IRI、NeQuick和Klobuchar模式比较研究

本文介绍了三种常见的电离层经验模式:IRI、NeQuick和Klobuchar,并且利用Jason-1卫星上搭载的高度计探测到的太平洋上空2006年电离层延迟数据,对这三个模式在低纬、中高纬地区模拟电离层TEC的精度进行了比较研究,结果表明:NeQuick、IRI-2007模式可以较好地模拟出白天电离层TEC位于赤道两侧的双峰结构,但不能得到精确的峰值大小和位置信息;三个模式在中高纬地区的模拟精度指标几乎全面高于低纬地区,其中,IRI模式在中高纬地区精度较高,相关性达到0.82022,标准差为3.0844TECU,NeQuick和Klobuchar模式模拟精度相当;整体比较,IRI-2007模式自相关系数为0.81016,NeQuick模式为0.70717,Klobuchar模式也达到了0.6878,说明这三个模式都能较好地模拟出电离层TEC的背景特征.总体上,IRI-2007模式精度最高,可以更有效地修正电离层延迟误差.     

Validation of IRI-2007 against TEC observations during low solar activity over Indian sector

Published values of Total Electron Content (TEC) measured by ATS-6 are used to assess the latest available IRI-2007 model during solar minimum over Indian sector covering equatorial to low-mid-latitudes stations. The study reveals that during all seasons and at all locations, in general, the TEC predicted by NeQuick and IRI01-corr options provided in the IRI-2007 model shows much better agreement with the TEC observations as compared to those generated by IRI-2001.option. TEC predicted using NeQuick option found to be little more closer to the observation except at equatorial station during daytime, while IRI-2001 option highly overestimates the TEC in all seasons and times.     

Ionospheric index of solar activity based on the data of measurements of the spacecraft signals characteristics

The method for estimating an ionospheric index of solar-activity (IISA) based on the processing of spacecraft radio signals is suggested. The IISA values have been obtained by comparison between the measured and calculated variations of radio-signal characteristics. To calculate the variations of radio-signal characteristics, the straight rays approximation and the solar-activity index (Wolf numbers W and/or values of F_10.7 solar flux) as a control parameter of the ionospheric model have been used. The suggested method was tested using spacecraft radio signals from the radio-navigation system “CIKADA”. The reduced differences of phases (ΔΦ) for frequencies 150 and 400 MHz were measured and the same characteristics were calculated by integration along the ray of radio-wave propagation between the receiver and the satellite. The IRI-95 has been used as a background ionospheric model. The satellite co-ordinates were determined using the orbit parameters recorded in the navigation messages. Minimization of the difference measured and calculated ΔΦ using arbitrary time steps, or during whole time intervals of observation, gives the IISA corresponding the satellite pass. Daily IISA values were obtained by averaging over all communication contacts during a day (20–30 passes). Testing this approach based on the measurements during March/April 1997, 1998, shows that on magnetically quiet days differences between IISA and the primary solar activity indices are about 5%.     

Analysis of the wave field mode structure on the Moscow–Akademik Vernadskii Antarctic station superlong path

The Doppler spectrum of an exact time harmonic radio signal for the frequency of 5 MHz on the Moscow–Akademik Vernadskii Ukrainian Antarctic station radio path in November 2002, which had two clearly defined spectral groups, has been analyzed. It is shown that an insignificant frequency shift corresponds to a standard radio wave propagation in a short direct direction. The assumption that the formation of a spectral group with a considerable frequency shift is refraction is theoretically justified based on a simplified model of the morning terminator transition region. The field strength, signal-to-noise ratio, and Doppler frequency shift obtained in the scope of the IRI-2001 extended global ionospheric model for the classical radio wave propagation modes on a superlong radio path are estimated.     

High-latitude ionosphere during magnetic storms of October 26, 2003–November 1, 2003: Tomographic reconstructions and numerical modeling

The height-latitude distributions of the electron density in the European Arctic sector of the subauroral and high-latitude ionosphere have been reconstructed based on the data of satellite radio tomography. The reconstructions have been compared with the results of the numerical modeling obtained using the UAM global numerical model and the IRI-2001 empirical ionospheric model. The goal of the paper was to find the degree of adequacy of these models to the observational data during geomagnetic disturbances. The UAM theoretical model adequately reproduces the dynamics of the main ionospheric trough, in particular, the position of its equatorward wall, and to a certain degree better describes the behavior of the high-latitude ion-osphere than the IRI empirical model. The discrepancies are observed in the regions of increased electron density poleward of the trough. To eliminate such disagreements, it was proposed to correct the model input distributions of precipitating high-energy electron fluxes with an energy of about 0.5 keV; i.e., the inverse problem of determining these distributions has been solved for extremely strong geomagnetic disturbances.     

