Topside ionospheric scale height analysis and modelling based on radio occultation measurements

Stankov, S. M.; Jakowski, N.

doi:10.1016/j.jastp.2005.10.003

Cited by 58 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…Moreover, the shape of the topside plasma density profiles or the scale height may also vary with solar activity (Chuo, 2007;Kutiev et al, 2006;Kutiev and Marinov, 2007;Liu et al, 2007a;Luan et al, 2006;Stankov and Jakowski, 2006). With measurements from incoherent scatter radar, digisonde, topside sounder, and radio occultation techniques, the plasma scale heights around the F peak and the topside ionosphere are found to become larger at higher solar activity (Kutiev et al, 2006;Lei et al, 2005;Liu et al, 2006aLiu et al, , 2007aStankov and Jakowski, 2006), which will also increase plasma density at the DMSP altitude as a key role by further decreasing the reduced height z in Eq.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The dependence of plasma density in the topside ionosphere on the solar activity level

et al. 2007

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Abstract. In this paper, the ten-year (1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005) total ion density N i measurements from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) spacecraft in the morning and evening (09:30 and 21:30 LT) sectors have been analyzed to explore the dependence of plasma densities in the topside ionosphere at middle and low latitudes on the solar activity level. Results indicate that there is a strong solar activity dependence of DMSP N i at 848 km altitude, which has latitudinal and seasonal features. The plasma density in the topside ionosphere has an approximately linear dependence on daily F107 and a strongly nonlinear dependence on SEM/SOHO EUV, such that the change rate of N i becomes greater with increasing solar EUV. This is quite different from the dependence of N i near the F-Region peak (NmF2), at which the rate of change of NmF2 decreases with increasing solar EUV. The rate of change of N i at the DMSP altitude is greatest in the latitude range where N i is greatest during high solar activity. We suggest that this greater rate of change (or amplification effect) of N i at the DMSP altitude is mainly a consequence of the solar activity variations of the topside scale height. The changes in the height of the F-Region peak (hmF 2 ) and the density NmF2 play a secondary role.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The dependence of plasma density in the topside ionosphere on the solar activity level

et al. 2007

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“…Buonsanto, 1999;Kutiev et al, 2005;Liu et al, 2004;Mendillo, 2006). Although there are poor correlations between geomagnetic indices and ionospheric scale heights Liu et al, 2007;Stankov and Jakowski, 2006b), enhanced geomagnetic activities will increase the variability of the ionospheric scale heights; that is, ionospheric scale heights may greatly deviate from the average pattern under individual disturbed situations, such as the ionogram-derived H m over Wuhan , ISR profiles derived VSH and H m over Arecibo (Liu et al, 2007), and topside scale height inversed from GPS-TEC (Gulyaeva, 2004).…”

Section: The Geomagnetic Activity Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The ionospheric scale height, as a measure of the shape of electron density (N e ) profiles or the altitude dependence of electron density, is one of the key ionospheric parameters, due to its intrinsic connection to the ionospheric dynamics, plasma temperature and compositions (Luan et al, 2006;Stankov and Jakowski, 2006b). Several definitions of the ionospheric scale heights exist (Liu et al, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variations of topside ionospheric scale heights over Millstone Hill during the 30-day incoherent scatter radar experiment

et al. 2007

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Abstract.A 30-day incoherent scatter radar (ISR) experiment was conducted at Millstone Hill (288.5 • E, 42.6 • N) from 4 October to 4 November 2002. The altitude profiles of electron density N e , ion and electron temperature (T i and T e ), and line-of-sight velocity during this experiment were processed to deduce the topside plasma scale height H p , vertical scale height VSH, Chapman scale height H m , ion velocity, and the relative altitude gradient of plasma temperature (dT p /dh)/T p , as well as the F 2 layer electron density (N m F 2 ) and height (h m F 2 ). These data are analyzed to explore the variations of the ionosphere over Millstone Hill under geomagnetically quiet and disturbed conditions. Results show that ionospheric parameters generally follow their median behavior under geomagnetically quiet conditions, while the main feature of the scale heights, as well as other parameters, deviated significantly from their median behaviors under disturbed conditions. The enhanced variability of ionospheric scale heights during the storm-times suggests that the geomagnetic activity has a major impact on the behavior of ionospheric scale heights, as well as the shape of the topside electron density profiles. Over Millstone Hill, the diurnal behaviors of the median VSH and H m are very similar to each other and are not so tightly correlated with that of the plasma scale height H p or the plasma temperature. The present study confirms the sensitivity of the ionospheric scale heights over Millstone Hill to thermal structure and dynamics. The values of VSH/H p tend to decrease as (dT p /dh)/T p becomes larger or the dynamic processes become enhanced.

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“…Assuming a thermospheric scale height on the order of 50-80 km (cf. Stankov and Jakowski, 2006) the equivalent slab thickness typically ranges during daytime between about 200 and 400 km height. Following the temperature profile in the thermosphere during daytime, scale height and equivalent slab thickness peak 1-2 h after local midday.…”

Section: Databasementioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstruction of F2 layer peak electron density based on operational vertical total electron content maps

et al. 2013

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Electron density is the major determining parameter of the ionosphere. Especially the maximum electron density of the F2 layer in the ionosphere, NmF2, is of particular interest with regard to the HF radio communication applications as well as for characterizing the ionosphere. In this paper we present a new method to generate global maps of NmF2. The main principle behind this approach is to use the information about the current state of the ionosphere included in global total electron content (TEC) maps as well as the relationship between total electron content, equivalent slab thickness and F2 layer peak density. Modeling of slab thickness is an interim step in our reconstruction approach. Thus, results showing the diurnal and seasonal variations and effects of solar activity on the modeled slab thickness values are given.

In addition a comparison of the reconstructed NmF2 maps with measurements from several ionosonde stations as well as with the global NmF2 model NPDM is presented.

Since 2011 the described method has been used at DLR Neustrelitz to generate NmF2 maps as operational service. These maps are freely available via the Space Weather Application Center Ionosphere SWACI (http://swaciweb.dlr.de)

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Topside ionospheric scale height analysis and modelling based on radio occultation measurements

Cited by 58 publications

References 61 publications

The dependence of plasma density in the topside ionosphere on the solar activity level

The dependence of plasma density in the topside ionosphere on the solar activity level

Variations of topside ionospheric scale heights over Millstone Hill during the 30-day incoherent scatter radar experiment

Reconstruction of F2 layer peak electron density based on operational vertical total electron content maps

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