Radio Sounding Research Articles

Modeling the TTL at Continental Scale for a Wet Season: An Evaluation of the BRAMS Mesoscale Model Using TRO‐Pico Campaign, and Measurements From Airborne and Spaceborne Sensors

AbstractIn order to better understand the water vapor (WV) intrusion into the tropical stratosphere, a mesoscale simulation of the tropical tropopause layer using the BRAMS (Brazilian version of Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS)) model is evaluated for a wet season. This simulation with a horizontal grid point resolution of 20 km × 20 km cannot resolve the stratospheric overshooting convection (SOC). Its ability to reproduce other key parameters playing a role in the stratospheric WV abundance is investigated using the balloon‐borne TRO‐Pico campaign measurements, the upper‐air soundings over Brazil, and the satellite observations by Aura Microwave Limb Sounder, Microwave Humidity Sounder, and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 12. The BRAMS exhibits a good ability in simulating temperature, cold‐point, WV variability around the tropopause. However, the simulation is typically observed to be warmer by ∼2.0°C and wetter by ∼0.4 ppmv at the hygropause, which can be partly affiliated with the grid boundary nudging of the model by European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts operational analyses. The modeled cloud tops show a good correlation (maximum cross‐correlation of ∼0.7) with Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 12. Furthermore, the overshooting cells detected by Microwave Humidity Sounder are observed at the locations, where 75% of the modeled cloud tops are higher than 11 km. Finally, the modeled inertia‐gravity wave periodicity and wavelength are comparable with those deduced from the radio sounding measurements during TRO‐Pico campaign. The good behavior of BRAMS confirms the SOC contribution in the WV abundance, and variability is of lesser importance than the large‐scale processes. This simulation can be used as a reference run for upscaling the impact of SOC at a continental scale for future studies.

Estimating the Characteristics of Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances from Vertical Incidence Ionograms within a Compound Parabolic Layer Model

The characteristic U-shaped traces (cusps) in ionograms are associated with the passage of traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs), which lead to horizontal electron density gradients in the ionosphere and, therefore, to off-angle reflections in radio sounding. A new form of representation is considered for daily ionospheric sounding data. A compound parabolic layer model is proposed, which allows analytical calculation of ray paths to speed up the “homing-in” of the rays. Changes in the shape of the trace in the ionogram due to varying the TID characteristics are examined. A discussion is given of the possibilities for estimating TID characteristics from digitized vertical sounding ionograms.

Retrieval of temperature profiles using radio acoustic sounding system (RASS) with the equatorial atmosphere radar (EAR) in West Sumatra, Indonesia

The radio acoustic sounding system (RASS) with the equatorial atmosphere radar (EAR) at Koto Tabang, Indonesia was adapted to test the effects of the acoustic source location and acoustic frequency range on the continuous measurement of height profiles of temperature in the tropical troposphere. We installed the acoustic transmitting system by using six high-power horn speakers and four subwoofers. We developed a three-dimensional ray-tracing method of acoustic waves to predict the shape of acoustic wavefronts, accounting for the effects of the background winds on acoustic wave propagation. Then, we selected the appropriate antenna beam directions for EAR that satisfy the Bragg condition between the radar and acoustic wave propagation vectors. We carried out eight campaign observations in 2016, testing the performance of EAR–RASS. We found that the location and acoustic frequency range affected the RASS echoes. We also tested the compensation method of the background wind velocity with EAR to obtain the true sound speed. We intensively analyzed the RASS results from August 29 to September 3, 2016, when radiosondes were launched 12 times from the EAR site. We successfully retrieved the temperature profiles from RASS from 2 to 6–14 km with time and height resolutions of about 10 min and 150 m, respectively. Some temperature profiles were obtained up to about the tropopause at 17 km, although the observation period was short. During the RASS campaign, we detected a few interesting events regarding temperature variations as well as large perturbations in the three components of wind velocity.

Evolution of Field‐Aligned Electron and Ion Densities From Whistler Mode Radio Soundings During Quiet to Moderately Active Period and Comparisons With SAMI2 Simulations

