Three-dimensional Ionospheric Model Research Articles

Evaluation of NeQuick2 Model over Mid-Latitudes of Northern Hemisphere

NeQuick2 is a three-dimensional ionospheric electron density empirical model that uses numerical integration to calculate the total electron content along any line-of-sight (LOS). As one of the most commonly used three-dimensional ionospheric models, it is necessary to objectively evaluate the accuracy and stability of NeQuick2 over a long period, especially over the mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere where most of the ground-based GNSS stations are distributed. Therefore, different methods are used in this study to evaluate the accuracy of the NeQuick2 model from 2008 to 2021, including comparison with the International Global Navigation Satellite System Global Ionosphere Maps (IGSG), Jason2 Vertical Electron content (VTEC), and self-consistent evaluation. The comparison with IGSG shows that the standard deviation (STD) value is about 2.59 TECU. The accuracy of the IGSG and NeQuick2 model over ocean regions shows that the bias of IGSG is more significant than that of the NeQuick2 model. The mean STD value is 2.09 TECU for IGSG, and the corresponding value is 3.18 TECU for the NeQuick2 model, which is about 50% worse than IGSG. The dSTEC assessment results indicate that the variation in bias for IGSG is more stable than that of the NeQuick2 model. The mean STD value is 0.86 and 1.52 TECU for IGSG and NeQuick2 model, respectively. The conclusion could be made that NeQuick2 model represents the average ionosphere electron content and its accuracy fluctuates with solar conditions. Compared with the IGSG, the NeQuick2 model always underestimates TEC value, especially in low solar activity periods and compared with Jason2, the TEC values obtained by NeQuick2 model are overestimated, but the degree of overestimation is smaller than that of IGSG.

A regional adaptive and assimilative three-dimensional ionospheric model

A regional adaptive and assimilative three-dimensional (3D) ionospheric model is proposed. It is able to ingest real-time data from different ionosondes, providing the ionospheric bottomside plasma frequency fp over the Italian area. The model is constructed on the basis of empirical values for a set of ionospheric parameters Pi[base] over the considered region, some of which have an assigned variation ΔPi. The values for the ionospheric parameters actually observed at a given time at a given site will thus be Pi=Pi[base]+ΔPi. These Pi values are used as input for an electron density N(h) profiler. The latter is derived from the Advanced Ionospheric Profiler (AIP), which is software used by Autoscala as part of the process of automatic inversion of ionogram traces. The 3D model ingests ionosonde data by minimizing the root-mean-square deviation between the observed and modeled values of fp(h) profiles obtained from the associated N(h) values at the points where observations are available. The ΔPi values are obtained from this minimization procedure. The 3D model is tested using data collected at the ionospheric stations of Rome (41.8N, 12.5E) and Gibilmanna (37.9N, 14.0E), and then comparing the results against data from the ionospheric station of San Vito dei Normanni (40.6N, 18.0E). The software developed is able to produce maps of the critical frequencies foF2 and foF1, and of fp at a fixed altitude, with transverse and longitudinal cross-sections of the bottomside ionosphere in a color scale. fp(h) and associated simulated ordinary ionogram traces can easily be produced for any geographic location within the Italian region. fp values within the volume in question can also be provided.

Online service for monitoring the ionosphere based on data from the global navigation satellite system

A service is described that makes possible the effective construction of a three-dimensional ionospheric model based on the data of ground receivers of signals from global navigation satellite positioning systems (GNSS). The obtained image has a high resolution, mainly because data from the IPG GNSS network of the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Rosgidromet) are used. A specially developed format and its implementation in the form of SQL structures are used to collect, transmit, and store data. The method of high-altitude radio tomography is used to construct the three-dimensional model. The operation of all system components (from registration point organization to the procedure for constructing the electron density three-dimensional distribution and publication of the total electron content map on the Internet) has been described in detail. The three-dimensional image of the ionosphere, obtained automatically, is compared with the ionosonde measurements, calculated using the two-dimensional low-altitude tomography method and averaged by the ionospheric model.

Non-spherical symmetric inversion of ionospheric occultation data

The Abel inversion based on a spherical symmetry of the ionospheric electron density distribution is a traditional inversion method of ionospheric occultation. However, the real ionosphere is not strictly spherically symmetric, which can cause error in inversion process of ionospheric occultation data. In this paper, we develop a non-spherically symmetric ionospheric occultation inversion method, in which the gradient information about international reference ionosphere three-dimensional ionospheric model is used to correct total electron content (TEC), thus the ionospheric electron density can be reconstructed from the corrected TEC by the spherical symmetric Abel inversion method. The inversion results retrieved from the measurements data of Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) ionospheric occultation are compared with the ionosonde data, showing that the result obtained from the new method is well coincident with the ionospheric electron density profile.