Online service for monitoring the ionosphere based on data from the global navigation satellite system

A service is described that makes possible the effective construction of a three-dimensional ionospheric model based on the data of ground receivers of signals from global navigation satellite positioning systems (GNSS). The obtained image has a high resolution, mainly because data from the IPG GNSS network of the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Rosgidromet) are used. A specially developed format and its implementation in the form of SQL structures are used to collect, transmit, and store data. The method of high-altitude radio tomography is used to construct the three-dimensional model. The operation of all system components (from registration point organization to the procedure for constructing the electron density three-dimensional distribution and publication of the total electron content map on the Internet) has been described in detail. The three-dimensional image of the ionosphere, obtained automatically, is compared with the ionosonde measurements, calculated using the two-dimensional low-altitude tomography method and averaged by the ionospheric model.     

Transionospheric radiosounding (Review)

The transionospheric radiosounding (TIS) method has naturally brought together the two most precise methods for scanning and monitoring the ionosphere (ionospheric radiosounding by airborne and ground ionosondes) into a single system. The subsequent development of TIS equipment has led to a qualitative change in the structure and operation of the ionospheric observatory, which greatly broadened the diagnostic capabilities of the ionospheric monitoring and expanded the ionospheric region monitored by the ground station. In fact, it can be said that a closed radiosounding system has been developed. It uses three branches of ionospheric multifrequency ray (or radio wave) fans to monitor the inner and outer ionosphere and to control both of these regions via transillumination of the ionosphere at the boundary of its radio transparency. The advantage of such a system is the full use of the entire range of radiated radio waves, each part of which is responsible for certain components of the diagnostic circuit. The paper presents the results of scientific studies obtained based on TIS data, which have led to the appearance of new and, to some extent, unexpected and previously unknown phenomena and effects. Special attention is paid to the modern stage of development of the TIS concept, which has good prospects for continuous monitoring of the polar ionosphere. It is questioned whether it is expedient to replace the term sounding with the term transillumination. It is noted that TIS was and remains the most precise method of ionosphere diagnostics.     

三维模式约束的电离层掩星反演方法

目前电离层掩星数据反演是基于电离层电子密度分布局部球对称近似的Abel反演方法,实际电离层的非球对称性会给电子密度反演结果带来误差.本文研究利用三维电离层模式来提供电子密度水平变化的先验信息约束电离层掩星反演的方法,即三维模式约束法;并将该方法应用于模拟掩星观测数据和实测掩星数据的反演.模拟观测数据的反演结果表明,与Abel反演方法相比,三维模式约束法能够减小反演误差.采用IRI2001模式作为约束,对COSMIC电离层掩星实测数据反演,将反演结果与全球的垂测仪数据进行比较,结果表明,三维模式约束法和Abel反演方法都能很好地反演电离层掩星.     

电离层人工调制在水平分层电离层中所激发的ELF波辐射

通过大功率ELF/VLF调幅高频波能有效地扰动低电离层,形成等效的ELF/VLF电离层虚拟天线,用来辐射ELF/VLF波,所辐射出的低频信号可以进入中性大气层形成地球-电离层波导.本文基于调制加热模型,采用全波有限元算法计算由人工调制电离层所形成的电偶极矩所辐射出的ELF波在水平分层电离层中的波场,计算结果将与地面观测结果进行比较.模拟结果表明,所辐射出的ELF波在电离层中形成一个窄的准直波束,海面所能接收到的ELF信号强度为pT量级,并且频率越低,海面所接收到的场强就越小,与HAARP实验数据一致.结果还表明,低纬电离层对低频信号的传播衰减较大,并且所能透射出电离层的角度小,因此高纬地区更适合地球-电离层波导的激发.     

Correlation analysis of vertical total electron content

It is necessary to model and analyze the ionospheric effects due to a direct relationship between Global Positioning System (GPS) applications and changes in the ionosphere. In order to monitor these changes, the ionosphere can be represented by the vertical total electron content (VTEC) which can be used to analyze ionospheric conditions from a variety of stations. In this study, 21 stations were used to carry out analysis and estimation of VTEC. Three days during a geomagnetic storm, namely, 7, 8, and 9 January 2005, are chosen for investigation. In addition, the de-correlation time of the VTEC was estimated to define ionospheric variations in time using autocorrelation analysis. The de-correlation time of the ionosphere is based on correlation times estimated by using autocorrelation functions. From the high-latitude stations, the mean of the correlation times decreased from 8 to 6 epochs during a storm. In this time period, it was found from the station results that the ionosphere was more affected at the high-latitude than at the mid-latitude region.     

