应用经验正交函数估算顶部电离层电子密度剖面

本文基于IRI模型、地面数字测高仪和GNSS TEC数据,提出了一种利用经验正交函数(Empirical Orthogonal Function,简称EOF)估算顶部电离层电子密度剖面的方法,并将其应用于美国Millstone Hill测高仪和GNSS数据以估算顶部电离层电子密度剖面.通过将估算的临界频率、峰值高度、400km以上电子密度分别与测高仪实测临界频率、测高仪实测峰值高度以及非相干散射雷达实测400km以上电子密度作对比以对方法的有效性进行验证.统计结果显示估算临界频率、峰值高度与测高仪实测数据基本一致,400km以上估算电子密度相较于非相干散射雷达实测的绝对误差平均值仅是测高仪推算400km以上电子密度绝对误差平均值的一半左右.所以本文提出的方法可以更加精确地估算顶部电离层电子密度.     

基于等离子体GCPM模型对电离层薄壳模型高度的仿真研究

在基于GPS数据提取电离层总电子含量(TEC)的过程中,电离层薄壳高度的选择对解算电离层垂直TEC的精度有很大的影响.但由于不可能获得一个真实的从电离层D层到GPS卫星高度的电子密度剖面,关于电离层薄壳高度的选择一直是基于GPS数据解算电离层TEC方法中关注的一个问题.本文利用等离子体GCPM模型,对太阳活动高年(2002)和太阳活动低年(2008)情况下电离层有效薄壳高度的选择进行了仿真计算.结果表明,最佳的薄壳高度在2002年为560 km,而在2008年为695 km.通过对全球八个具有代表性地点的仿真计算,揭示了有效薄壳高度更复杂的变化特点.在白天,最佳薄壳的高度变化不大(500 km至750 km);但在夜晚,最佳薄壳高度变化范围很大,甚至可以超过2000 km.此外,本文还对不同卫星仰角的情况下斜向TEC转换为垂直TEC的误差进行了分析,结果表明:随着卫星仰角的增加,薄壳模型带来的转换误差基本上是单调减少的.因而,在实际应用中,尽可能地采用大仰角的卫星数据有助于提高解算的电离层垂直TEC的精度.最后,对全球不同地点的电离层TEC的仿真研究表明,在电子密度水平梯度较大的地区,应用电离层薄壳模型时会导致电子密度较高处的TEC被高估,而电子密度较低处的TEC被低估,在分析基于GPS数据提取的电离层TEC空间变化时要认识到这一点.     

高纬电离层气候学特征研究--EISCAT雷达观测及与IRI模式的比较

利用1988～1999年欧洲非相干散射EISCAT（European Incoherent Scatter）雷达观测数据,对不同太阳活动周相、不同季节的极光椭圆区电离层F区电子密度进行统计分析,研究其气候学特征,并与IRI 2001模式比较.EISCAT观测到的电子密度显示出显著的太阳活动高年“冬季异常”和太阳活动低年半年变化等现象.EISCAT实测电子密度随时间和高度的平均二维分布和500 km高度以下总电子含量TEC,从总体来看与IRI 2001模式预测结果符合较好.但高年在TEC达到最大值前后,IRI 2001模式预测的电子密度高度剖面与EISCAT观测结果有显著差别：F2峰以上IRI 2001模式预测的电子密度过大,造成TEC明显高于雷达观测值.另外,在太阳活动下降相,EISCAT观测显示出明显的半年周期季节变化特征,但IRI 2001模式未能预测出此下降相季节变化.     

利用GPS观测数据和IRI模型对比分析太阳活动低年广州地区电离层TEC变化

电离层TEC是描述电离层特性的一个重要参量,利用GPS观测数据（包括广州站接收的GPS-TEC数据和国际GNSS提供的IGS-TEC数据）与IRI-2007模型计算的TEC预测值对太阳活动低年2008年的广州地区TEC周日和季节变化以及年变化特征等进行了多方面的对比分析。结果表明：TEC观测值白天较高且变化迅速,夜间较低且变化缓慢,同时表现出明显的季节依赖性和半年变化特性,全年在春秋分季节出现两次峰值,IRI-TEC预测值能较好地反映GPS观测值,但局部上也存在着一些偏差,并对其中的物理机制和产生差异的原因给出了合理的分析和解释。     

