A 12 year comparison of MIDAS and IRI 2007 ionospheric Total Electron Content

Data assimilation in conventional meteorological applications uses measurements in conjunction with a physical model. In the case of the ionised region of the upper atmosphere, the ionosphere, assimilation techniques are much less mature. The empirical model known as the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) could be used to augment data-sparse regions in an ionospheric now-cast and forecast system. In doing so, it is important that it does not introduce systematic biases to the result. Here, the IRI model is compared to ionospheric observations from the Global Positioning System satellites over Europe and North America. Global Positioning System data are processed into hour-to-hour monthly averages of vertical Total Electron Content using a tomographic technique. A period of twelve years, from January 1998 to December 2009, is analysed in order to capture variations over the whole solar cycle. The study shows that the IRI model underestimates Total Electron Content in the daytime at solar maximum by up to 37% compared to the monthly average of GPS tomographic images, with the greatest differences occurring at the equinox. IRI shows good agreement at other times. Errors in TEC are likely due to peak height and density inaccuracies. IRI is therefore a suitable model for specification of monthly averages of Total Electron Content and can be used to initialise a data assimilation process at times away from solar maximum. It may be necessary to correct for systematic deviations from IRI at solar maximum, and to incorporate error estimation into a data assimilation scheme.     

Thermosphere–ionosphere response to a severe magnetic storm: A case study

This paper reports the response of the ionosphere–thermosphere system to an intense geomagnetic storm. For that, data taken by instruments on board Dynamic Explorer 2 at heights of the F2-layer (molecular nitrogen N₂ and atomic oxygen O compositions, neutral temperature Tg and electron density Ne) were used. The ionospheric response is characterized by a negative storm effect expanding from mid–high to low latitude. It is observed during this severe geomagnetic storm that negative effects were caused mainly by an increase in molecular nitrogen composition N₂ and almost no changes in atomic oxygen composition O.     

Cross-hemisphere comparison of mid-latitude ionospheric variability during 1996–2009: Juliusruh vs. Hobart

Analysis of a long-time series of hourly median characteristics of the ionospheric plasma at two mid-latitude locations in the Northern and Southern hemisphere, Juliusruh (54.6N; 13.4E) and Hobart (42.9S; 147.3E), reveals patterns of their synchronous and independent variability. We studied timelines of GPS vTEC, ionogram-derived F2-layer peak electron density NmF2, ionospheric equivalent slab thickness τ, and their ratios at two locations during the complete 23rd solar cycle and its following period of the extremely low solar activity in 2008–2009. This study has also involved the comparative analysis of the observed data versus the model predictions by IRI-2012. During the high solar activity in 2000–2002, seasonal variations show a complicated cross-hemisphere behavior influenced by the winter and semi-annual anomalies, with the largest noon-time values of TEC and NmF2 observed around equinoxes. Strength of the winter anomaly in NmF2 was significantly greater at Juliusruh in comparison with Hobart. The winter anomaly in GPS vTEC values was much weaker than in NmF2 for the Northern hemisphere mid-latitudes and was entirely absent at the Southern hemisphere. Cross-hemisphere analysis of the equivalent slab thickness shows its clear seasonal dependence for all levels of solar activity: the day-time maximum τ_max is observed during local summer, whereas the day-time minimum τ_min is observed during local winter. The night-time values of τ were higher compared to the day-time values during the winter and equinox seasons. Comparative model-data study shows rather good IRI performance of the day-time NmF2 for mid-latitudes of both hemispheres and rather noticeable overestimations for the mid-night NmF2 values during high solar activity. Analysis of IRI vTEC demonstrates the model limitations, related with the absence of the plasmaspheric part, and actual demand in a reliable and standard ionosphere–plasmasphere model for analysis of GPS vTEC.     

利用IGS-TEC数据分析中国华南地区电离层赤道异常北驼峰的变化特征

利用2010年11月至2011年10月IGS提供的全球电子浓度总含量(TEC)数据, 分析太阳活动上升期华南地区(经度110°E, 纬度5°—35°N) 上空电离层赤道异常(EIA)北驼峰的变化特征. 结果显示, 电离层赤道异常北驼峰区TEC峰值I具有明显的季节和半年变化特征; 北驼峰峰值出现的时间T和纬度L的日变化有一个相对较大的变化区间, 其季节和半年变化特征并不明显; 太阳活动对北驼峰变化影响比较明显, 而地磁活动对北驼峰变化影响不明显.      