Reconstructing Regional Ionospheric Electron Density: A Combined Spherical Slepian Function and Empirical Orthogonal Function Approach

The computerized ionospheric tomography is a method for imaging the Earth’s ionosphere using a sounding technique and computing the slant total electron content (STEC) values from data of the global positioning system (GPS). The most common approach for ionospheric tomography is the voxel-based model, in which (1) the ionosphere is divided into voxels, (2) the STEC is then measured along (many) satellite signal paths, and finally (3) an inversion procedure is applied to reconstruct the electron density distribution of the ionosphere. In this study, a computationally efficient approach is introduced, which improves the inversion procedure of step 3. Our proposed method combines the empirical orthogonal function and the spherical Slepian base functions to describe the vertical and horizontal distribution of electron density, respectively. Thus, it can be applied on regional and global case studies. Numerical application is demonstrated using the ground-based GPS data over South America. Our results are validated against ionospheric tomography obtained from the constellation observing system for meteorology, ionosphere, and climate (COSMIC) observations and the global ionosphere map estimated by international centers, as well as by comparison with STEC derived from independent GPS stations. Using the proposed approach, we find that while using 30 GPS measurements in South America, one can achieve comparable accuracy with those from COSMIC data within the reported accuracy (1 × 10¹¹ el/cm³) of the product. Comparisons with real observations of two GPS stations indicate an absolute difference is less than 2 TECU (where 1 total electron content unit, TECU, is 10¹⁶ electrons/m²).     

Disturbances in the topside ionosphere during solar flares

The results of studying the ionospheric response to solar flares, obtained from the data of the GPS signal observations and incoherent scatter radars and as a result of the model calculations, are presented. It is shown that, according to the GPS data, a flare can cause a decrease in the electron content at altitudes of the topside ionosphere (h > 300 km). Similar effects of formation of a negative disturbance in the ionospheric F region were also observed during the solar flares of May 21 and 23, 1967, with the Arecibo incoherent scatter radar. The mechanism by which negative disturbances appear in the topside ionosphere during solar flares has been studied in this work based on the theoretical model of the ionosphere-plasmasphere coupling. It has been indicated that the formation of the electron density negative disturbance in the topside ionosphere is caused by an intense removal of O⁺ ions into the overlying plasmasphere under the action of an abrupt increase in the ion production rate and thermal expansion of the ionospheric plasma.     

Variations in ionospheric parameters during solar flares

Results of studying the ionospheric response to solar flares, obtained based on the incoherent scatter radar observations of the GPS signals and as a result of the model simulations, are presented. The method, based on the effect of partial “shadowing” of the atmosphere by the globe, has been used to analyze the GPS data. This method made it possible to estimate the value of a change in the electron content in the upper ionosphere during the solar flare of July 14, 2000. It has been shown that a flare can cause a decrease in the electron content at heights of the upper ionosphere (h > 300 km) according to the GPS data. Similar effects in the formation of a negative disturbance in the ionospheric F region were also observed during the solar flares of May 21 and 23, 1967, at the Arecibo incoherent scatter radar. The mechanism by which negative disturbances are formed in the upper ionosphere during solar flares has been studied based on the theoretical model of the ionosphere-plasmasphere coupling. It has been shown that an intense ejection of O⁺ ions into the above located plasmasphere under the action of a sharp increase in the ion production rate and the thermal expansion of the ionospheric plasma cause the formation of a negative disturbance in the electron concentration in the upper ionosphere.     

一种基于LEO卫星信标的电离层层析成像新算法

LEO卫星信标是电离层监测的重要手段之一.利用电离层层析成像算法,LEO卫星信标能够实现区域电离层电子密度的快速重构.针对LEO卫星信标的特点,本文提出了一种函数基模型与像素基模型组合的电离层层析成像新算法.选择差分相对电离层总电子含量作为输入数据源,先通过函数基模型法获取电离层电子密度初始分布,再利用像素基模型法对初始分布进行二次迭代重构,该方法可有效降低电离层层析成像对背景电离层模型的依赖,同时能够实现电离层小尺度扰动结构的有效反演.利用数值仿真方法及低纬度电离层层析成像网的实测数据的反演结果验证了本文提出的新算法的可行性和可靠性.     

Comparison of ionospheric parameters calculated with UAM and measured at Voeykovo observatory

The measurements of the critical frequencies of the ionospheric F2 layer based on vertical radiosounding, which was performed with a CADI digital ionosonde at the Voeykovo magnetic–ionospheric observatory in February 2013, have been considered. The observations have been compared with the upper atmosphere numerical model (UAM) data for three days that differ in the amplitude and the character of solar and magnetic activity and correspond to quiet and moderately disturbed states of the ionosphere. The work was performed in order to improve the methods for determining the ionospheric state by vertical sounding ionograms. The time variations in the F2 layer critical frequency, electric field vector zonal component, and thermospheric wind velocity meridional component have been analyzed. Calculations were performed with three UAM variants. The UAM version providing the best agreement with the CADI ionosonde data was the version in which the neutral temperature, neutral composition, and pressure gradients are calculated according to the MSIS empirical model and the horizontal neutral wind velocity is determined by the equation of motion with pressure gradients from MSIS. The calculated values corresponded to the measurements, except those for the evening, because the electron density at the ionospheric F2 layer maximum depends more strongly on electric fields and thermospheric wind velocities during this period. Thus, the indicated UAM version with the above limitations can be used to determine the state of the subauroral ionosphere.     