《地球物理学报》总目次

第1期0001 2004年2月11日Cluster卫星和CUTLASS雷达同时观测的磁通量传输事件张清和,刘瑞源,黄际英,M.W.Dunlop………………………………胡红桥,胡泽骏,Y.V.Bogdanova,M.Lester0010基于Millstone Hill非相干散射雷达观测的电离层电子浓度剖面的经验正交函数分析梅冰,万卫星……     

基于北斗、GLONASS和GPS系统的中低纬电离层特性联合探测

基于GNSS(Global Navigation Satellite Systems)的发展,我们利用具有北斗、GLONASS和GPS三系统信号接收功能的接收机观测的数据,结合电离层总电子含量(Total Electron Content, TEC)的反演算法,提取出GNSS三系统观测的电离层TEC;同时,将GNSS三系统获取的TEC应用到电离层TEC地图、行进式扰动、不规则体结构和电离层的太阳耀斑响应等方面的研究中,这也是首次使用三种GNSS系统数据对电离层进行联合探测研究.研究结果表明,增加了北斗系统的GNSS三系统在研究中国地区电离层TEC地图、周日变化、逐日变化,行进式扰动以及电离层的实时监测等方面较单系统的GPS具有明显的优势.     

电离层GPS掩星观测改正TEC反演方法

电离层掩星观测中，当低轨卫星（LEO）轨道高度较低时，轨道以上的电离层电子总含量（TEC）对掩星反演的影响不能忽略.目前，一般采用指数函数等外推方法来处理该问题，对反演结果可能引起较大误差.为提高电离层掩星反演精度，本文研究利用LEO处于非掩星一侧GPS观测数据的改正TEC新反演方法.用三维射线追踪程序计算出电离层掩星观测模拟数据，分别应用改正TEC方法和外推方法进行反演，将反演结果与所用模式值进行比较.结果表明：对于轨道高度约800km的GPS/MET掩星模拟数据，外推方法和改正TEC方法反演结果都与模式值基本一致；对于轨道高度约400km的CHAMP掩星模拟数据，外推方法误差较大，改正TEC方法反演结果与模式值相符得较好.将改正TEC方法应用于GPS/MET实测数据的反演，取得了合理的结果.这些说明，改正TEC算法是一种有效的电离层掩星反演方法，尤其是对于轨道较低的LEO的电离层掩星观测反演特别有用.     

中国电离层TEC现报系统

作为最重要的电离层参量之一,电离层电子浓度总含量(TEC)可以通过当前广泛使用的全球定位系统(GPS)的信标进行观测.我们在我国北起漠河、经北京和武汉、南到三亚四个观测站建立了GPS接收站,经单站数据处理后将原始的单站GPS TEC观测数据上载到北京数据处理中心;采用我们发展的经验基函数模式算法,用实测数据估算格点TEC并提供给用户,同时生成覆盖中国疆域的TEC地图并在因特网上实时发布.这一电离层TEC现报系统是我国首个类似的技术系统,在观测站布局和TEC地图算法上有所创新.该系统已用于实时监测我国电离层环境,并可为我国卫星定位导航和测控等技术系统的电波修正提供实测电离层数据.     

电离层垂直TEC映射函数的实验观测与统计特性

利用GPS信标测量获得的电离层电子浓度总含量（TEC）是沿电波路径的斜向TEC.理论研究和实际应用中,常常需要通过映射函数将斜向TEC转换为垂直方向的TEC,这在当前主要采用对电子浓度分布模型的数值积分得到模型映射函数来实现.本文在考察现有不同模型映射函数的基础上,又提出了一种源于实际观测的实验映射函数的概念与估算方法.我们利用IGS的全球GPS观测站的斜向TEC和JPL提供的垂直TEC数据获得了2006年期间的实验映射函数,并对所得结果进行了初步统计分析.在卫星天顶角较小时,上述实验映射函数和模型映射函数之间相差甚微,均可很好描述垂直TEC与斜TEC之间关系;但卫星天顶角较大时,实验映射函数和常用的模型映射函数之间存在明显差异.本文认为,这种差异主要是因为现有模型映射函数中没有考虑到等离子体层的贡献.我们认为采用基于实验映射函数的模式,或者通过考虑等离子体层的贡献对现有模型映射函数进行改进,可以有效提高电离层TEC的估算精度.     