AbstractKnowledge of field‐aligned electron and ion distributions is necessary for understanding the physical processes causing variations in field‐aligned electron and ion densities. Using whistler mode sounding by Radio Plasma Imager/Imager for Magnetopause‐to‐Aurora Global Exploration (RPI/IMAGE), we determined the evolution of dayside electron and ion densities along L ∼ 2 and L ∼ 3 (90–4,000 km) during a 7 day (21–27 November 2005) geomagnetically quiet to moderately active period. Over this period the O+/H+ transition height was ∼880 ± 60 km and ∼1000 ± 100 km, respectively, at L ∼ 2 and L ∼ 3. The electron density varied in a complex manner; it was different at L ∼ 2 and L ∼ 3 and below and above the O+/H+ transition height. The measured electron and ion densities are consistent with those from Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) and Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) and other past measurements, but they deviated from bottomside sounding and International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) 2012 empirical model results. Using SAMI2 (Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) ionosphere model) with reasonably adjusted values of inputs (neutral densities, winds, electric fields, and photoelectron heating), we simulated the evolution of O+/H+ transition height and field‐aligned electron and ion densities so that a fair agreement was obtained between the simulation results and observations. Simulation studies indicated that reduced neutral densities (H and/or O) with time limited O+‐H charge exchange process. This reduction in neutral densities combined with changes in neutral winds and plasma temperature led to the observed variations in the electron and ion densities. The observation/simulation method presented here can be extended to investigate the role of neutral densities and composition, disturbed winds, and prompt penetration electric fields in the storm time ionosphere/plasmasphere dynamics.

Quasiperiodic oscillations of the sub-mHz band in near-sun plasma according to the coherent radio occultation data

In 2013 and 2015, investigations of the internal solar wind were carried out using the method of two-frequency radio sounding by signals from the Mars Express European spacecraft. The values of the S- and X-bands’ frequency and the differential frequency were registered with a sampling rate of 1s at the American and European networks of ground-based tracking stations. The spatial distribution of the frequency fluctuation’s level has been studied. It has been shown that the intensity of frequency fluctuation considerably decreases at high heliolatitudes. In some radio sounding sessions, quasiperiodic oscillations of sub-mHz band have been observed in the temporal spectra of frequency fluctuations; they are supposed to be associated with the density inhomogeneities, the sizes of which are close to the turbulence outer scale.

PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF LOWER IONOSPHERE MONITORING BASED ON ANALYSIS OF TWEEK-ATMOSPHERICS

The altitude interval and the low concentration of charged particles in the lower ionosphere reduce the possibilities of its investigation by using radio sounding, balloons, rockets, or satellites. We use the tweek-atmospherics (tweeks) in this work for studying the lower ionosphere. Tweeks are the ELF–VLF radio pulses excited by lightning strokes in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide. A new method is suggested and used of automated identification and analysis of tweeks. On the basis of the tweek analysis recorded in August 2014, the relationship was investigated between the regular variations in the ionosphere height caused by changes in the solar zenith angle, which determines the main source of ionization in ambient night conditions - the radiation from geocorona. We demonstrate that elevation of the lower boundary of the ionosphere increases the flux rate of tweeks, and the effect is associated with the decrease of losses in the ionosphere. The elevation of ionosphere lower boundary was detected during the moderate geomagnetic storm. Thus, the diagnostic capabilities of the proposed method were demonstrated, which allow for locating the thunderstorm centers and to reveal the height variations of the Earth-ionosphere waveguide along the propagation paths of VLF radio waves excited by lightning discharges from different thunderstorms.

Validation of numerically forecast vertical temperature profile with measurements for dispersion modelling

Modelling of air pollution dispersion in the immediate vicinity of industrial sources over a complex terrain requires proper meteorological input data regarding the state of the atmosphere. For this purpose, numerical weather prediction-model results, rather than direct measurements, are becoming more widely used. In order to ensure high-quality modelling of the air-pollution dispersion, the forecast meteorological input data have to be of high quality. The quality of numerically obtained data has to therefore be validated with measurements. Measurements of the vertical temperature profile, which is vital, with radio acoustic sounding system (RASS) were used in this study. The paper presents the validation of the forecast vertical temperature profile over the complex terrain of the Krsko Basin. The validation is carried out with sensor measurements from a 70 metre tall tower and remote RASS measurements. 13 months' worth of data is used for the validation study.

On Spatial Structuring of the F2 Layer Studied by the Satellite Radio Sounding of the Ionosphere Disturbed by High-Power HF Radio Waves

We present the results of studying the characteristics of the artificial plasma structures excited in the ionospheric F2 region modified by high-power HF radio waves. The experiments were carried out at the Sura heating facility using satellite radio sounding of the ionosphere. The plasma density profile was reconstructed with the highest possible spatial resolution for today, about 4 km. In a direction close to the magnetic zenith of the pump wave, the following phenomena were observed: the formation of a cavity with a 15% lower plasma density at the altitudes of the F2 layer and below; the formation of an area with plasma density increased by 12% at altitudes greater than 400 km. With a long-term quasiperiodic impact of the pump wave on the ionosphere, wavy large-scale electron-density perturbations (the meridional scale λx ≈ 130 km and the vertical scale λz ≈ 440 km) are also formed above the Sura facility. These perturbations can be due to the plasma density modulation by an artificial acoustic-gravity wave with a period of 10.6 m, which was formed by the heat source inside a large-scale cavity with low plasma density; there is generation of the electron density irregularities for the electrons with ΔNe/Ne ≈ 3% in the form of layers having the sizes 10–12 km along and about 24 km across the geomagnetic field, which are found both below and above the F2-layer maximum. The mechanisms of the formation of these plasma structures are discussed.

