Radio occultation data analysis by the radioholographic method

The radioholographic method is briefly described and tested by using data of 4 radio occultation events observed by the GPS/MET experiment on 9 February 1997. The central point of the radioholographic method (Pavelyev, 1998) is the generation of a radiohologram along the LEO satellite trajectory which allows the calculation of angular spectra of the received GPS radio wave field at the LEO satellite. These spectra are promising in view of detection, analysis and reduction of multipath/diffraction effects, study of atmospheric irregularities and estimation of bending angle error. Initial analysis of angular spectra calculated by the multiple signal classification (MUSIC) method gives evidence that considerable multibeam propagation occurs at ray perigee heights below 20 km and at heights around 80–120 km for the 4 GPS/MET occultation events. Temperature profiles obtained by our analysis (radioholographic method, Abel inversion) are compared with those of the traditional retrieval by the UCAR GPS/MET team (bending angle from slope of phase front, Abel inversion). In 3 of 4 cases we found good agreement (standard deviation σ_T∼1.5°K between both retrievals at heights 0–30 km).     

Inversion of GPS meteorology data

The GPS meteorology (GPS/MET) experiment, led by the Universities Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), consists of a GPS receiver aboard a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite which was launched on 3 April 1995. During a radio occultation the LEO satellite rises or sets relative to one of the 24 GPS satellites at the Earths horizon. Thereby the atmospheric layers are successively sounded by radio waves which propagate from the GPS satellite to the LEO satellite. From the observed phase path increases, which are due to refraction of the radio waves by the ionosphere and the neutral atmosphere, the atmospheric parameter refractivity, density, pressure and temperature are calculated with high accuracy and resolution (0.5–1.5 km). In the present study, practical aspects of the GPS/MET data analysis are discussed. The retrieval is based on the Abelian integral inversion of the atmospheric bending angle profile into the refractivity index profile. The problem of the upper boundary condition of the Abelian integral is described by examples. The statistical optimization approach which is applied to the data above 40 km and the use of topside bending angle profiles from model atmospheres stabilize the inversion. The retrieved temperature profiles are compared with corresponding profiles which have already been calculated by scientists of UCAR and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), using Abelian integral inversion too. The comparison shows that in some cases large differences occur (5 K and more). This is probably due to different treatment of the upper boundary condition, data runaways and noise. Several temperature profiles with wavelike structures at tropospheric and stratospheric heights are shown. While the periodic structures at upper stratospheric heights could be caused by residual errors of the ionospheric correction method, the periodic temperature fluctuations at heights below 30 km are most likely caused by atmospheric waves (vertically propagating large-scale gravity waves and equatorial waves).Present address: Communications Research Laboratory, Upper Atmosphere Section, 4-2-1 Nukui- Kita, Koganei- shi, Tokyo 184, Japan     

山基GPS掩星观测实验及其反演原理

分别在湖北省药姑山和九宫山的山头上开展GPS掩星观测实验,成功获取山基掩星观测数据,对掩星事件进行了分析和统计.给出利用山基掩星观测数据反演大气折射指数剖面和电波弯曲角的原理和算法.利用山基GPS掩星观测模拟数据,对反演方法进行试算和检验,结果表明反演方法准确可行.将该反演方法应用于观测数据的反演,获得了观测点高度以下的大气折射率剖面,以及电波弯曲角.实验结果和原理研究表明,山基掩星观测技术是一种潜在的低层大气环境监测新技术.     

大气GPS掩星观测反演方法

大气GPS掩星观测可获得全球的大气气象参量剖面信息.本文阐述了地球大气GPS掩星观测反演原理,详细介绍了其几何光学近似反演方法和全谱反演方法,提出了将几何光学反演方法和全谱反演方法结合以形成可以处理多路径掩星数据的反演新方案.该方案和几何光学反演方法应用于GPS/MET和CHAMP大气掩星数据反演,成功地获得了大气参量剖面.结果表明,新反演方案是可行的、有效的GPS大气掩星反演方案.     

Global sounding of sporadic E layers by the GPS/MET radio occultation experiment

The GPS radio occultation technique is sensitive for layered structures with horizontal scales of around 100 km and with vertical scales of a few 100 m or more at the Earth's limb. These structures cause strong fluctuations of the GPS L1 and L2 phase paths which have been measured by a GPS receiver onboard of Microlab-1 satellite in 730 km orbit during the GPS/Meteorology experiment (GPS/MET of UCAR, Boulder). By means of GPS/MET radio occultation data, profiles of electron density fluctuations are derived for the mesosphere/lower thermosphere region with a height resolution of around 1 km. Data analysis of 1900 radio occultation events in June/July 1995, 1540 events in October 1995, and 2690 events in February 1997 confirms seasonal dependence of sporadic E layers. The meridian slices of average sporadic E activity show a dominance of plasma irregularities in the summer hemisphere. The irregularities mainly occur at heights 90–110 km. Auroral and equatorial sporadic E, electron density depletions, and multiple ionization layers are also present in the high resolution GPS/MET data. The multiple layers often have a distance of around 5–10 km in height, and appear up to a height of 140 km (upper height limit for 50 Hz sampling rate of GPS receiver). For February and June, the GPS/MET observations are compared to ground-based observations of the Asia/Australia ionosonde chain.     