电离层GPS掩星观测反演技术

在电离层局部地区球对称假设下,推导了利用双频和单频无线电掩星观测数据,反演电离层电子密度剖面的两种方法. 双频反演的误差来自于载波相位的观测误差,单频反演误差则主要由伪距的观测精度决定. 由于载波相位测量精度比伪距测量精度高两个量级,因此双频反演的精度一般比单频反演的高些. 不过,两载波信号L1和L2之间的传播路径差异会给双频方法带来误差. 利用三维射线追踪的程序模拟的无线电掩星数据来评估这些方法,结果表明,反演出的电离层剖面与给定的模式电离层非常吻合,验证了两种方法的可靠性和准确性. 将这两种反演方法应用于处理实测的GPS/MET掩星观测数据,均能获取合理的电离层剖面信息. 且单频方法得到的反演剖面与双频方法相当一致, 这为利用LEO星载单频GPS接收机进行电离层掩星观测提供了理论基础.     

Properties of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis>2-layer critical frequency median in the nocturnal subauroral ionosphere during low and moderate solar activity

Based on an analysis of data from the European ionospheric stations at subauroral latitudes, it has been found that the main ionospheric trough (MIT) is not characteristic for the monthly median of the F2-layer critical frequency (foF2), at least for low and moderate solar activity. In order to explain this effect, the properties of foF2 in the nocturnal subauroral ionosphere have been additionally studied for low geomagnetic activity, when the MIT localization is known quite reliably. It has been found that at low and moderate solar activity during night hours in winter, the foF2 data from ionospheric stations are often absent in the MIT area. For this reason, a model of the foF2 monthly median, which was constructed from the remaining data of these stations, contains no MIT or a very weakly pronounced MIT.     

Variant of more accurate determination of the locations of shortwave radio emission sources

The paper discusses how the trajectory calculation method can be used to solve the problem of locality determination of shortwave (SW) emission sources. The dependence of the electron concentration on the coordinates is specified using the SPIM model; it is corrected using the ionospheric solar activity index, which is specified with the help of maps of total electron content. We suggested a variant of how a regional map of the total electron content can be plotted according to measurements of signals from GLONASS/GPS navigation systems. It is shown that the trajectory calculation method, coupled with an adjustable ionospheric model, allows for a more exact locality determination of SW radio emission sources.     

Variations in the horizontal correlation radius of the ionosphere during a magnetospheric substorm

A change in the correlation radius of the ionosphere during the magnetospheric substorm of February 14, 2011, which is considered to be 500 km at midlatitudes, has been estimated. The vertical sounding (VS) data from the St. Petersburg and Sodankyla (Finland) observatories, as well as the data of oblique incidence sounding (OIS) at the Sodankyla-St. Petersburg path with a length of 790 km, have been analyzed. A specific feature of the experiment consisted in that the signals of a VS transmitter from Sodankyla were synchronously received at the receiving point on the OIS path in St. Petersburg. The OIS path reflection point is located at a distance of ～400 km from the VS reflection point. Ionograms typical of the VS and OIS signal reflection points in the ionosphere, the distance between which was slightly smaller than the correlation radius of the ionosphere (500 km), and the data of the Sodankyla and St. Petersburg ionosondes have been compared. It has been indicated that a horizontal correlation radius of 400 km can only be considered acceptable during three disturbance phases: the initial phase before the reconfiguration of the ionosphere; the explosion phase (the disturbance maximum), when only the sporadic Es layer is the reflecting ionospheric layer; and the recovery phase, when a disturbance already ceases and the ionosphere returns to its initial undisturbed state. During other disturbance phases, the correlation radius (if it exists) is much smaller than 400 km.     

Spatial field structure and polarization of geomagnetic pulsations in conjugate areas

The ultra-low-frequency (ULF) geomagnetic pulsations observed at two nearly conjugate mid-latitude sites are examined to study their spatial structure and polarization, and learn about the role of ionospheric conductivity in forming their ground signatures. The data of 1999–2002 from Antarctica and New England (L of 2.4) are compared with the numerical results obtained in a simple plane model of ULF wave propagation through the ionosphere and atmosphere. The multi-layered model environment includes an anisotropic and parametrically time-dependent ionosphere, a uniform magnetosphere and a conducting Earth, all placed in a tilted geomagnetic field. The measured diurnal and seasonal variations in the orientation angle of the polarization ellipse are interpreted as effects of hydromagnetic wave propagation through the ionosphere and conversion to an electromagnetic field below. Essentially, the phase, amplitude and polarization of ULF waves observed at the ground are controlled by the wave's spatial structure in the magnetosphere and ionospheric transverse conductivities. The differences shown by the characteristics of simultaneous pulsations in conjugate areas arise mainly from different local ionospheric conditions, while the source waves of the pulsations are common to both sites.     