Real-Time Ionosphere Monitoring by Three-Dimensional Tomography over Japan

This paper reports on the development of a real-time three-dimensional ionospheric tomography technique using GNSS measurements. GPS measurement data from 200 GPS receivers distributed throughout Japan are analyzed in real time to calculate ionospheric Total Electron Contents (TECs). The three-dimensional ionospheric electron density distribution was reconstructed using the tomography technique from the slant TEC data. The tomography results were found to be in good agreement with both the electron density profiles obtained by radio occultation measurements by the COSMIC satellite and the ionospheric peak densities obtained by vertical radio sounding measurements (ionosondes). The real-time ionospheric tomography system commenced operation in March 2016 and it continuously produces three-dimensional electron density distributions over Japan every 15 min with latency of about 6 min. This system is a very powerful tool for monitoring the ionosphere in real time, which could both improve the performance of GNSS-based systems and further the understanding of ionospheric variations.

Profiling water vapor mixing ratios in Finland by means of a Raman lidar, a satellite and a model

Abstract. We present tropospheric water vapor profiles measured with a Raman lidar during three field campaigns held in Finland. Co-located radio soundings are available throughout the period for the calibration of the lidar signals. We investigate the possibility of calibrating the lidar water vapor profiles in the absence of co-existing on-site soundings using water vapor profiles from the combined Advanced InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) and the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) satellite product; the Aire Limitée Adaptation dynamique Développement INternational and High Resolution Limited Area Model (ALADIN/HIRLAM) numerical weather prediction (NWP) system, and the nearest radio sounding station located 100 km away from the lidar site (only for the permanent location of the lidar). The uncertainties of the calibration factor derived from the soundings, the satellite and the model data are < 2.8, 7.4 and 3.9 %, respectively. We also include water vapor mixing ratio intercomparisons between the radio soundings and the various instruments/model for the period of the campaigns. A good agreement is observed for all comparisons with relative errors that do not exceed 50 % up to 8 km altitude in most cases. A 4-year seasonal analysis of vertical water vapor is also presented for the Kuopio site in Finland. During winter months, the air in Kuopio is dry (1.15±0.40 g kg−1); during summer it is wet (5.54±1.02 g kg−1); and at other times, the air is in an intermediate state. These are averaged values over the lowest 2 km in the atmosphere. Above that height a quick decrease in water vapor mixing ratios is observed, except during summer months where favorable atmospheric conditions enable higher mixing ratio values at higher altitudes. Lastly, the seasonal change in disagreement between the lidar and the model has been studied. The analysis showed that, on average, the model underestimates water vapor mixing ratios at high altitudes during spring and summer.

Radio sounding of the solar wind acceleration region with spacecraft signals

Data from coronal radio-sounding experiments carried out on various interplanetary spacecraft are used to derive the empirical radial dependence of solar wind velocity and density at heliocentric distances from 3 to 60 solar radii for heliolatitudes below 60° and for low solar activity. The radial dependencies of solar wind power and acceleration are derived from these results. Summaries of the radial behavior of characteristic parameters of the solar wind turbulence (e.g., the spectral index and the inner and outer turbulence scales), as well as the fractional density fluctuation, are also presented. These radio-sounding results provide a benchmark for models of the solar wind in its acceleration region.

IRI model in the problem of predicting ionospheric radio-wave propagation under conditions of high solar activity

The paper presents the results of an analysis of the correspondence between model representations the monthly mean diurnal dependences of critical frequency and vertical profiles of plasma frequency at local noon at IZMIRAN station for the middle months of the four seasons of 2014, the year of the maximum solar activity in the current 24th cycle. It is shown that in general the IRI model reliably describes the daily variation of foF2, and the smallest discrepancy is achieved when its basic input parameter is given by the ionospheric index of solar activity IG12. An exception is April, for which there is a fundamental discrepancy with the model both in the daily variation of the critical frequency foF2 and in the N e (h)-profile for local noon time. For this month, the inadequacy in the model representation of the vertical distribution of the electron density turned out to be very significant in the calculation of the MUF: the relative error can reach 20%. The simulation results are confirmed by data from oblique-incidence ionospheric radio sounding.

