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.     

Plasmaspheric electron density reconstruction based on the topside sounder model profiler

We apply a model-assisted technique to construct the topside electron density profile based on Digisonde measurements. This technique uses the Topside Sounder Model (TSM), which provides the plasma scale height, O⁺-H⁺ transition height, and their ratio Rt = H _T /h _T , derived from topside sounder data of Alouette and ISIS satellites. The Topside Sounder Model Profiler (TSMP) incorporates TSM and uses the model quantities as anchor points for the construction of topside density profiles. TSMP provides its model ratios with transition height and plasmaspheric scale height. The analysis carried out indicates that Digisonde derived F-region topside scale height Hm is systematically lower than one derived from topside sounder profiles. To construct topside profiles by using Hm, a correction factor of around 3 is needed to multiply the neutral scale height in the α-Chapman formula. It was found that the plasmaspheric scale height strongly depends on latitude and its ratio with the F-region scale height expresses large day-to-day variability.     

Evening enhancements in F-region electron temperature at subtropical latitudes during June solstice in the Indian SROSS C2 RPA data

In-situ measurments of the topside F-region ionospheric electron and ion temperatures are very few over the low and equatorial latitudes during the last two solar cycles, particularly in the Indian sector. The SROSS C2 satellite has provided some valuable data on the thermal structure of the topside ionosphere over the Indian region. This article reports a typical evening enhancement in the topside F-region electron temperatures around 18:00 IST observed in the subtropical latitudes of 15–20°N. These enhancements that are seen during the low sunspot activity periods show a latitudinal difference with an early and sharp peak at higher latitudes (23°N). The observed features are explained on the basis of equatorial plasma dynamics associated with the Appleton ionization anomaly.     

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.     

Comparison of satellite measurements of the low-latitude nighttime upper ionosphere with IRI

In this paper, we report the results of our comparison study between satellite measurements and the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model on the seasonal and longitudinal changes of the low-latitude nighttime topside ionosphere during the period of solar maximum from June 2000 to July 2001. Satellite measurements were made by KOMPSAT-1 and DMSP F15 at 685 km altitude and 840 km altitude, respectively. The results show that the IRI2001 model gives reasonable density estimations for the summer hemisphere and the March equinox at both altitudes. However, the observed wintertime densities are smaller than the predictions of the IRI2001 model, especially at a higher (840 km) altitude, manifesting strong hemispheric asymmetries. The observed electron temperatures generally reside between the two estimations of IRI2001, one based on the Aeros–ISIS data and the other based on Intercosmos, and the latter estimation better represents the observations. With more or less monotonic increase with latitude, the temperature profiles of the IRI2001 model do not predict the enhancement seen around 15° magnetic latitude of the winter hemisphere. Longitudinal variation, probably caused by the zonal winds, is seen in all seasons at both altitudes, while the IRI2001 model does not show a large variation. The observed density and temperature show significant changes according to the F10.7 values in the whole low-latitude region from 40°S to 40°N geomagnetic latitude. The effect is manifested as increases in the density and temperature, but not in the hemispheric asymmetry or in the longitudinal variation.     

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.     

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.     

顶部电离层和等离子体层电子密度分布——基于GRACE星载GPS信标测量的CT反演

本文利用两颗跟飞的GRACE卫星载GPS信标测量数据和基于差分相对TEC的层析算法,实现了全球范围的顶部电离层和等离子体层(450~5000 km) 层析成像.反演结果表明,利用低轨道卫星载GPS信标测量数据可以有效地重建顶部电离层和等离子体层的全球二维分布图像.对不同地磁活动条件下的天基层析反演结果表明,等离子体层电子密度随纬度的分布是不均匀的;在低纬赤道带,从顶部电离层向上延伸直到等离子体层,以及等离子体层中局地的电离增强云团,经常出现近似垂直于磁力线的电子密度柱状增强结构.     

Asymmetric response of the topside ionosphere to large-scale IGW generated during the November 30, 1979, substorm

We used bottomside ground observations and topside sounding data from the Intercosmos-19 satellite to study a Travelling Ionospheric Disturbance (TID) that occurred in response to Large-Scale Internal Gravity Wave (LSIGW) propagation during a substorm on November 30, 1979. We built a global scheme for the wavelike ionospheric variations during this medium substorm (AE_max ～800 nT). The area where the TID was observed looks like a wedge since it covers the nighttime hours at subauroral latitudes but contracts to a ～02 h local sector at low latitudes. The ionospheric response is strongly asymmetric because the wedge area and the TID amplitude are larger in the winter hemisphere than in the summer hemisphere. Clear evidence was obtained indicating that the more powerful TID from the Northern (winter) hemisphere propagated across the equator into the low latitude Southern (summer) hemisphere. Intercosmos-19 observations show that the disturbance covers the entire thickness of the topside ionosphere, from h_mF2 up to at least the 1000 km satellite altitude at post-midnight local times. F-layer lifting reached ～200 km, N_e increases in the topside ionosphere by up to a factor of ～1.9 and variations in N_mF2 of both signs were observed. Assumptions are made concerning the reason for the IGW effect at high altitudes in the topside ionosphere. The relationship between TID parameters and source characteristics determined from a global network of magnetometers are studied. The role of the dayside cusp in the generation of the TID in the daytime ionosphere is discussed. The magnetospheric electric field effects are distinguished from IGW effects.     

