Prediction of total electron content using the International Reference Ionosphere

The International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) is a model of the ionosphere, based on experimental data, which has been proposed as a standard ionospheric model. As such, it should be tested extensively to determine its range of validity. One of the ways in which the electron denisty profile given by the IRI, especially above the peak of the F layer, can be tested is to compare calculated and observed values of total electron content (TEC). We have therefore studied the discrepancies between calculated and observed values of TEC recorded at 15 stations covering a wide range of longitudes and latitudes, mainly in the northern hemisphere, and mainly for high levels of solar activity. W have found that the IRI produces reasonably accurate values of TEC at mid and high latitudes, but that it greatly underestimates the daytime values of TEC at low latitudes. We conclude therefore that the daytime electron density profile given by the IRI is reasonably accurate at mid and high latitudes, at least above the peak of the F2 layer. The situation at low latitudes clearly requires more work, and we have suggested two possible lines of study. The generally low discrepancies at night indicate that the night-time electron density profiles given by the IRI correspond fairly closely to the actual profiles.     

Solar wind governing the response of Venusian atmosphere and ionosphere

The ionosphere of Venus is primarily formed by photoionization of a gaseous blanket around Venus. The impact ionization by energetic solar charged particles also plays an important role in the variability of Venusian ionospheric ion, electron density and their temperature profiles. The microscopic variations in the solar wind velocity, particle flux and orientations of frozen-in interplanetary magnetic field determine the solar wind interaction with the Venusian ionosphere. The ion and electron density profiles obtained by Pioneer Venus Orbiter and Pioneer Venus Entry Probes have been analysed in the light of simultaneous solar wind velocity and particle flux. Marked changes in height profiles of ion, electron densities and their temperatures have been found to correlate with the simultaneous changes in the solar wind velocity and particle flux. It is shown that the solar wind plays a more important role in controlling the physical properties and behavior of daytime as well as nighttime ionosphere of Venus, whereas the solar xuv sustains the primary ionization process.     

Effects of geomagnetic storms on the bottomside ionospheric F region

The geomagnetic storm is a complex process of solar wind/magnetospheric origin. The variability of the ionospheric parameters increases substantially during geomagnetic storms initiated by solar disturbances. Various features of geomagnetic storm act at various altitudes in the ionosphere and neutral atmosphere. The paper deals with variability of the electron density of the ionospheric bottomside F region at every 10 km of altitude during intense geomagnetic storms with attention paid mainly to the distribution of the F1 region daytime ionisation. We have analysed all available electron density profiles from some European middle latitude stations (Chilton, Pruhonice, Ebro, Arenosillo, Athens) for 36 events that occurred in different seasons and under different levels of solar activity (1995–2003). Selected events consist of both depletion and increase of the F2 region electron density. For European higher middle and middle latitude the F1 region response to geomagnetic storm was found to be negative (decrease of electron density) independent on the storm effect on the F2 region. For lower middle latitude the F1 response is weaker and less regular. Results of the analysis also show that the maximum of the storm effect may sometimes occur below the height of the maximum of electron density (NmF2).     

Modelled ionospheric Te profiles at mid-latitudes for possible IRI application

The electron temperature (T_e) variation in the mid-latitude ionosphere at altitudes between 120 – 800 km has been modelled for various seasonal and solar-cycle conditions. The calculated electron temperatures are consistent with plasma densities and ion temperatures computed from a time-dependent ionospheric model. The T_e distribution can be represented by a subset of standard T_e profiles. T_e above 200 km is controlled by the magnetospheric heat flux into the ionosphere. For realistic values of the magnetospheric heat flux, the maximum electron temperature ranges from 3000 to 10,000 K at 800 km. The effect of increasing the heat flux is to increase the topside temperature but retain the profile shape. Hence, given a topside T_e observation and selection of an appropriate profile shape, the entire T_e distribution can be computed.     

