scholarly journals A comparison of the equatorial spread F derived by the International Reference Ionosphere and the S 4 index observed by FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC during the solar minimum period of 2007–2009

2012 ◽  
Vol 64 (6) ◽  
pp. 467-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Uma ◽  
J. Y. Liu ◽  
S. P. Chen ◽  
Y. Y. Sun ◽  
P. S. Brahmanandam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Minimum ◽  
International Reference Ionosphere ◽  
Minimum Period ◽  
Equatorial Spread F ◽  
International Reference ◽  
Spread F

scholarly journals On the seasonal variations of the threshold height for the occurrence of equatorial spread F during solar minimum and maximum years

2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 855-861 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Manju ◽  
C. V. Devasia ◽  
R. Sridharan
Keyword(s):  
Solar Minimum ◽  
Solar Maximum ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Meridional Wind ◽  
Equatorial Spread F ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Meridional Winds ◽  
Different Seasons ◽  
Spread F ◽  
Bottom Side

Abstract. A study has been carried out on the occurrence of bottom side equatorial spread F (ESF) and its dependence on the polarity and magnitude of the thermospheric meridional wind just prior to ESF occurrence during summer, winter and equinox seasons of solar maximum (2002) and minimum years (1995), using ionosonde data of Trivandrum (8.5° N, 76.5° E, dip=0.5° N) and SHAR (13.7° N, 80.2° E, dip ~5.5° N) in the Indian longitude sector. In this study, we have examined the changes in the threshold height of the base of the F layer for the triggering of ESF, irrespective of the magnitude and polarity of the meridional winds during the above periods. The study indicates that the threshold height above which ESF triggering is entirely controlled only by the collisional R-T instability is least for summer months, with higher values for winter and equinox, during the solar minimum period, whereas for the solar maximum period the threshold height is least for winter, with higher values for summer and equinox. But the range over which the threshold height varies is very narrow (<15 km) for solar minimum in relation to the large range of variation (>50 km) in the solar maximum epoch. Further to this, the study also reveals a clear-cut increase in threshold height with solar activity for all seasons. Clear-cut seasonal variability is also observed in the threshold height, especially for solar maximum. The study quantifies the level of the base of the F layer below which neutral dynamical effects play a decisive role in the triggering of ESF during different seasons and solar epochs.

scholarly journals Introduction of new data into the South African Ionospheric Map to improve the estimation of F2 layer parameters

2015 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Ssessanga ◽  
Lee-Anne McKinnell ◽  
John Bosco Habarulema
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Solar Minimum ◽  
Critical Frequency ◽  
Solar Maximum ◽  
International Reference Ionosphere ◽  
The South ◽  
International Reference ◽  
Critical Frequency Fof2 ◽  
Better Than

<p>In this paper the South African Ionospheric Map (SAIM) is upgraded with the usage of recent International Reference Ionosphere (IRI)-2012 model and South African Bottomside Model (SABIM) version 5 and validated for the critical frequency (foF2) of the F2 layer by comparing the model’s output with the measured ionosonde data. The SABIM model is also validated before use in the SAIM. The ionosonde stations used in the analysis include; Grahamstown (33.2°S, 26.3°E), Hermanus (34.4°S, 19.2°E), Louisvale (28.5°S, 21.2°E) and Madimbo (22.4°S, 30.9°E). The analysis of the results showed that the updates improved the performance of SAIM by 75% over the first version. The foF2 estimates from the SABIM version 5 model also gave a better estimate to the ionosonde measurements compared to the IRI-2012 model. The SABIM model performed 27% better than the IRI-2012 model during solar maximum and 14.7% better during solar minimum.</p>

scholarly journals Time and Altitude spread F echoes distribution over the Christmas Island VHF radar

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Yvan de La Cruz Cueva ◽  
Eurico Rodrigues de Paula ◽  
Acácio Cunha Neto
Keyword(s):  
Solar Minimum ◽  
Solar Maximum ◽  
Equatorial Region ◽  
Peak Time ◽  
Vhf Radar ◽  
Equatorial Spread F ◽  
Plasma Drift ◽  
Christmas Island ◽  
Spread F

Abstract. The goal of this work is to study the time and altitude echoes characteristics under different solar and seasonality conditions using the VHF radar RTI images. The occurrence of equatorial spread F depends on the existence of conditions that can seed the Raileight-Taylor instability, and these conditions can change with solar flux, seasonality, longitude distributions, and day-to-day variability. So, the equatorial spread F is observed as its time and altitude occurrence. The VHF radar of Christmas Island (2.0° N, 157.4° W, 2.9° N dip latitude) has been operational in the equatorial region for some time now, allowing long-term observations. The occurrence of echoes during solar minimum conditions are observed all throughout the night since the post reversal westward electric field is weaker than the solar maximum and the possibilities for the vertical plasma drift to become positive are larger. On other hand, echoes during solar maximum will be controlled by dynamics near the time of the Pre-reversal Peak (PRE). Our results indicate peak time occurrence of echoes along this period shows a well-defined pattern, with echoes being distributed as closer to local sunset during solar maximum and around/closer midnight during solar minimum conditions, meanwhile, the peak altitude occurrence of echoes shows a slightly regular pattern with higher altitude occurrences during solar maxima and lower altitudes during solar minimum conditions.

Equatorial Spread-F and Magnetic Activity

Nature ◽  
1958 ◽  
Vol 181 (4625) ◽  
pp. 1724-1725 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. LYON ◽  
N. J. SKINNER ◽  
R. W. WRIGHT
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Activity ◽  
Equatorial Spread F ◽  
Spread F

scholarly journals Accuracy Analysis of International Reference Ionosphere 2016 and NeQuick2 in the Antarctic

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1551
Author(s):  
Zihuai Guo ◽  
Yibin Yao ◽  
Jian Kong ◽  
Gang Chen ◽  
Chen Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Radiation ◽  
International Reference Ionosphere ◽  
Electron Content ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Dual Frequency ◽  
Total Electron ◽  
International Reference ◽  
Antarctic Continent ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Frequency Observation

Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) can provide dual-frequency observation data, which can be used to effectively calculate total electron content (TEC). Numerical studies have utilized GNSS-derived TEC to evaluate the accuracy of ionospheric empirical models, such as the International Reference Ionosphere model (IRI) and the NeQuick model. However, most studies have evaluated vertical TEC rather than slant TEC (STEC), which resulted in the introduction of projection error. Furthermore, since there are few GNSS observation stations available in the Antarctic region and most are concentrated in the Antarctic continent edge, it is difficult to evaluate modeling accuracy within the entire Antarctic range. Considering these problems, in this study, GNSS STEC was calculated using dual-frequency observation data from stations that almost covered the Antarctic continent. By comparison with GNSS STEC, the accuracy of IRI-2016 and NeQuick2 at different latitudes and different solar radiation was evaluated during 2016–2017. The numerical results showed the following. (1) Both IRI-2016 and NeQuick2 underestimated the STEC. Since IRI-2016 utilizes new models to represent the F2-peak height (hmF2) directly, the IRI-2016 STEC is closer to GNSS STEC than NeQuick2. This conclusion was also confirmed by the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) occultation data. (2) The differences in STEC of the two models are both normally distributed, and the NeQuick2 STEC is systematically biased as solar radiation increases. (3) The root mean square error (RMSE) of the IRI-2016 STEC is smaller than that of the NeQuick2 model, and the RMSE of the two modeling STEC increases with solar radiation intensity. Since IRI-2016 relies on new hmF2 models, it is more stable than NeQuick2.

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