Automated daily process for global ionospheric total electron content maps and satellite ocean altimeter ionospheric calibration based on Global Positioning System data

The accuracy of single-frequency ocean altimeters benefits from calibration of the total electron content (TEC) of the ionosphere below the satellite. Data from a global network of Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers provides timely, continuous, and globally well-distributed measurements of ionospheric electron content. For several months we have been running a daily automatic Global Ionospheric Map process which inputs global GPS data and climatological ionosphere data into a Kalman filter, and produces global ionospheric TEC maps and ocean altimeter calibration data within 24 h of the end-of-day. Other groups have successfully applied this output to altimeter data from the GFO satellite and in orbit determination for the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. Daily comparison of the global TEC maps with independent TEC data from the TOPEX altimeter is performed as a check on the calibration whenever the TOPEX data are available. Comparisons of the global TEC maps against TOPEX data will be discussed. Accuracy is best at mid-to-high absolute latitudes (∣latitude∣>30°) due to the better geographic distribution of GPS receivers and the relative simplicity of the ionosphere. Our highly data-driven technique is relatively less accurate at low latitudes and especially during ionospheric storm periods, due to the relative scarcity of GPS receivers and the structure and volatility of the ionosphere. However, it is still significantly more accurate than climatological models.     

2006年4月13～17日西太平洋地区电离层暴时特性研究

本文利用西太平洋地区的15个电离层台站的测高仪数据和国际GPS服务中心IGS 36个站提供的TEC数据,以及由美国喷气推进动力学实验室提供的Jason 1 TEC数据对2006年4月13～17日间一次由冕洞高速流所引发的磁暴所造成的电离层效应进行了分析.分析结果表明这次电离层暴呈现出显著的纬度效应,foF2和TEC等参量显示在磁暴主相期间对称分布的强正暴效应中心在磁纬±30°～±40°,且持续时间超过12 h.负暴效应被限制在中高纬地区,在磁暴进入恢复相时,开始向低纬渗透,且具有明显的地方时效应.TIMIED卫星测量的Σ［O/N2］显示磁暴发生后,暴时环流使得中低纬地区的Σ［O/N2］有大幅增加,而中高纬地区则显著下降.通过对hmF2的分析发现磁暴主相期间,有磁层电场向中低纬地区穿透,且持续时间较长为1～3 h.因此这次强正暴效应可能是由风场、电场和化学成分这三个因素的共同作用造成的.这次磁暴造成的电离层暴响应非常复杂,对造成各种正负暴的物理和化学机制还需要进一步的研究.     

基于Gauss-Markov卡尔曼滤波的电离层数值同化现报预报系统的构建-以中国及周边地区为例的观测系统模拟试验

本文给出了一个基于Gauss-Markov卡尔曼滤波的电离层数据同化系统的初步构建和试验结果.我们选择中国及周边地区部分涉及电离层观测的台站(包括子午工程台站、中国地壳形变网和部分IGS台站)作为观测系统进行模拟试验,背景场利用IRI模式,观测值则由NeQuick模式计算得到.我们的同化结果表明,采用Kalman滤波算法,把部分斜TEC同化到背景模式当中,能够获得较好的同化结果,说明我们设计的算法可行、所选择的各种参数比较合理,采用Gauss-Markov假设进行短期预报也取得了较合理的结果.本项研究经过进一步的改进和完善,可以用来对中国地区的电离层进行现报和短期预报,一方面满足相关空间工程应用,另一方面可以提升现有观测系统的科学意义.     

Assessment of global TEC mapping using a three-dimensional electron density model

Dual-frequency transmissions from the Global Positioning System satellites can be used to measure and map ionospheric total electron content (TEC) on global scales. Using data exclusively from ground-based GPS networks, global ionosphere mapping has been successfully applied using either two- or three-dimensional techniques. Two-dimensional TEC maps retrieve a horizontally-varying distribution of total electron content, assuming a fixed vertical electron density profile. In three-dimensional mapping, both the horizontal and vertical distribution density are adjusted to fit the data. We describe a three-dimensional TEC mapping algorithm that uses three independent constant-density slabs stacked vertically to model the electron density, and compare with a more conventional two-dimensional approach using a single slab. One apparent benefit of the new method is reduction in a level error of the TEC maps, which decreased by 1.7 TECU using the three-dimensional retrieval on simulated data (1 TEC Unit corresponds to 10¹⁶ electrons/m²). Another benefit of the multilayer approach is improved slant TEC modeling. Using actual data from an equatorial site at Cocos Islands (96.8E, 12.2 S), three slab modeling improved estimates of slant TEC by a factor of 2 for elevation angles between 10 and 20° (9 versus 4.4 TECU, root-mean-square). However, the global structure of the vertical TEC retrievals we analyzed did not improve using three-dimensional modeling. This may be due to a critical approximation shared by both techniques that TEC persists unchanged at a given local time. This assumption is required to produce global maps from observations acquired from widely scattered ground receivers. Further improving the retrieval of global TEC structure with ground-based data probably requires improved dynamical models of TEC behavior. New data available from GPS receivers in low Earth orbit is also promising.     