Ionospheric losses of Venus in the solar wind

The nature of ionospheric losses from Venus is of essential importance for understanding the ionosphere dynamics of this unmagnetized planet. A plausible mechanism that can explain the escape of charged particles involves the solar wind interaction with the upper atmospheric layers of Venus. The hydrodynamic approach proposed for plasma expansion in the present study comprises two populations of positive ions and the neutralizing electrons, which interact with the solar wind electrons and protons. The fluid equations describing the plasma are solved numerically using a self-similar approach. The behavior of plasma density, velocity, and electric potential, as well as their reliance upon solar wind parameters have been examined. It is found that for noon midnight sites, the oxygen ion-to-electron relative density may be the main factor to enhance the ionic loss. However, the other parameters, like hydrogen density and solar wind density and velocity seem to do not stimulate the runaway ions. For lower dawn-dusk region, the plasma are composed of hydrogen and oxygen ions as well as electrons, but for higher altitudes only hydrogen ions and electrons are encountered. All ionic densities play an important role either to reduce or boost the ionic loss. The streaming solar wind velocity has no effect on the plasma escaping for lower altitudes, but it reduces the expansion at higher altitudes.     

Effects of solar activity variations on the low latitude topside nighttime ionosphere

We have studied the topside nighttime ionosphere of the low latitude region using data obtained from DMSP F15, ROCSAT-1, KOMPSAT-1, and GUVI on the TIMED satellite for the period of 2000–2004, during which solar activity decreased from its maximum. As these satellites operated at different altitudes, we were able to discriminate altitude dependence of several key ionospheric parameters on the level of solar activity. For example, with intensifying solar activity, electron density was seen to increase more rapidly at higher altitudes than at lower altitudes, implying that the corresponding scale height also increased. The density increased without saturation at all observed altitudes when plotted against solar EUV flux instead of F10.7. The results of the present study, as compared with those of previous studies for lower altitudes, indicate that topside vertical scale height increases with altitude and that, when solar activity increases, topside vertical scale height increases more rapidly at higher altitudes than at lower altitudes. Temperature also increased more rapidly at higher altitudes than at lower altitudes as solar activity increased. In addition, the height of the F2 peak was seen to increase with increasing solar activity, along with the oxygen ion fraction measured above the F2 peak. These results confirm that the topside ionosphere rises and expands with increasing solar activity.     

Recent advances in upper atmospheric structure

A possible quantitative explanation of the semi-annual variation in thermospheric density has been obtained in terms of a semi-annual variation in the computed globally averaged vertical energy carried by propagating tides from the lower and middle atmosphere into the thermosphere. The effect is primarily due to seasonal changes in the distribution of water vapor and in the solar declination angle and Sun-Earth distance. An MSIS-83 empirical model of the thermosphere, representing a revision of the earlier MSIS models, has been prepared. The database used covers a wider range of solar activity than previous models and an improved magnetic storm representation is included. Atomic oxygen profiles in the 100 to 160 km altitude region of the auroral thermosphere have been recalculated from measured quenching of N₂(A³∑_u⁺) using the latest laboratory rates and the results are in good agreement with the mean CIRA 1972 profile. A new empirical model of thermospheric variations with geomagnetic activity has been developed incorporating variations with local magnetic time, latitude dependent terms which can vary with the magnitude of the geomagnetic disturbance, and an altitude dependent expression for the equatorial wave. A new index ML, derived from the AL index, has been developed that appears to have promise to represent the variations of thermospheric species with geomagnetic activity. Satellite measured values of solar UV flux, ground-based observations of CaK plages, sunspot numbers and 10.7 cm solar radio flux have been analyzed for temporal variations. Some differences have been identified and the significance to empirical and theoretical upper atmosphere models is discussed.     

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.     

