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.