NeQuick bottomside analysis at low latitudes

NeQuick ionospheric electron density model produces the full electron density profile in the ionosphere using the F2 layer peak values (foF2 and hmF2) as anchor points. Each part of the profile is modeled using Epstein layer formalism. Simple empirical relations are used to compute the thicknesses of each semi-Epstein layer. It has been observed that when NeQuick model is used to estimate total electron content at low latitudes the modeled values tend to underestimate the observed ones. Beside the F2 peak values, the most important profile parameter is the thickness of the F2 layer bottomside. The present study focuses on NeQuick model behavior at low latitudes comparing modeled profiles parameters with the ones extracted from experimental data mostly from African and Indian sector at different levels of solar activity and different time of the day. Possible model improvements are discussed.     

南京地区低电离层加热效应的初步模拟

从电子能量方程和连续性方程出发,利用国际参考电离层(IRI-2007)和中性大气模型(NRLMSISE-00)得出背景参数,数值计算了大功率无线电波加热南京地区低电离层的电子温度和电子密度扰动幅度,并对比了不同加热条件下的电离层扰动效应.结果表明,大功率无线电波入射到电离层后,与等离子体相互作用,能够有效造成电子温度的升高而产生电子温度扰动;由于电子温度升高,等离子体碰撞频率增加且电子的复合系数减小,导致电子密度扰动;电子温度和电子密度的扰动幅度随着加热时间的推移而减小,即扰动逐渐趋于饱和;电子温度扰动的弛豫时间尺度为微秒量级,电子密度扰动的弛豫时间尺度为毫秒量级;在欠密加热条件下,X波模比O波模更容易吸收.     

Studying large-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances according to the data of oblique-incidence sounding

The morphological features of wave-like ionospheric disturbances with periods of 1–2 h and the spatial extent exceeding 1000 km are studied. Oblique-incidence sounding data of the ionosphere, obtained in eastern Siberia during several continuous monthly experiments on three radio paths from 2006 to 2010, have been used. Large-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances generated during magnetic storms and large-scale wave-like ionospheric disturbances registered during geomagnetically quiet periods are considered. Small-scale ionospheric structures were also observed against a background of large-scale traveling iono-spheric disturbances considered in this study.     

Relationship between the ionospheric potential and the ground-level electric field in the southern polar cap

The relationships between the average hourly values of the vertical ground-level electric field measured at the Vostok Antarctic station and the ionospheric potential above the station have been obtained. The ΔEz and Uext parts of both parameters controlled by the solar wind were considered. Convection models (Weimer, 1995; Lukianova and Christiansen, 2006) and a model based on the SuperDARN radar system were used to determine the ionospheric potential. An analysis has been performed for isolated days and the entire sample in 1998–2000 (including 170 days of “fine weather”). For an isolated day, the best correlation coefficients (R) between ΔEz and Uext obtained using the three models were 0.81, 0.80, and 0.88, respectively. The total correlation coefficient for the entire data set was R = 0.24−0.32. The R value was larger during daytime (R ≈ 0.4) and smaller at night (R ≈ 0.1) and slightly increased in the early morning hours. The specific features of daily variations in R apparently indicate that it is possible to adequately describe the structure of the ionospheric electric field equipotentials by using large-scale stationary convection models. The R value varies complexly, depending on the IMF orientation, but it generally tends to increase from IMF By < 0 to By > 0, which is explained by the asymmetric convection patterns for opposite By signs.     

Ionospheric imaging of the northern crest of the Equatorial Anomaly

The dominant structure in free electron concentration in the tropical ionosphere is the Equatorial Anomaly, where the largest values of TEC are found. This structure follows the geomagnetic equator and extends some 40° in latitude. The edges of the structure (crests) are characterised by steep, latitudinal gradients in TEC, which are temporally as well as spatially variable.This phenomenology is traditionally explained in terms of the theory of “fountain effect”, which is shortly reviewed in this work before presenting our results.Here we study the northern crest of the Equatorial Anomaly using a program that can perform multi-instrument two- or three-dimensional time-evolving mathematical inversions. This program is designed to unify a number of different measurement techniques, thus allowing the spatial and temporal study of the ionospheric features at hand. The paper reports on experimental results from winter 2000/2001. This is a highly significant period to study the ionospheric anomalies because it is around the maximum of the 11-year solar cycle and TEC is at a maximum.     