曲靖非相干散射雷达功率剖面的初步观测与分析

介绍了非相干散射雷达功率剖面与电离层电子密度剖面之间的关系,给出了曲靖非相干散射雷达功率剖面的一些观测结果,结合电离层垂直探测数据,初步介绍了曲靖非相干散射雷达在夜间电离层波状扰动、低纬电离层异常区北驼峰位置、电离层电子密度日落增强和暴时变化等观测研究中的应用.本文结果丰富了对我国曲靖地区电离层空间天气特性的认识,显示了该雷达在我国低纬电离层空间天气观测研究中的良好应用前景.     

Global plasmaspheric TEC and its relative contribution to GPS TEC

The plasmaspheric electron content is directly estimated from the global positioning system (GPS) data onboard JASON-1 Satellite for the first time. Similarly, the ground-based GPS total electron content (TEC) is estimated using about 1000 GPS receivers distributed around the globe. The relative contribution of the plasmaspheric electron content to the ground-based GPS TEC is then estimated globally using these two independent simultaneous measurements; namely ground-based GPS TEC and JASON-1 GPS TEC. Results presented here include data from 3 months of different solar cycle conditions (October 2003, May 2005, and December 2006). The global comparison between the two independent measurements was performed by dividing the data into three different regions; equatorial, mid- and high-latitude regions. This division is essential as the GPS raypaths traverse different distances through the plasmasphere at different latitudes. The raypath length through the plasmasphere decreases as latitude increases. The relative contribution of the plasmaspheric electron content exhibits a diurnal variation that depends on latitude with minimum contribution (10%) during daytime and maximum (up to 60%) at night. The contribution is also maximum at the equatorial region where the GPS raypath traverses a long distance through the plasmasphere compared to its length in mid- and high-latitude regions. Finally, the solar cycle variation of plasmaspheric contribution is also reported globally.     

Configuration of the upper boundary of the ionosphere

Variations of the upper boundary of the ionosphere (UBI) are investigated based on three sources of information: (i) ionosonde-derived parameters: critical frequency foF2, propagation factor M3000F2, and sub-peak thickness of the bottomside electron density profile; (ii) total electron content (TEC) observations from signals of the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites; (iii) model electron densities of the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI^*) extended towards the plasmasphere. The ionospheric slab thickness is calculated as ratio of TEC to the F2 layer peak electron density, NmF2, representing a measure of thickness of electron density profile in the bottomside and topside ionosphere eliminating the plasmaspheric slab thickness of GPS-TEC with the IRI^* code. The ratio of slab thickness to the real thickness in the topside ionosphere is deduced making use of a similar ratio in the bottomside ionosphere with a weight Rw. Model weight Rw is represented as a superposition of the base-functions of local time, geomagnetic latitude, solar and magnetic activity. The time-space variations of domain of convergence of the ionosphere and plasmasphere differ from an average value of UBI at ∼1000 km over the earth. Analysis for quiet monthly average conditions and during the storms (September 2002, October–November 2003, November 2004) has shown shrinking UBI altitude at daytime to 400 km. The upper ionosphere height is increased by night with an ‘ionospheric tail’ which expands from 1000 km to more than 2000 km over the earth under quiet and disturbed space weather. These effects are interposed on a trend of increasing UBI height with solar activity when both the critical frequency foF2 and the peak height hmF2 are growing during the solar cycle.     

On the mechanism of the post-midnight winter NmF2 enhancements: dependence on solar activity

The mechanism of the N_mF₂ peak formation at different levels of solar activity is analyzed using Millstone Hill IS radar observations. The h_mF₂ nighttime increase due to thermospheric winds and the downward plasmaspheric fluxes are the key processes responsible for the N_mF₂ peak formation. The electron temperature follows with the opposite sign the electron density variations in this process. This mechanism provides a consistency with the Millstone Hill observations on the set of main parameters. The observed decrease of the nighttime N_mF₂ peak amplitude with solar activity is due to faster increasing of the recombination efficiency compared to the plasmaspheric flux increase. The E × B plasma drifts are shown to be inefficient for the N_mF₂ nighttime peak formation at high solar activity.     