基于中国岢岚地区法布里-珀罗干涉仪的风场及行星波观测特征

利用中国岢岚站（38.7°N,111.6°W）法布里-珀罗干涉仪2013年7月至2014年11月的水平风场数据,对87,97,250km风场长期变化和行星波特征进行了研究.通过分析年振荡（AO）和半年振荡（SAO）振幅相位,将午夜风场与HWM07数据对比发现：87km和97km处FPI纬向风变化趋势与HWM07相近,而经向风相位落后于HWM07,从振幅上看,HWM07振幅偏大;250km处风场月变化大,FPI与HWM07差异大,HWM07模式的准确性需进一步考虑太阳活动和行星际磁场的影响.利用Lomb-Scargle功率谱以及最小二乘谐波拟合提取了三个高度的行星波振幅,其特征表明87km和97km处纬向风16日波秋季及冬春季活动强,而6.5日波最强振幅出现在春季和秋季,在中间层顶附近两种行星波活动均较弱;250km处经向行星波活动略强于纬向,经向风不同周期带的行星波最强振幅主要出现在5-9月,与电离层f₀F₂振荡特性的研究结果一致.     

Evaluation of the IRI-2016 and NeQuick electron content specification by COSMIC GPS radio occultation,ground-based GPS and Jason-2 joint altimeter/GPS observations

We examined performance of two empirical profile-based ionospheric models, namely IRI-2016 and NeQuick-2, in electron content (EC) and total electron content (TEC) representation for different seasons and levels of solar activity. We derived and analyzed EC estimates in several representative altitudinal intervals for the ionosphere and the plasmasphere from the COSMIC GPS radio occultation, ground-based GPS and Jason-2 joint altimeter/GPS observations. It allows us to estimate a quantitative impact of the ionospheric electron density profiles formulation in several altitudinal intervals and to examine the source of the model-data discrepancies of the EC specification from the bottom-side ionosphere towards the GPS orbit altitudes. The most pronounced model-data differences were found at the low latitude region as related to the equatorial ionization anomaly appearance. Both the IRI-2016 and NeQuick-2 models tend to overestimate the daytime ionospheric EC and TEC at low latitudes during all seasons of low solar activity. On the contrary, during high solar activity the model results underestimated the EC/TEC observations at low latitudes. We found that both models underestimated the EC for the topside ionosphere and plasmasphere regions for all levels of solar activity. For low solar activity, the underestimated EC from the topside ionosphere and plasmasphere can compensate the overestimation of the ionospheric EC and, consequently, can slightly decrease the resulted model overestimation of the ground-based TEC. For high solar activity, the underestimated EC from the topside ionosphere and plasmasphere leads to a strengthening of the model underestimation of the ground-based TEC values. We demonstrated that the major source of the model-data discrepancies in the EC/TEC domain comes from the topside ionosphere/plasmasphere system.     

低纬100—200km间电子数密度的变化

利用光化平衡模式计算了低纬100—200km间白天电子数密度的变化。求得E-F₁谷区的谷深,谷宽、谷高的变化特征。获得如下结果:a.太阳活动明显影响电子数密度随高度及太阳天顶角的变化,发现太阳活动指数与电子数密度间不仅存在正相关,而且存在负相关;b.太阳活动明显影响E-F₁谷区的形态。在一定太阳活动条件下,对同一太阳赤纬和地理纬度,谷深、谷宽与太阳天顶角的关系难以用一简单函数来表示;c.太阳耀斑、地磁活动对该区电子密度有明显影响;d.在讨论100—200km间电子密度时不能忽略O⁺（2P）和NO的光电离率。     

Latitudinal influences on the quiet daytime D-region

Four versions of a steady-state quiet D-region model are presented. They differ from each other as a result of latitudinal differences in total neutral particle concentrations, nitric oxide concentrations and cosmic ray ionization rates. The total ion concentration profiles of all four versions have minima near 70 km which range from about 10⁸ m^?3 at high latitudes to 3.5 × 10⁷ m^?3 at equatorial latitudes for a solar zenith angle of 60°. Neutral density differences among the four cases result in important vertical shifts for the respective D-region profiles relative to one another. A “C-layer” is evident for the high and mild-latitude models at large solar zenith angles. The altitude where the negative ion/electron concentrations ratio is unity varies from about 63 to 67 km. The computed results are compared briefly with the extensive data base in the literature.     