Development of general structure of atmosphere radiosounding system in Ukraine

Obtaining accurate and timely information about the state of the atmosphere is an important requirement for making synoptic, aviation and other forecasts needed in many areas of human activity. One of the main fundamental types of meteorological measurements are aerological measurements produced in the free atmosphere. Among them the most important and significant place is occupied by radio sounding of the atmosphere carried out using upper-air radiosondes elevated in the free atmosphere by a gas-filled casing. The article analyzes the existing system of radiosounding of the Ukrainian atmosphere, determines its drawbacks, highlights demands that meet international standards. The structure of the atmosphere radiosounding system using GPS and GLONASS radionavigation system was also proposed. The authors offer specific technical solutions for the most important elements of the system on the basis of modern information technologies.

Evolution of two cirque glaciers in Lombardy and their relation to climatic factors (1962–2016)

ABSTRACTIn order to assess the climate–glacier relationship in the Southern European Alps, two small glaciers in Lombardy, Suretta Sud and Lupo, have been chosen for investigation. GPS profiling in 2016 allowed the determination of elevation changes since 2007 and thus the determination of the glacier mass balance using the geodetic method. Older maps have been digitized to reconstruct mass changes back to 1962. The two glaciers react synchronously and show overall mass losses, but the narrower observation pattern at Suretta Sud reveals positive mass changes from 1970 to 1982. Long-term meteorological series of precipitation and air temperature of representative stations have been analysed, they show highly significant warming trends of 0.32–0.40°C per decade during summer, but no significant trend in winter precipitation. Since 2009/2010, annual mass balance measurements applying the glaciological method were undertaken by the Servizio Glaciologico Lombardo. These annual observations reveal that, despite the decadal mass loss observed by geodetic observations, years with positive mass changes still occur. These years showed below average winter precipitation and below average summer temperatures, indicating that glacier behaviour is influenced by both parameters. Ice thicknesses observed by echo radio sounding allow to calculate glacier volume and the bedrock topography. Maximum ice thicknesses are around 40 m and the cirques are not overdeepened by glacial erosion. Using very simple extrapolations of observed rates of downwasting results in theoretical life expectancies of these glacierets of 50–70 yr.

Correlation between the horizontal wind direction and orientation of cross-field anisotropy of small-scale irregularities in the F region of midlatitude ionosphere

Radio sounding of midlatitude ionosphere shows that natural small-scale electron density irregularities in the F region are cross-field anisotropic. The orientation of the cross-field anisotropy is different under different geophysical conditions. The cross-field anisotropy orientation is matched with the horizontal wind direction calculated within the HWM07 model for each event. It is ascertained that natural irregularities in a plane perpendicular to the magnetic field are stretched along the horizontal wind direction under different geophysical conditions.

The HD(CP)<sup>2</sup> Observational Prototype Experiment (HOPE) – an overview

Abstract. The HD(CP)2 Observational Prototype Experiment (HOPE) was performed as a major 2-month field experiment in Jülich, Germany, in April and May 2013, followed by a smaller campaign in Melpitz, Germany, in September 2013. HOPE has been designed to provide an observational dataset for a critical evaluation of the new German community atmospheric icosahedral non-hydrostatic (ICON) model at the scale of the model simulations and further to provide information on land-surface–atmospheric boundary layer exchange, cloud and precipitation processes, as well as sub-grid variability and microphysical properties that are subject to parameterizations. HOPE focuses on the onset of clouds and precipitation in the convective atmospheric boundary layer. This paper summarizes the instrument set-ups, the intensive observation periods, and example results from both campaigns. HOPE-Jülich instrumentation included a radio sounding station, 4 Doppler lidars, 4 Raman lidars (3 of them provide temperature, 3 of them water vapour, and all of them particle backscatter data), 1 water vapour differential absorption lidar, 3 cloud radars, 5 microwave radiometers, 3 rain radars, 6 sky imagers, 99 pyranometers, and 5 sun photometers operated at different sites, some of them in synergy. The HOPE-Melpitz campaign combined ground-based remote sensing of aerosols and clouds with helicopter- and balloon-based in situ observations in the atmospheric column and at the surface. HOPE provided an unprecedented collection of atmospheric dynamical, thermodynamical, and micro- and macrophysical properties of aerosols, clouds, and precipitation with high spatial and temporal resolution within a cube of approximately 10 × 10 × 10 km3. HOPE data will significantly contribute to our understanding of boundary layer dynamics and the formation of clouds and precipitation. The datasets have been made available through a dedicated data portal. First applications of HOPE data for model evaluation have shown a general agreement between observed and modelled boundary layer height, turbulence characteristics, and cloud coverage, but they also point to significant differences that deserve further investigations from both the observational and the modelling perspective.

