position and density are found to be asymmetric about the magnetic equator and the asymmetry depends on season as well as the year of observation, i.e., solar activity. The latitudinal position of the crest of the EIA and the crest density bears good positive correlation with F_10.7 and the strength of the equatorial electrojet (EEJ).     

Asymmetrical structure in the thermosphere during magnetic stroms as deduced from the CACTUS accelerometer data

During the last solar activity minimum, a great deal of very precise total density data was obtained in the equatorial regions from the CACTUS accelerometer experiment. Due to the eccentricity of the orbit, it is also possible to determine a density scale height by considering that the density profiles between the perigee (270 km) and 400 km are quasi-vertical. Densities and density scale heights are analysed during magnetic storms and their variations are compared with their behaviour during quiet periods. For densities as well as for scale heights, an asymmetrical structure in latitude and longitude is exhibited with respect to the magnetic equator. Their values are relatively higher in the northern hemisphere than in the southern one. The hypothesis (previously suggested) of a greater energy input in the southern hemisphere inducing asymmetrical winds, explains the results well.     

Comparison of electron density measurements from CSES and Swarm satellites with GNSS ionospheric tomography data

Electron density measurements obtained from China Seismo‐Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES) and Swarm-B can play an increasingly important role in the study of ionosphere above F2 peak height. This study presented a comprehensive comparison of electron density products obtained from Langmuir probe mounted on CSES and Swarm-B with ionospheric tomography for a whole year period of 2019. CSES was fully compared with Swarm-B on a global scale, including both absolute and relative differences, and a new index called NFI was developed to better quantify the similarity between two latitudinal profiles of electron density. CSES and Swarm-B were then compared with tomography respectively in four regions, roughly located in America, Europe, Australia and China. Results indicated that CSES data are consistent with Swarm-B, as NFI values exceed 0.6 for most of the analyses. Tomography and Swarm-B were found to have a good agreement as their biases are less than 0.2 × 10⁵ el/cm³ in general. For the comparison between CSES and tomography, the bias increased to around 0.6 × 10⁵ el/cm³ but the standard deviation changed slightly, validating the underestimation of electron density by CSES. The spatiotemporal comparisons of CSES and Swarm-B with tomography showed that: 1) the differences in electron density were relatively low in middle latitudes and increased rapidly in the regions of equatorial ionization anomaly; 2) Swarm-B has a better consistent with tomography than CSES, but both are capable of detecting ionosphere anomalies such as midlatitude arcs; and 3) CSES and Swarm-B both can capture the seasonal changes of electron density, while their values are basically smaller than those from tomography in Spring and Summer months.