Comparison of GPS derived TEC with the TEC predicted by IRI 2012 model in the southern Equatorial Ionization Anomaly crest within the Eastern Africa region

We have compared the TEC obtained from the IRI-2012 model with the GPS derived TEC data recorded within southern crest of the EIA in the Eastern Africa region using the monthly means of the 5 international quiet days for equinoxes and solstices months for the period of 2012 – 2013. GPS-derived TEC data have been obtained from the Africa array and IGS network of ground based dual-frequency GPS receivers from four stations (Kigali (1.95°S, 30.09°E; Geom. Lat. 11.63°S), Malindi (2.99°S, 40.19°E; Geom. Lat. 12.42°S), Mbarara (0.60°S, 30.74°E; Geom. Lat. 10.22°S) and Nairobi (1.22°S, 36.89°E; Geom. Lat. 10.69°S)) located within the EIA crest in this region. All the three options for topside Ne of IRI-2012 model and ABT-2009 for bottomside thickness have been used to compute the IRI TEC. Also URSI coefficients were considered in this study. These results are compared with the TEC estimated from GPS measurements. Correlation Coefficients between the two sets of data, the Root-Mean Square Errors (RMSE) of the IRI-TEC from the GPS-TEC, and the percentage RMSE of the IRI-TEC from the GPS-TEC have been computed. Our general results show that IRI-2012 model with all three options overestimates the GPS-TEC for all seasons and at all stations, and IRI-2001 overestimates GPS-TEC more compared with other options. IRI-Neq and IRI-01-corr are closely matching in most of the time. The observation also shows that, GPS TEC are underestimated by TEC from IRI model during noon hours, especially during equinoctial months. Further, GPS-TEC values and IRI-TEC values using all the three topside Ne options show very good correlation (above 0.8). On the other hand, the TEC using IRI-Neq and IRI-01- corr had smaller deviations from the GPS-TEC compared to the IRI-2001.     

Analysis of the data processing strategies of spherical harmonic expansion model on global ionosphere mapping for moderate solar activity

Spherical harmonic (SH) expansion is widely used to model the global ionosphere map (GIM) of vertical total electron content (VTEC). According to the impact of different data processing methods of the SH expansion model on the VTEC maps, we specifically performed comprehensive analysis in terms of the data sampling rate, the time resolution, the spherical harmonic degree, and the relative constraint. One month of GPS data (January in 2016) from the International GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) Service (IGS) network in a moderate ionospheric activity period at the descending phase of Solar Cycle 24 was processed. To improve the computational efficiency of the daily GIM generation, the data sampling rate of 5?min was recommended allowing the GIM precision loss within 0.10 TECU (total electron content unit). The global VTEC map could be better represented in temporal and spatial domains with higher time resolution and higher spherical harmonic degree, especially at low latitude bands and in the southern hemisphere. The GIM precision improvement was about 10.91% for 1-h and about 15.15% for 0.5-h compared with the commonly used 2-h time resolution. The use of spherical harmonic degree 17 or 20 instead of 15 could improve the precision by 3.19% or 6.06%. We also found that an optimal relative constraint had to be found experimentally considering both the GIM precision and the GIM root mean square (RMS) map.     

Full characterization of a compact 90Sr/90Y beta source for TID radiation testing

A new methodology for Total Ionizing Dose (TID) tests is proposed. It is based on the employment of an on-chip ⁹⁰Sr/⁹⁰Y beta source as alternative to standard methods such as ⁶⁰Co gamma rays and electrons from LINAC. The use of a compact beta source for TID tests has several advantages. In particular, the irradiation of devices with more than one radiation source results in a better representation of the complex space radiation environment composed of several types, energies and dose-rates. In addition, the use of an easy handling beta source allows the irradiation of electronic devices without any damage to other auxiliary circuit. In this work, ⁹⁰Sr/⁹⁰Y beta source dosimetry and related radiation field characteristics are discussed in depth.In order to validate the proposed source for TID tests, a rather complex device such as the “SPC56EL70L5” microcontroller from ST-Microelectronics was exposed to ⁹⁰Sr/⁹⁰Y beta rays. The results of this test were compared to that of a previous test of another sample from the same lot with a standard gamma ⁶⁰Co source. The electronic performances following the two irradiations have been found to be in excellent agreement, by demonstrating therefore the validity of the proposed beta source for TID tests.     

GNSS观测数据ZTD建模的质量控制方法

针对目前基于GNSS观测数据的对流层天顶总延迟(ZTD)模型缺乏有效质量控制手段的现状,提出了一套综合考虑数据量、网格分辨率以及模型稳定性的ZTD建模质量控制方法,并采用内华达大地测量实验室(NGL)解算的高空间分辨率GNSS对流层数据,选取了近十年德国及周边区域[47°N-55°N,5°E-15°E]183个测站的实测ZTD,对该方法进行了校验。实验结果表明:在该质量控制方法下建立的新模型精度稳定,平均均方根误差(RMS)为3.4 cm,相对于UNB3m、EGNOS、GPT2w+Saas平均改善了42.4%、35.8%、33.3%。本文提出的质量控制方法有效提升了基于GNSS观测数据的ZTD模型的性能,对于ZTD建模研究具有一定的参考价值。     