Frequency fluctuations in the solar corona investigated with radio sounding experiments on the spacecraft ROSETTA and MARS EXPRESS in 2010/2011

Coronal radio-sounding experiments were carried out using two-way coherent dual-frequency carrier signals of the ESA spacecraft ROSETTA in 2010 and MARS EXPRESS in 2010/2011. Differential frequency measurements recorded at both NASA and ESA tracking stations (sample rate: 1Hz) are analyzed in this paper. Spectral analysis of the S-band, X-band, and differential frequency records has shown that the r.m.s. frequency fluctuation of each signal can be described by a radial power-law function of the form σi=Ai(R/R⊙)−βi, where i=s, x, sx. The ratio of the coefficients As and Ax differs from the expected theoretical value As/Ax=fs/fx. This occurs because the X-band fluctuations underlie two-way propagation conditions while the S-band fluctuations are essentially the product of a one-way propagation experiment. The intensity of the frequency fluctuations decreases sharply at high heliolatitudes. The asymmetry of the frequency fluctuation intensity between ingress and egress is exploited to determine the solar wind speed at small heliocentric distances.

DYNAMIC ERROR OF THE TEMPERATURE SENSORS WITH THE SOUNDING OF THE ATMOSPHERE

Radiosounding of the atmosphere is an essential component constituting the base for prognostic aviation authorities. GPR scanning data are the basis for the mapping of baric topography used in the development of aviation weather forecasts. Currently, numerical methods of weather forecast have become especially popular. This is quite justified, as these methods allow to increase the accuracy of weather forecasts and these techniques represent the future. However, the era of "numerical weather prediction" will not come soon. This is primarily due to imperfect numerical forecast models, which do not provide for timeliness and reliability of weather forecasting required for aviation. However, the quality of meteorological support of aircraft flights is largely determined by the timeliness and predictability of the aviation weather forecasts. In this regard, the network of radiosounding functions require the presentation of the theoretical foundations and providing consumers with normalized metrological characteristics of the measuring system of radio sounding, methods of measurement and a reasonable assessment of the reliability of the results of sensing. A number of these problems have been resolved nowadays, however, so far the problem of estimating dynamic measurement errors in the sounding is not solved. The metrological characteristics and the dynamic error of measurement of temperature with the new temperature sensors of foreign production (NТС MFB-5000-3220), recently used in the Russian radiosondes still require the detailed studies. This article is devoted to one of the most important types of errors of radio sounding – the dynamic errors of measurement, to be precise, the dynamic error of the temperature measurement. In the article the problem of determining the value of dynamic errors of radiosondes is being solved alongside with the investigation of the role of this kind of errors when assessing the reliability of the results of the atmosphere radio sounding.

An Environment and Ionosphere to Examining Optical and Radio of Lightning-Related Wonders

The observing as well as sounding of lightning releases and their related phenomea (mesospheric optical outflows and so on.) has been performed by radio and optical estimations. We focus on the winter lightning in the Hokuriku region (Japan Sea side) of Japan, since it is critical to explore whether lighting releases in the Hokuriku territory (entire spatial scale is generally little in correlation with the traditional summer lightning in the US) could trigger the mesospheric optical emanations. The optical perception of those mesospheric emanations and the comparing radio sounding by ELF and VHF radio waves of their parent lightning, have been accounted for. The watching frameworks are initially exhibited, and our most recent observational certainties on the mesospheric outflows in the Hokuriku territory, their parent lightning and some PC recreations on the sprite start, are introduced.

Assessing the potential for passive radio sounding of Europa and Ganymede with RIME and REASON

Recent work has raised the potential for Jupiter's decametric radiation to be used as a source for passive radio sounding of its icy moons. Two radar sounding instruments, the Radar for Icy Moon Exploration (RIME) and the Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface (REASON) have been selected for ESA and NASA missions to Ganymede and Europa. Here, we revisit the projected performance of the passive sounding concept and assess the potential for its implementation as an additional mode for RIME and REASON. We find that the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of passive sounding can approach or exceed that of active sounding in a noisy sub-Jovian environment, but that active sounding achieves a greater SNR in the presence of quiescent noise and outperforms passive sounding in terms of clutter. We also compare the performance of passive sounding at the 9MHz HF center frequency of RIME and REASON to other frequencies within the Jovian decametric band. We conclude that the addition of a passive sounding mode on RIME or REASON stands to enhance their science return by enabling sub-Jovian HF sounding in the presence of decametric noise, but that there is not a compelling case for implementation at a different frequency.