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.     

Kalman filter-based algorithms for monitoring the ionosphere and plasmasphere with GPS in near-real time

Data collected from a GPS receiver located at low latitudes in the American sector are used to investigate the performance of the WinTEC algorithm [Anghel et al., 2008a, Kalman filter-based algorithm for near realtime monitoring of the ionosphere using dual frequency GPS data. GPS Solutions, accepted for publication; for different ionospheric modeling techniques: the single-shell linear, quadratic, and cubic approaches, and the multi-shell linear approach. Our results indicate that the quadratic and cubic approaches perform much better than the single-shell and multi-shell linear approaches in terms of post-fit residuals. The performance of the algorithm for the cubic approach is then further tested by comparing the vertical TEC predicted by WinTEC and USTEC [Spencer et al., 2004. Ionospheric data assimilation methods for geodetic applications. In: Proceedings of IEEE PLANS, Monterey, CA, 26–29 April, pp. 510–517] at five North American stations. In addition, since the GPS-derived total electron content (TEC) contains contributions from both ionospheric and plasmaspheric sections of the GPS ray paths, in an effort to improve the accuracy of the TEC retrievals, a new data assimilation module that uses background information from an empirical plasmaspheric model [Gallagher et al., 1988. An empirical model of the Earth's plasmasphere. Advances in Space Research 8, (8)15–(8)24] has been incorporated into the WinTEC algorithm. The new Kalman filter-based algorithm estimates both the ionospheric and plasmaspheric electron contents, the combined satellite and receiver biases, and the estimation error covariance matrix, in a single-site or network solution. To evaluate the effect of the plasmaspheric component on the estimated biases and total TEC and to assess the performance of the newly developed algorithm, we compare the WinTEC results, with and without the plasmaspheric term included, at three GPS receivers located at different latitudes in the American sector, during a solar minimum period characterized by quiet and moderate geomagnetic conditions. We also investigate the consistency of our plasmaspheric results by taking advantage of the specific donut-shaped geometry of the plasmasphere and applying the technique at 12 stations distributed roughly over four geomagnetic latitudes and three longitude sectors.     

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.     

武汉大学IGS电离层分析中心全球电离层产品精度评估与分析

2016年2月,武汉大学卫星导航定位技术研究中心(Wuhan University, WHU)正式成为新的国际GNSS服务组织(International GNSS Services, IGS)电离层联合分析中心(Ionosphere Associate Analysis Center, IAAC).本文首次系统地评估和分析了武汉大学IGS电离层分析中心自2016年日常化运行以来(2016年1月到2018年9月,太阳活动低年)的全球电离层产品的精度,并与其他六家IAACs (CODE、JPL、ESA、UPC、EMR和CAS)进行了比较分析.结果表明:WHU的全球电离层产品能够长期稳定且有效地监测全球电离层总电子含量(Total Electron Content, TEC)的时空变化;和IGS综合全球电离层产品比较,WHU的模型均方根误差和CODE、JPL相差不大,均值约为1.4 TECU,产品一致性优于其他IAACs;和GPS实测电离层TEC比较,WHU的模型内符合精度和CODE基本相当,均值约为1.4 TECU,且与电离层活动水平和地理纬度存在显著的相关性;和Jason-2测高卫星VTEC比较,WHU的全球电离层产品的系统性偏差均值约为-0.7 TECU,在不同纬度约为-3.0到1.0 TECU,且与地理纬度存在近似抛物线函数的关系;WHU的模型外符合精度和CODE、JPL以及CAS基本一致,均值约为2.9 TECU,且在中高纬度地区优于低纬度地区,北半球优于南半球.     

Test of GPS for permanent ionospheric TEC monitoring at high latitudes

The Global Positioning System (GPS) observables are affected by the ionosphere. The dispersive nature of this effect and the use of two frequencies in the GPS observations make possible to measure the ionospheric total electron content (TEC) from dual frequency GPS data. In this work we test the concept of permanent monitoring of TEC using a network of GPS receivers at high latitudes. We have used GPS data from five permanent receivers in Scandinavia, from 1–30 January 1994, with geographic latitudes ranging from 57.4^°N to 78.9^°N. The results show the capability of the method to monitor the evolution of TEC as a function of time and geographical location. We have detected night-time enhancements almost every night for some of the stations, and we have also been able to produce maps of the instantaneous TEC as a function of both latitude and longitude around the GPS network. We also present some of the current limitations in the use of GPS for estimating TEC at high latitudes such as the difficulties in solving for cycle-slips, and the necessity of reliable values for the receiver and satellite differential instrumental biases.     

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.