空间CCD图像传感器辐射损伤评估方法

CCD图像传感器作为高灵敏度光电集成部件,易受空间辐射的影响而发生性能退化和工作异常。开展其辐射效应评价研究并制定相应的防护对策,是保证其在空间可靠应用的前提。文章通过地面模拟试验和辐射屏蔽计算,对空间用CCD图像传感器电离辐射损伤与位移损伤效应开展评估方法研究,为CCD抗辐射加固设计与地面评估试验提供参考。该方法也可用于其他光电器件和材料辐射效应评价。     

Traveling ionospheric disturbances observed at South African midlatitudes during the 29–31 October 2003 geomagnetically disturbed period

This paper presents traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) observations from GPS measurements over the South African region during the geomagnetically disturbed period of 29–31 October 2003. Two receiver arrays, which were along two distinct longitudinal sectors of about 18°-20° and 27°-28° were used in order to investigate the amplitude, periods and virtual propagation characteristics of the storm induced ionospheric disturbances. The study revealed a large sudden TEC increase on 28 October 2003, the day before the first of the two major storms studied here, that was recorded simultaneously by all the receivers used. This pre-storm enhancement was linked to an X-class solar flare, auroral/magnetospheric activities and vertical plasma drift, based on the behaviour of the geomagnetic storm and auroral indices as well as strong equatorial electrojet. Diurnal trends of the TEC and foF2 measurements revealed that the geomagnetic storm caused a negative ionospheric storm; these parameters were depleted between 29 and 31 October 2003. Large scale traveling ionospheric disturbances were observed on the days of the geomagnetic storms (29 and 31 October 2003), using line-of-sight vertical TEC (vTEC) measurements from individual satellites. Amplitude and dominant periods of these structures varied between 0.08–2.16 TECU, and 1.07–2.13 h respectively. The wave structures were observed to propagate towards the equator with velocities between 587.04 and 1635.09 m/s.     

被动型星载氢钟H型气体电离模型及参数优化

针对被动型星载氢钟气体电离装置低功耗、低电磁干扰的设计要求,设计了一种基于平面盘绕馈能天线的H型电离系统,并建立该电离方法的数学模型。首先,由Maxwell方程出发,推导出了电离泡中的电场和磁场的分布模型,得到气体电离机制;再由电磁场的分布方程推导出氢气击穿判据表达式,建立了气体电离条件的数学模型;最后,利用电离击穿条件判据方程优化了电离装置的设计参数。数值仿真与测试表明该模型是有效的,采用优化的设计参数可以使电离功耗和电磁干扰特性得到改善,且电离直流电源总功率可小于2W。     

典型卫星轨道的位移损伤剂量计算与分析

位移损伤剂量是评估电子元器件在轨发生位移损伤导致性能退化的重要参数。文章首先给出了位移损伤剂量的等效原理和计算方法,即用位移损伤等效注量来表征卫星轨道带电粒子导致的位移损伤剂量;之后分别采用3种不同的太阳质子注量模型,计算了典型大椭圆轨道的位移损伤等效注量,并结合计算结果对不同模型的特点和适用性进行了分析;其后针对4种典型卫星轨道,计算了不同飞行寿命期内的位移损伤等效注量,发现不同轨道的位移损伤剂量有较大差异,并结合空间带电粒子辐射环境分布特点及卫星轨道参数等分析了差异的产生原因;最后,分析不同的太阳质子注量预估方法对位移损伤剂量计算结果的影响,总结了不同轨道、不同飞行寿命情况下卫星经受的带电粒子辐射环境的严酷程度。研究结果可为卫星内部元器件位移损伤效应防护工作提供参考。     

基于未知地标被动观测的飞航导弹SINS俯仰姿态误差估计方法

针对飞航导弹单独使用时SINS存在姿态估计精度随时间降低的问题,提出了基于未知地标被动观测的SINS俯仰姿态误差估计方法。首先,根据飞航导弹中制导段飞行的特点,把SINS俯仰姿态误差估计问题转化为攻角估计问题。然后,在不改变导弹巡航路径的前提下,利用弹上成像导引头对视场内任意未知地标连续被动观测,分别提出了弹体坐标系和速度坐标系下的攻角估计方法,并分析了观测噪声对量测方程系数的影响。最后,利用平均去噪的思想对估计结果进行处理,提高了SINS俯仰姿态误差的估计精度。仿真结果表明：两种方法都能有效估计出飞航导弹SINS俯仰姿态量测误差。     

Ionospheric disturbances on 8 September, 2010: Was it connected with the incoming moderate Chongqing earthquake?

Earthquake prediction stimulates the searches for a correlation between seismic activity and ionospheric anomalies. Contrary to common focuses on strong earthquakes, we report the ionospheric disturbances, 2 days before a moderate Ms = 4.7 Chongqing earthquake (29.4°N, 105.5°E, depth = 7.0 km, occurred at 21:21 LT, 10 September, 2010) with the data of ground-based ionosondes and IGS receivers. The data covering the period under the quiet geomagnetic conditions and a geomagnetic storm was analyzed with upper and lower bounds. It is found that there were significant enhancements of foF2 and total electron content (TEC) on the afternoon of 8 September, 2010, with a limited area close to the epicentre, which was different from the feature of ionospheric perturbations triggered by the geomagnetic storm on 15 September. Taking into account the heliogeomagnetical condition, we conclude that the observed ionospheric enhancements were very likely associated with the forthcoming moderate Chongqing earthquake, which implies that the relationship between the amplitudes of ionospheric disturbances and earthquakes is very complicated.