大气掩星反演误差特性初步分析

GPS大气掩星探测技术可以获得全球大气折射率、气压、密度、温度和水汽压等气象参数,该技术基本原理是基于几何光学近似的Abel积分反演.地球扁率、电离层传播时间延迟、大气大尺度水平梯度、多路径传播现象等因素在某些高度范围影响大气反演的精度.本文采用模拟的方法,分析其中地球扁率及电离层对反演结果的影响,并讨论局部圆弧修正及电离层修正的效果.利用CHAMP掩星实测轨道数据和有关电离层和大气经验模式、采用三维射线追踪方法模拟计算几种情形下的GPS掩星观测附加相位数据,对模拟数据进行反演,将反演气象参量剖面与模拟时给定模式剖面进行比较,得到了0～60 km高度范围内的反演误差.误差统计分析结果表明,局部圆弧中心的修正以及电离层修正,对于高精度的GPS掩星反演是非常重要的;电离层修正残差仍是制约30～60 km高度范围内反演精度的重要因素,进一步完善和优化大气掩星反演需要发展新的电离层修正算法.     

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.     

电离层残差对掩星反演温度精度的影响

本文以MSIS90大气模式和3D NeUoG电离层模式为大气背景,用三维射线追踪法模拟研究了太阳活动强度、地方时、掩星平面方位角对弯曲角电离层残差和温度电离层残差的影响,以及电离层残差对全球日平均温度的影响.结果表明：电离层残差是平流层顶部（35~50 km）和中间层底部（50~70 km）掩星大气温度反演的主要误差.在太阳活动活跃期,电离层残差对单一掩星事件的平流层顶部平均温度的影响可达1.8 K,中间层底部平均温度的影响可达7 K;对全球日平均温度的影响在平流层顶可达-0.6 K,在70 km高度处可达1.2 K.发展新的电离层改正方法或电离层残差修正算法对提高掩星大气反演精度和全球气候监测意义重大.     

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.     

无线电掩星反演大气参数误差分析及应用进展

本文详细分析了影响空间GPS无线电掩星反演大气参数方法的主要误差源，其中包括信噪比误差，精密定轨误差，电离层模制误差，多路径效应和时钟改正等误差，并且介绍了国内外在无线电掩星领域的一些应用研究进展。     

COSMIC大气掩星开环数据反演方法

COSMIC星座GPS无线电掩星探测利用GPS开环接收技术提高低层大气观测数据的质量和对上升掩星事件的跟踪能力.开环掩星观测数据受到GPS导航数据调制的影响,在其数据后处理中必须消除该影响以获得高质量的科学反演结果.利用GPS导航数据调制码数据和利用开环数据本身内在的关系等两种方法可以消除该影响.将上述方法应用于COSMIC的掩星事件个例反演,获得了修复的大气附加相位数据;并利用几何光学近似反演方法和全谱反演方法,获得了射线弯曲角. 全谱反演方法获得的弯曲角及其温度反演结果与COSMIC数据中心的结果一致,说明我们的算法是有效的.     

地基GPS VTEC约束的电离层掩星反演方法

本文在分析GPS电离层掩星Abel积分变换反演的基础上,介绍了一种顾及电离层水平梯度信息的反演新方法,即地基GPS VTEC约束的电离层掩星反演法,并将该方法应用于COSMIC低纬掩星观测资料的反演.初步的统计结果表明,与经典Abel变换反演相比,地基GPS VTEC约束反演的临界频率f_oF₂更接近于电离层测高仪观测的结果.     

Abel电离层掩星反演方法及误差分析

GNSS-LEO电离层无线电掩星技术是近年来发展的电离层探测新技术.为消除LEO轨道以上的电离层影响,改正TEC反演方法采用非掩星侧的观测数据进行电离层掩星反演.本文首次提出了一种新方法--基于历元差分的电离层反演方法;并将改正TEC与历元差分两种反演方法应用于模拟掩星观测数据反演,随后基于反演结果及误差分析得到一些有益的结论:历元差分反演精度较改正TEC反演精度均有所提高;不管是哪种方法,高轨(约800 km)反演结果要优于低轨(约500 km)的反演结果;随着剖面高度的降低,反演精度随之下降;反演误差主要集中在8至18时(当地时),主要分布在磁纬-30°至30°之间.     

GPS无线电掩星技术反演大气参数方法对比

无线电掩星技术是一种探测地球大气的崭新途径.菲涅耳衍射反演是GPS掩星技术中基于物理光学原理的新的反演方法.文章研究了菲涅耳及几何光学方法的反演原理,利用GPS/MET数据分别反演得到了大气折射率及温度廓线.对比分析了菲涅耳衍射方法在10 Hz、25 Hz和50 Hz三个采样频率下不同的反演结果,通过与几何光学反演结果及相应探空数据的对比分析,表明菲涅耳衍射反演得到的结果在对流层,特别是水汽含量丰富的区域中更为准确可靠.     

