Assessment of precision in ionospheric electron density profiles retrieved by GPS radio occultations

The Constellation Observing System for Meteorology Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) is a six satellite radio occultation mission that was launched in April 2006. The close proximity of these satellites during some months after launch provides a unique opportunity to evaluate the precision of Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation (RO) retrievals of ionospheric electron density from nearly collocated and simultaneous observations. RO data from 30 consecutive days during July and August 2006 are divided into ten groups in terms of daytime or nighttime and latitude. In all cases, the best precision values (about 1%) are found at the F peak height and they slightly degrade upwards. For all daytime groups, it is seen that electron density profiles above about 120 km height exhibit a substantial improvement in precision. Nighttime groups are rather diverse: in particular, the precision becomes better than 10% above different levels between 120 and 200 km height. Our overall results show that up to 100–200 km (depending on each group), the uncertainty associated with the precision is in the order of the measured electron density values. Even worse, the retrieved values tend sometimes to be negative. Although we cannot rely directly on electron density values at these altitudes, the shape of the profiles could be indicative of some ionospheric features (e.g. waves and sporadic E layers). Above 200 km, the profiles of precision are qualitatively quite independent from daytime or latitude. From all the nearly collocated pairs studied, only 49 exhibited a difference between line of sight angles of both RO at the F peak height larger than 10°. After analyzing them we find no clear indications of a significant representativeness error in electron density profiles due to the spherical assumption above 120 km height. Differences in precision between setting and rising GPS RO may be attributed to the modification of the processing algorithms applied to rising cases during the initial period of the COSMIC mission.     

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.     

Atmosphere sounding by GPS radio occultation: First results from TanDEM-X and comparison with TerraSAR-X

On 21 June 2010 the TerraSAR-X satellite was joined by the TanDEM-X satellite. A Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation (RO) experiment using the twin satellites has been carried out to estimate the precision of GPS atmospheric soundings. For the Day Of Year (DOY) 330–336, 2011, we analyze phase and amplitude data recorded by GPS receivers separated by a few hundred meters in a low earth orbit and derive collocated atmospheric refractivity profiles. In the altitude range 10–20 km the standard deviation between TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X refractivity does not exceed 0.15%. The standard deviation is rapidly increasing for lower and higher altitudes; close to the surface and at an altitude of 30 km the standard deviation reaches 0.8% and 0.5%, respectively. Systematic deviations between TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X refractivity in the considered altitude range (0–30 km) are negligible. The results confirm the anticipated high precision of the GPS RO technique. However, the difference in the retrieved refractivity in the lower troposphere for different Open Loop (OL) signal tracking parameters, altered onboard TanDEM-X for DOY 49–55, 2012, calls for an in depth analysis. At the moment we can not exclude that a potential bias in the OL Doppler model introduces a bias in our retrieved refractivity at altitudes <8$<8$ km.     

Investigation of ionospheric response to two moderate geomagnetic storms using GPS–TEC measurements in the South American and African sectors during the ascending phase of solar cycle 24

The responses of the ionospheric F region using GPS–TEC measurements during two moderate geomagnetic storms at equatorial, low-, and mid-latitude regions over the South American and African sectors in May 2010, during the ascending phase of solar cycle 24, are investigated. The first moderate geomagnetic storm studied reached a minimum Dst value of −64 nT at 1500 UT on 02 May 2010 and the second moderate geomagnetic storm reached a minimum Dst value of −85 nT at 1400 UT on 29 May 2010. In this paper, we present vertical total electron content (VTEC) and phase fluctuations (in TECU/min) from Global Positioning System (GPS) observations from the equatorial to mid-latitude regions in the South American and African sectors. Our results obtained during these two moderate geomagnetic storms from both sectors show significant positive ionospheric storms during daytime hours at the equatorial, low-, and mid-latitude regions during the main and recovery phases of the storms. The thermospheric wind circulation change towards the equator is a strong indicator that suggests an important mechanism is responsible for these positive phases at these regions. A pre-storm event that was observed in the African sector from low- to the mid-latitude regions on 01 May 2010 was absent in the South American sector. This study also showed that there was no generation or suppression of ionospheric irregularities by storm events. Therefore, knowledge about the suppression and generation of ionospheric irregularities during moderate geomagnetic storms is still unclear.     

载波相位辅助的GPS动态单点定位算法综述

对载波相位辅助条件下应用于全球定位系统（Global Positioning System,GPS）动态单点定位的各种算法进行了综合分析与比较。首先简要介绍定位算法中的基本公式与观测模型;然后分别对周跳修复与滤波解算两部分所应用的各种算法进行详细介绍并比较其性能与适用范围;最后对尚待解决的问题及可能的发展方向进行了总结。     

基于SPF/DB工艺的某翼类构件内部结构优化分析

采用SPF/DB工艺成形的翼类构件,内部结构不仅影响其力学性能,同时决定SPF/DB工艺的可行性。翼类构件在应用SPF/DB工艺成形过程中,内部夹层扩散焊接焊缝处形成筋条,从而增强结构强度,因此中间夹层扩散焊接筋条分布决定了成形后构件内部结构。本文利用有限元软件ABAQUS6.8对不同内部结构的某翼类构件进行静力学分析及超塑成形的数值模拟,得到既满足强度要求又有利于SPF/DB工艺要求的内部结构。     

高超声速飞行器后体/尾喷管优化设计

结合试验设计方法、替代模型技术和遗传算法构建一套改进的优化方法,并将其应用于高超声速飞行器后体/尾喷管的一体化设计.在构建优化方法时,针对替代模型采用渐近全局策略提高精度;针对遗传算法,采用实数编码、多目标定级排序和改进小生境技术.在后体/尾喷管的一体化设计应用中,结合高精度的计算流体力学(CFD,Computational Fluid Dynamics)求解,以两个设计点的推力和升力为目标,以力矩为约束,得到优化问题的Pareto最优前沿面,优化结果在综合性能方面有很大提升.该优化方法可进一步推广应用于更复杂的优化设计当中.      

全球导航卫星系统多星故障排除新方法

在全球导航卫星系统中,多颗卫星同时发生故障的概率会随着观测卫星数的增加而增加,从而,在接收机自主完好性监测中需考虑多星故障的处理.针对故障检测比故障排除简单、且故障检测率比故障排除率高的特征,以故障检测为基础,提出了一种新的多星故障排除方法——随机搜索法.该方法采用二进制对观测卫星进行编码,通过随机初始化方式获得初始无故障星座,再通过逐步搜索未选卫星方式来得到最终的含有最多无故障卫星的星座,实现故障排除功能.仿真结果表明:大部分情形下,新方法能获得99%以上的故障排除率,既能进行单星故障排除,也能进行多星故障排除,能有效满足全球导航卫星系统关于自主完好性的要求.      

BPM授时信号传输损耗的仿真建模

为了适应BPM发播系统升级改造,需要远场监测BPM授时信号的场强,因此有必要研究短波信道传输损耗,建立适当的计算模型。通过分析现有传输损耗理论模型,综合考虑地波、天波对BPM授时信号传输损耗的影响,在Labwindows/CVI开发环境下设计了BPM授时信号场强预测软件。通过将预测值与实测值比较,表明了该软件的可行性和准确性,可用于BPM授时信号场强的远场监测。