On the minimum ground‐based observable frequency of the Jovian decametric emission imposed by the terrestrial ionosphere

Abstract

For experimental observation of the Jovian decametric emission, it is important to know the low‐frequency limit of the received radiation, which depends on the Jovian elevation (angular position from the local horizon) and the ionospheric electron density distribution. We develop the corresponding analysis and present results for different Jovian positions and different models of the ionospheric electron density profile. This consideration is of special interest for the periods 1993 to 1997 and also 2005 to 2009, years for low Jovian positions observed from northern hemisphere observatories where Jupiter is in the southern hemisphere in the celestial equatorial coordinate system. For several ionospheric models we determine the using range which depends on the Jovian elevations. By the use of empirical ionospheric models from Feichter and Leitinger, [1990, 1993] of the total electron content (TEC) from which an electron density maximum can be derived, we found that the solar activity highly influences the electron peak density which, in turn, acts on the low‐frequency limit of the detectable Jovian decametric emission from ground‐based observatories.