Assessment of the accuracy of IRI-2016 model at the equatorial-, low-, mid-, and high-latitudes ionosphere along 30–45oE meridian lines during minimum (2009) and maximum (2013) phases of solar cycle 24

Abstract

This study assesses the accuracy of the International Reference Ionosphere IRI-2016 model prediction at the equatorial-, low-, mid-, and high-latitude ionosphere along 30–45oE meridian during minimum (2009) and maximum (2013) phases of solar cycle 24. We used raw TEC derived from GPS observation data from GPS receivers within ∼±70o latitudinal band, along the African/European longitudinal sector. We compared the GNSS-TEC data after the Plasmaspheric Electron Content (PEC) has been excluded with those derived from the two components of the IRI-2016 model. The percentage contributions of PEC to GNSS-TEC was minimum in June solstice, and maximum in December solstice with the highest values at the high-latitude regions, but with a clear hemispherical asymmetry; manifesting the winter anomaly effect. Higher TEC values were recorded in the equatorial/low-latitude regions than in the high- and mid-latitude regions. Overall, in both hemispheres, the accuracy of prediction of the IRI-2016 model was higher in the high- and mid-latitude regions than in the equatorial/low-latitude regions. The accuracy of the model was higher during solar minimum than during solar maximum. Both options of IRI-2016 performed better at nighttime than during daytime. IRI-NeQuick option generally performed better than the IRI-Corr option. TEC values were higher in the southern hemisphere than in the northern hemisphere.