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

T Gerzen,V Wilken,M M Hoque,N Jakowski

doi:10.5194/angeo-31-1241-2013

T Gerzen, V Wilken + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-31-1241-2013

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Journal: Annales Geophysicae	Publication Date: Jul 23, 2013
Citations: 23	License type: CC BY 3.0

Affiliation: German Aerospace Center

Abstract

Abstract. 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).

Highlights

The availability of NmF2 maps containing the information about the current values of the peak electron density is of great use for both ionospheric research and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) applications
In the first step of the F2 layer peak electron density reconstruction algorithm we model the values of TEC and NmF2 by means of the models NTCM-GL and Neustrelitz Peak Density Model (NPDM), respectively
This paper presents the reconstruction approach for the F2 layer peak electron density

Summary

Introduction

The availability of NmF2 maps containing the information about the current values of the peak electron density is of great use for both ionospheric research and GNSS applications. We can gain an approximation to vTEC by means of a projection from measured slant TECs to vertical at a piercing point (φp, λp) on the ray path s in a suitably chosen single-layer-ionosphere height hsp. Our reconstruction of the peak electron density of the F2 layer will benefit from using another key parameter of the ionosphere – the equivalent slab thickness τ. The equivalent slab thickness provides a good estimation of the width of the vertical electron density profile It is defined by the ratio of vertical TEC and the F2 layer peak density NmF2 according to TEC τ=.

Database

Reconstruction approach for F2 layer peak electron density maps

Findings

Conclusions