电离层特征参量的自相关原理插值方法

通过选用合适的电离层平稳性参数, 建立相应的正定自相关系数模型, 利用自相关分析原理, 提出了一种针对电离层特征参量历史缺失数据插值处理的新方法. 该方法能够提高Muhtarov 和Kutiev 在1999 年提出的自相关系数法的插值精度, 通常情况下可以把误差降低1 到2 个百分点以上, 有时甚至能降低接近9 个百分点, 在很大程度上改善了对电离层历史缺失数据的插值处理效果. 此外, 本文还对插值误差随季节、太阳活动性和地理纬度等的变化规律进行了分析.      

Ionospheric oscillations caused by geomagnetic Pi2 pulsations and their observations by multipoint continuous Doppler sounding; first results

In 2004, we started operating a continuous Doppler sounding system to investigate ionospheric signatures of infrasonic, short period acoustic gravity waves and geomagnetic pulsations. Since January 2007, four stable 3.59 MHz transmitters have been in operation in the western part of the Czech Republic. Multipoint measurements enable us to investigate horizontal propagation of waves and disturbances in the ionosphere and to estimate horizontal distances over which these waves (disturbances) are correlated.     

单脉冲雷达测量的电离层折射修正的研究

当目标在电离层飞行时,单脉冲雷达的测量电波会受到电离层的折射影响。由于电离层是一种磁离子介质,与低层大气介质的物理特性不一致,对电波造成的折射影响也不同。本文首先介绍电离层折射误差的计算方法,然后分析雷达测量仰角和目标高度造成的折射误差,并比较不同的电子浓度剖面对雷达测量的影响。     

萤火一号火星探测计划的科学目标

与其他行星相比火星是与地球最为相似, 也是最有可能在其上发现地球以外生命现象的一颗行星, 因此特别受到人类的关注. 近年来, 有国家已经发射了火星探测器, 并启动了载人火星探测研究计划. 中国是世界上第五个具备自主发射人造卫星的国家, 也是世界上第三个具备自主开展载人航天活动的国家. 但是中国在深空探测领域才刚刚起步. 2007年中俄两国签署了联合探测火星计划, 俄罗斯负责将中国研制的一颗微小卫星------萤火一号发送至火星轨道. 萤火一号将开展自主探测, 并与俄罗斯的火卫一探测器开展联合探测. 本文综述了萤火一号任务提出的科学背景及科学目标, 简要介绍了为实现科学目标配置的有效载荷, 以及入轨后的主要探测任务, 并对其科学探测结果进行了初步的展望.      

A Review on the Ionospheric Research： Chinese Works During 2006-2008

This paper reviews various progresses on the ionospheric studies by the scientists in China during the last two years.The main contents concern the 4 aspects of the ionospheric research:(1)ionospheric weather and coupling with magnetosphere(polar and auroral ionosphere,ionospheric response to substorms,ionospheric storms);(2)mid-and low-latitude ionospheric climatology(ionospheric properties,yearly variations and solar activity dependence,long term variation);(3)ionospheric coupling with neutral atmosphere(gravity waves,tides,planetary waves,background upper atmosphere,and ionospheric response);and(4)ionospheric diagnostics(observation,modeling,and prediction).     

Polar ionosphere and geomagnetic response for the flux transfer events: A case study

On April 15th 2003, Cluster crossed the dayside magnetopause boundary and observed a series flux transfer events (FTEs) during the interval from 0630 to 0730 UT. During this period, the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) showed a negative z component and a positive y component. Simultaneous corresponding transient plasma flows were identified in the near-conjugate polar ionosphere by the CUTLASS Finland HF radar, and the geomagnetic field disturbances were observed by the IMAGE ground-based magnetometers. By combing these data and applying the Cooling model, we show that the transient plasma flows and the geomagnetic field disturbances are closely related to the dayside FTEs.