不同上边界条件下的极区电离层数值模拟

利用一维自洽的极区电离层模型,研究了沿磁力线方向不同电离层-磁层耦合条件下极区电离层的响应.此模型在110-610km的电离层空间区域内,综合求解描述极区电离层的连续性方程、动量方程和能量方程,以得到电离层数值解.研究发现,上边界条件在200 km以上的高度能显著地影响电离层参量的形态.较高的O+上行速度对应较低的F层峰值和较高的电子温度.不同边界O+上行速度对应的温度高度剖面完全不同.200km以上电子温度高度剖面不但由来自磁层的热流通量所控制,同时还受到场向O+速度的影响.对利用电离层模型研究电离层内部物理过程提出了建议.     

Comparison of subpeak electron density profiles deduced from ionograms with the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI)

A comparison is made between the subpeak electron density profiles, obtained at selected local hours by vertical ionospheric sounding at the ionospheric station at Sofia (42.6°N; 23.3°E) and the IRI profiles for spring, summer, winter and two levels of solar activity (R = 10 and 100). It is demonstrated that the ionospheric profiles above Sofia are in rather good agreement with the values computed with IRI.     

利用太阳耀斑的电离层效应确定低纬度D层顶一氧化氮浓度

通过氧鎓离子化学计算了一次强太阳耀斑扰动期间低纬度(28°38′N)D层顶NO浓度。该方法适用于O+₂离子化学生存时间较短且负离子浓度与正离子相比可以忽略的80至87.5公里高度。计算结果表明,它相当好地符合Meira的实验观测剖面,只是85公里处的最小值特别弱。      

Comparison between d- and lower e-region electron density profiles and IRI-79

The D and E-region electron density profiles obtained by different techniques are compared with the IRI-79 model to see how they fit. The rocket data showed good agreement. However discrepancies between the observed and model values were found especially for solar zenith angle greater than 50 degrees.     

Observations of the interactions of heavy ions from Comet P/Giacobini-Zinner with the solar wind

During the encounter between the ICE spacecraft and Comet Giacobini-Zinner, intense fluxes of energetic heavy ions were observed at distances up to 4 × 10⁶ km from the comet. These ions were observed with steep energy spectra and highly anisotropic angular distributions, and are consistent with a composition comprising mainly ions from the water group. The flux versus time profiles have a general fall-off with increasing distance from the comet, but are modulated by both changes in the magnetic field direction and the solar wind velocity, the magnetic field variations being mainly responsible for variations on a time scale of minutes, and the solar wind velocity variations being responsible for much larger time-scale modulations, such as the inbound/outbound asymmetry of the intensity profile. In this paper we present correlated observations of heavy ions, the solar wind velocity and the magnetic field direction, and compare the observations of the ions with the theoretical predictions for their variations with distance from the comet, with the solar wind velocity and with the magnetic field direction.     

Mathematical modeling of plasma drifts over equatorial low latitude regions

This paper presents a mathematical model to simulate ionospheric plasma drifts at equatorial low latitude regions by coupling of E- and F-regions. The governing non-linear differential equations (of elliptic and parabolic nature) are solved numerically through finite-difference schemes and obtained neutral winds and electric fields. The temperature and electron density profiles are generated utilizing MSIS-86 atmospheric model. The continuity equation is employed to obtain night-time E-region density profile using measured ionograms at Trivandrum (India). The computed vertical and zonal plasma drifts are comparable with measured Jacamarca plasma drifts with little variations during noon and evening times. The plasma drifts at Trivandrum (8.5° N, 76.5° E, dip 0.5° N) are compared with those of Jicamarca (12° S, 76.9° W, dip 2° N). Neutral wind simulations of present model agree well with those of horizontal wind model (HWM-93). The post-sunset enhancement and its reversal are also discussed.     

利用COSMIC掩星数据监测电离层的异常变化

分析了COSMIC掩星数据反演电子密度的方法,利用实例研究反演方法的特点,并采用ISR非相干散射雷达获取的电子密度数据进行验证,进而反演了长三角区域SHAO（IGS）站上空在日全食和太阳风暴期间的电子密度廓线图. 通过与平静日期间电离层电子密度进行比较,发现日全食及太阳风暴导致电离层发生的异常变化,从而提出COSMIC掩星数据反演电子密度在监测电离层变化时所具有的优势.