Dynamics of North American sector ionospheric and thermospheric response during the November 2004 superstorm

We present a study of ionospheric and thermospheric response during a November 9–10, 2004 major geomagnetic storm event (DsT ～?300 nT). We utilize the North American sector longitude chain of incoherent scatter radars at Arecibo, Millstone Hill, and Sondrestrom, operating as part of a coordinated international mesosphere/lower thermosphere coupling study experiment. Total electron content (TEC) determinations from global positioning system (GPS) ground receivers, ground magnetometer traces from the Canadian CANOPUS array, Defense Meteorological Satellite Platform (DMSP) topside data, and global convection patterns from the SuperDARN radar network are analyzed to place the detailed radar data in proper mesoscale context. The plasmaspheric boundary layer (PBL) expanded greatly in the dusk sector during ring current intensification to span more than 25° of magnetic latitude, reaching as far south as 30° invariant latitude. Strong sub-auroral polarization stream velocities of more than 1 km/s were accompanied by large upwards thermal O+ fluxes to the overlying magnetosphere. The large PBL expansion subsequently exposed both Millstone Hill and Sondrestrom to the auroral convection pattern, which developed a complex multicell and reverse convection response under strongly northward IMF conditions during a period of global interplanetary electric field penetration. Large traveling atmospheric and ionospheric disturbances caused significant neutral wind and ion velocity surges in the mid-latitude and tropical ionosphere and thermosphere, with substorm activity launching equatorward neutral wind enhancements and subsequent mid-latitude dynamo responses at Millstone Hill. However, ionosphere and thermosphere observations at Arecibo point to significant disturbance propagation modification in the post-dusk sector PBL region.     

北美地区夜间中尺度电离层行进式扰动的GPS台网监测研究

本文利用2007年6月～2008年5月期间北美GPS台站密集地区的TEC观测资料,对夜间中尺度电离层行进式扰动(MSTIDs)的传播特性进行了分析研究.结果表明:北美地区的夜间电离层行进式扰动一般发生在美国西部时间21:00～02:00LT(05:00～10:00UT)时段,表现在TEC中的最大扰动幅度为0.45～0....     

GPS-based ionospheric corrections for single frequency radar altimetry

The global ionospheric total electron content maps (GIMs) provide integrated electron densities between the ground and the GPS satellite altitude (20,200 km). Satellite altimeter ionospheric delay corrections require integrated electron densities between the ground and altimeter satellite altitude. In the case of the Geosat Follow-On (GFO) spacecraft, flying at 800 km, we estimated that using GIM TEC data alone, up to a 2 cm path delay can be introduced into the GFO measurements for high solar activity period by not taking into account the electron content above this altitude. Furthermore, the GIMs can have errors of 20–30 TECU in low latitudes for high solar activity in areas where there is little GPS data (such as over the oceans). In this paper, we describe the results of ingesting GIM TEC data into the International Reference Ionosphere model (IRI-95) to mitigate these two effects.     

Performance of different TEC models to provide GPS ionospheric corrections

The existence of a worldwide international GPS service (IGS) permanent network of dual-frequency receivers makes the computation of global ionospheric maps (GIMs) of total electron content (TEC) feasible. The GIMs computed by the IGS Associate Analysis Centers on a daily basis and by other kinds of forecast GIMs, which can be computed from, for instance, the international reference ionosphere (IRI) model, and the GPS broadcast models in the navigation message, can be applied to a broad diversity of fields, for instance as, navigation and time transfer.In this context, the performance of different kinds of models are presented in order to determine the accuracy of the different GIM. This is carried out by comparison with the TOPEX data that provides an independent and precise (at the level of few TECU) vertical TEC determination over the oceans and seas. Thus, the obtained accuracies, in terms of global relative error, ranging from 54% corresponding to the GPS broadcast model, to about 41% corresponding to IRI climatological model, and to less than 30% corresponding to GPS data driven models.