Comparisons of observed ionospheric F2 peak parameters with IRI-2001 predictions over South Africa

The monthly means of the ionospheric F2 peak parameters (foF2 and hmF2) over three stations in South Africa (Grahamstown, 33.3°S, 26.5°E, Madimbo, 22.4°S, 26.5°E, and Louisvale, 28.5°S, 21.2°E) were analyzed and compared with IRI-2001, using CCIR (Comité Consultatif International des Radio communications) and URSI (Union Radio-Scientifique Internationale coefficients) options. The analysis covers a few selected quiet and disturbed days during various seasons represented by the months of January, April, July and October 2003. IRI-2001 generally overestimates hmF2 for both quiet and disturbed days and it overestimates and underestimates foF2 at different times for all the stations. In general, foF2 is predicted more accurately by IRI-2001 than hmF2, and on average, the CCIR option performed better than the URSI option when predicting both foF2 and hmF2.In general, the model generates good results, although some improvements are still necessary to be implemented in order to obtain better predictions. There are no significant differences in the model predictions of hmF2 and foF2 for quiet and disturbed days.     

Comparison between IRI-2001 predictions and observed measurements of hmF2 over three high latitude stations during different solar activity periods

The monthly median values of the height of peak electron density of the F2-layer (hmF2) derived from ionosonde measurements at three high latitude stations, namely Narssarssuaq (NAR) (61.2 °N, 314.6 °E), Sondrestrom (SON) (67°N, 309.1°E) and College (COL) (69.9°N, 212.2°E) were analyzed and compared with the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI-2001) model, using Comité Consultatif International des Radio communications) (CCIR and Union Radio-Scientifique Internationale (URSI) options. The analysis covers hmF2 values for March Equinox (February, March, April), June Solstice (May, June, July), September Equinox (August, September, October), and December Solstice (November, December, January), during periods of high (2000–2001), medium (2004–2005) and low (2007–2008) solar activity. Generally, the IRI-2001 prediction follow fairly well the diurnal and seasonal variation patterns of the observed values of hmF2 at all the stations. However, IRI-2001 overestimates and underestimates hmF2 at different times of the day for all solar activity periods and in all the seasons considered. The percentage deviation never exceeded 20%, except during DEC SOLS at COL and SON and during MARCH EQUI at SON during low solar activity period. For all solar activity periods considered, both the URSI and CCIR options of the IRI-2001 model give hmF2 values close to the ones measured, but the URSI option performed better than the CCIR option.     

Anomalous modification of the ionospheric total electron content prior to the 26 September 2005 Peru earthquake

This paper investigates the features of pre-earthquake ionospheric anomalies in the total electron content (TEC) data obtained on the basis of regular GPS observations from the International GNSS Service (IGS) network. For the analysis of the ionospheric effects of the 26 September 2005 Peru earthquake, Global Ionospheric Maps (GIMs) of TEC were used. The possible influence of the earthquake preparation processes on the main low-latitude ionosphere peculiarity—the equatorial anomaly—is discussed. Analysis of the TEC maps has shown that modification of the equatorial anomaly occurred a few days before the earthquake. In previous days, during the evening and night hours (local time—LT), a specific transformation of the TEC distribution had taken place. This modification took the shape of a double-crest structure with a trough near the epicenter, though usually in this time the restored normal latitudinal distribution with a maximum near the magnetic equator is observed. Additional measurements (CHAMP satellite) have also confirmed the presence of this structure. To compare the vertical TEC measurements obtained with GPS satellite signals (GPS TEC), the International Reference Ionosphere, IRI-2001, was used for calculating the IRI TEC.     

Revealing the classes of ionospheric disturbances on the basis of multiyear data on the critical frequency of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis>2 layer

The bases of the classification method of ionospheric disturbances caused by solar-geomagnetic activity on the basis of the critical frequency of the F2 layer are developed. Data for the total solar activity cycle from 1975 to 1986 were used for studying variations in the critical frequency of the ionospheric F2 layer. The critical frequency was measured at the Moscow ionospheric observatory (55°45′N, 37°37′E) at an interval of 1 h. The gaps in the critical frequency values were filled in by the cubic interpolation method. The solar activity level was estimated using the F10.7 index. The geomagnetic disturbance was determined using the Kp · 10, Dst, and AE indices. According to the developed classification, an index of ionospheric activity is introduced. An analysis of the obtained values of the index for years of solar activity minimum and maximum shows that an increase in the absolute values of the index as a rule occurs at an increase in global geomagnetic and/or auroral disturbances. This fact indicates the sufficient information content of the developed index for characterizing ionospheric activity in any season. Moreover, using the sign of the index, one can form an opinion regarding an increase or decrease in the concentration of the ionospheric F2 layer, because the values of the considered index correspond to real oscillations in the critical frequency of the midlatitude ionosphere.     