Tomographic imaging of the ionosphere using the GPS/MET and NNSS data

The earlier experiments of ionospheric tomography were conducted by receiving satellite signals from ground-based stations and then reconstructing electron density distribution from measures of the total electron content (TEC). In June 1994, National Central University built up the low-latitude ionospheric tomography network (LITN) including six ground stations spanning a range of 16.7° (from 14.6°N to 31.3°N) in latitude within 1° of 121°E longitude to receive the naval navigation satellite system (NNSS) signals (150 and 400 MHz). In the study of tomographic imaging of the ionosphere, TEC data from a network of ground-based stations can provide detailed information on the horizontal structure, but are of restricted utility in sensing vertical structure. However, an occultation observation mission termed the global positioning system/meteorology (GPS/MET) program used a low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellite (the MicroLab-1) to receive multi-channel GPS carrier phase signals (1.5 and 1.2 GHz) and demonstrate active limb sounding of the Earth's atmosphere and ionosphere. In this paper, we have implemented the multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique (MART) to reconstruct and compare two-dimensional ionospheric structures from measured TECs through the receptions of the GPS signals, the NNSS signals, and/or both of the systems. We have also concluded the profiles retrieved from tomographic reconstruction showing much reasonable electron density results than the original vertical profiles retrieved by the Abel transformation and being in more agreement in peak electron density to nearby ionosonde measurements.     

GPS无线电掩星后向传播方法

在大气多路径传播条件下,讨论了两种无线电信号的反演方法:几何光学方法和后向传播方法.当大气存在多路径效应时,采用几何光学方法反演大气参数会引入较大误差.后向传播方法将无线电信号从多路径区域反推至单路径区域,减少了大气多路径效应的影响.为了比较不同的反演方法,利用多相位屏模型,数值模拟了大气多路径条件下无线电信号在大气中...     

电离层GPS掩星反演技术研究

GPS无线电掩星技术是崭新的、高效的地球大气层和电离层探测技术,但仍在发展和完善之中.本文详细推导了Abel积分和绝对TEC电离层反演方法,研究了如何解决Abel积分产生的上下限异常问题;用COSMIC发布的GPS原始数据进行了反演计算,将结果与地面电离层测高仪数据进行了比较,最后讨论了周跳对反演结果的影响问题.结果表明：（1）在较高轨道高度（约800 km）,Abel积分与绝对TEC方法的反演结果基本一致,都与电离层测高仪反演结果符合良好;在较低轨道高度（约500 km）,绝对TEC反演精度优于Abel积分反演精度;（2）绝对TEC反演的最大电子密度N_m较Abel积分法获得的结果更接近于电离层测高获得的峰值电子密度N_mF₂,绝对TEC反演法更加严密和有效;（3）周跳对绝对TEC反演结果的影响较Abel积分反演结果的影响更为敏感,但无论哪种方法,周跳对反演精度都造成严重损失.综合而言,绝对TEC反演法是更优的方法.     

GNSS掩星中大气水汽的非线性反演

研究利用无线电掩星探测数据反演大气水汽参数,文中使用一维非线性方法,反演对流层水汽压廓线.首先,定义了一维目标函数,并以几何光学假设为前提,反演出电波弯曲角;将电波弯曲角作为掩星探测量,大气模式输出的温、湿参量作为初始场,代入目标函数,对目标函数求最优反演出水汽压廓线.文中给出了部分反演结果,经讨论分析认为:非线性方法反演水汽压对初始场的精度依赖较小,能够同时反演出大气温度\水汽压廓线及相应的误差分析,对数值天气预报的应用及数据同化研究具有重要意义.     

近地空间环境的GNSS无线电掩星探测技术

从GPS/MET计划开始,基于GNSS的无线电掩星技术已成为一种强大的近地空间环境探测手段.截至到目前,已经有20多颗发射的低轨道卫星带GPS掩星接收机,其中COSMIC是首个专门用于掩星探测的卫星星座.这些掩星数据被广泛应用于气象预报、气候与全球变化研究、及空间天气监测和电离层研究.由于COSMIC的成功,相关合作单位目前正积极推动COSMIC-2计划,该计划将总共有12颗卫星,于2016年与2019年各发射6颗.COSMIC-2将携带一个高级的GNSS掩星接收机,它将接受GPS与GLONASS信号,并具备接受其他可获得信号源的能力(如中国北斗定位信号),其每日观测的掩星数量将是COSMIC的4~6倍.同时COSMIC-2还将携带两个空间天气载荷,加强空间天气的监测能力.本文以COSMIC与COSMIC-2计划为主线,对掩星的发展历史、技术要点进行了简单介绍,并简要综述了COSMIC取得的部分科学成果,同时对未来包括技术发展和众多的掩星观测进行了展望.