Numerical simulation of the structure of the high-latitude ionospheric <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis> region during meridional HF propagation

A previously developed model of the high-latitude ionosphere is used to calculate the distribution of the ionospheric parameters in the polar region. A specific method for specifying input parameters of the mathematical model, using the experimental data obtained by the method of satellite radio tomography, is used in this case. The spatial distributions of the ionospheric parameters characterized by a complex inhomogeneous structure in the high-latitude region, calculated with the help of the mathematical model, are used to simulate the HF propagation along the meridionally oriented radio paths extending from middle to high latitudes. The method for improving the HF communication between a midlatitude transmitter and a polar-cap receiver is proposed.     

Dependence of the ionospheric response on the solar flare parameters based on the theoretical modeling and GPS data

The measurements of an increase in the total electron content (TEC) of the ionosphere during solar flares, obtained based on the GPS data, indicated that up to 30% of TEC increments corresponded to the ionospheric regions above 300 km altitude in some cases, and TEC increased mainly below altitudes of 300 km in other cases. The theoretical model of the ionosphere and plasmasphere was used to study the obtained effects. The altitude-time variations in the charged particle density in the ionospheric region from 100 to 1000 km were used depending on the solar flare spectrum. An analysis of the modeling results indicated that an intensification of the flare UV emission in the 55–65 and 85–95 nm spectral ranges results in a pronounced increase in the electron density in the topside ionosphere (above 300 km). The experimental dependences of the ionospheric TEC response amplitude on the localization and peak power of flares on the Sun in the X-ray range, obtained based on the GPS data, are also presented in the work.     

Effect of ionospheric irregularities on accuracy of dual-frequency GPS systems

The residual error of the ionospheric correction of signals from dual frequency GPS systems, related to a ray deviation in random ionospheric irregularities, is studied. The formulas taking into account ray deviation from a straight line in an inhomogeneous ionosphere have been obtained based on the disturbance theory when solving the ray equations. These formulas have been used to estimate the extreme accuracy of a dual frequency GPS method. The algorithm for correcting this ionospheric error of the second order using three-frequency reception has been proposed.     

Monitoring ionospheric response to auroral electrojet activity from sub-auroral to equatorial latitudes in the East Asian-Australian longitudinal sector over a solar cycle (1978–1986)

Large auroral and ionospheric databases, covering a solar cycle (1978–1986), were used to obtain a comprehensive evaluation of the auroral electrojet effect (as inferred from the auroral AE-index) on the ionospheric response in both hemispheres from sub-auroral to equatorial latitudes. The study was limited to the East Asian-Australian longitudinal sector where data are available from a chain of nine latitudinally displaced stations. Enhancement in the standard ionospheric parameter, the virtual height of the F-region (Δh′F) recorded by vertical-incidence ionosondes, was used to trace the ionospheric disturbance.Unlike the previous studies of this type, the total magnetic and ionospheric data, in hourly intervals, were used to derive the correlation coefficient r between two intrinsically different parameters: Δh′F and AE-index for the local nighttime (20–06 LT or 10–20 UT). A suitable averaging and smoothing technique was applied to the data to enhance the correlation trend between these parameters. It is evident that the height fluctuations of sub-auroral ionosphere (for stations: Yakutsk in Siberia and Hobart and Canberra in Australia) closely resemble the auroral electrojet surges, inferred from the AE-index over the solar cycle. The linear coefficient r is highly significant, being close to 0.6 for most of the time; during the years of maximum auroral activity (1981–1983) r approached 0.8. The consistently high correlation r, regardless of the season, applies only to the most poleward station used in this study, Yakutsk. The sub-auroral stations (Hobart and Canberra) positioned further equatorwards show a strong decline in the correlation coefficient r during the local summer but have high r during winter and the equinoxes. There is a general decline in r towards lower latitudes, suggesting that the response to auroral substorms is on the whole diminishing with the distance from the auroral source to the equator. There appears to be an anomalous increase in r as observed around 10° invariant latitude.These findings appear to be the first long-term proof of the symmetry of the ionospheric responses to auroral substorm activity in the northern and southern auroral ovals which is an important contribution to space climatology. It is suggested that the aurorally generated acoustic gravity waves (AGWs), manifested in the global ionosphere as large scale travelling ionospheric disturbances (LSTIDs), may contribute to the observed auroral-ionospheric phenomena.