Interpretation of Magnetic Anomalies and Estimation of Depth of Magnetic Crust in Slovakia

The magnetic map of Slovakia used in the paper was compiled as part of a project titled Atlas of Geophysical maps and profiles in 2001. The residual magnetic data were analyzed to produce Curie point estimates. To remove distortion of magnetic anomalies caused by the Earth’s magnetic field, reduction to pole transformation was applied to the magnetic anomalies using the magnetization angle of the induced magnetization. Anomalies reduced to the pole tend to be better correlated with tectonic structures. We applied a 3-km upward continuation to the residually compiled magnetic anomalies in order to remove effects of topography. The depth of magnetic dipoles was calculated by an azimuthally averaged power spectrum method for the entire area. Such estimates can be indicative of temperatures in the crust, since magnetic minerals lose their spontaneous magnetization according to Curie temperature of the dominant magnetic minerals in the rocks. The computed Curie point depths in the Slovakia region vary between 15.2 km and 20.9 km. Heat flow higher than 100 mWm⁻² occurs at the central volcanics and eastern part of Slovakia, where the Curie point depths values are shallow. The correlation between Curie point depths, heat flow and crust depth was investigated for two E-W cross sections. Heat flow and Curie point depth values are correlated with each other however, these values could not be correlated with crust depth. The Curie point isotherm, which separates magnetic and non-magnetic parts of the crust, is represented in two cross sections.     

The variability of foF2 in different phases of solar cycle 23

In this paper we examined the variations of the foF2 with solar activity for different local time and different seasons. Beside this we evaluated International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) models at different phases of solar cycle 23, different latitudes and different local time. We studied F2 layer critical frequency (foF2) of the ionosphere by using the flare index calculated by the Kandilli Observatory. For this purpose, we identified the months similar with high flare activity during the solar cycle 23. We chose 6 months which represented the different phases (ascending branch, maximum and descending branch) of the solar cycle. We also took into account the fact that these months were in different seasons. The hourly monthly means of observed foF2 data from four ionosonde stations for 6 months were calculated. On the other hand, the identical foF2 values of the same months were calculated for the year 1996, which is the minimum year of the previous solar activity cycle. We subtracted the foF2 values of 1996 from the values of the selected months of the last solar cycle to obtain the residuals, Δ(foF2). Then the magnitude of the residuals is compared through the cycle. We used IRI-2007 as well as IRI-2001 models to see the degree of deviation of the observed results from the predicted ones. We found that the predicted values of the ΔfoF2, which are calculated by the IRI-2007, fitted well with the observed Δ(foF2) and showed that the Δ(foF2) are dependent on the solar cycle variations in general.     

Reaction of the critical frequency of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis>2 layer to a sharp depletion in atmospheric pressure

Changes in the critical frequencies of the F2 layer at several midlatitude stations of ionospheric vertical sounding during a sharp depletion in atmospheric pressure under quiet solar and geomagnetic conditions are analyzed. It is shown that in such periods, the observed foF2 values differ from the mean values by approximately 10–15% and the deviations from the mean could be both negative (in the daytime hours) and positive (at night). Such variations in foF2 could be referred to the known class of ionospheric disturbances observed under a quiet geomagnetic situation, that is, to the so-called “Q-disturbances.” Analysis of wavelet spectra of foF2 variations shows the presence in the F region of oscillations of various periods (from 0.5 to 10 days). The decrease in the amplitude of daily variations during pressure depletion is found. Presumably, the observed effect is caused by the dynamic impact of waves formed in the lower atmosphere on the ionospheric F2 layer.     

Determining the drift velocity of ionospheric irregularities by analyzing three mutually orthogonal projections of the HF radio signal field vector

This paper presents results of an experimental verification of our earlier suggested spectral-polarization method of measuring the interference pattern velocity by analyzing three mutually orthogonal projections of the radio signal field vector using a single receiving antenna. The measurements were made on an HF radio path about 100 km in length, with a simultaneous monitoring of the ionospheric situation using an oblique-incidence sounding chirp–ionosonde. In an effort to eliminate multipath effects, in the analysis we used nighttime intervals, for which a stable one-mode reflected radio signal was observed. It is shown that the proposed method gives the mean values of the azimuth and zenith angle which differ by no more than 2 to 5° from calculated values. Mean values of the velocity of travelling ionospheric disturbances (of order 50 m/s) and propagation directions (north-westward changing to northward by the morning hours) obtained for these time intervals are consistent with existing published data.