Total Electron Content Retrieval Research Articles

Ionospheric Sounding Based on Spaceborne PolSAR in P-Band

The signal of spaceborne low-frequency full-polarization synthetic aperture radar (full-pol SAR) contains abundant ionospheric information. Phased Array L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) working in the L-band has been verified as an emerging ionospheric sounding technology. Aiming for a future P-band SAR system, this paper investigates the ability of the P-band SAR system in ionospheric one-dimensional and two-dimensional detection. First, considering different systematic error levels, the total electron content (TEC) retrieval in L/P-band is studied by using three typical full-pol SAR data sets based on a circular polarization algorithm. Second, the TEC data retrieved by SAR are fused with the ionosonde, and the joint retrieval of ionospheric electron density is performed. Results show that the P-band TEC retrieval is approximately twice as accurate as the L-band retrieval under the same conditions, and possesses excellent robustness. In addition, the TEC obtained by L/P-band SAR can be used to correct the electron density of the topside on the ionosonde. Results also show that compared with the topside correction accuracy of L-band SAR, that of the P-band SAR is improved by more than 20%. SAR has natural high-resolution characteristics and the P-band signal contains more obvious ionospheric information than the L-band signal. Therefore, future spaceborne P-band SAR has many advantages in two-dimensional fine ionospheric observation and one-dimensional electron density retrieval.

Functional model modification of precise point positioning considering the time-varying code biases of a receiver

Precise Point Positioning (PPP), initially developed for the analysis of the Global Positing System (GPS) data from a large geodetic network, gradually becomes an effective tool for positioning, timing, remote sensing of atmospheric water vapor, and monitoring of Earth’s ionospheric Total Electron Content (TEC). The previous studies implicitly assumed that the receiver code biases stay constant over time in formulating the functional model of PPP. In this contribution, it is shown this assumption is not always valid and can lead to the degradation of PPP performance, especially for Slant TEC (STEC) retrieval and timing. For this reason, the PPP functional model is modified by taking into account the time-varying receiver code biases of the two frequencies. It is different from the Modified Carrier-to-Code Leveling (MCCL) method which can only obtain the variations of Receiver Differential Code Biases (RDCBs), i.e., the difference between the two frequencies’ code biases. In the Modified PPP (MPPP) model, the temporal variations of the receiver code biases become estimable and their adverse impacts on PPP parameters, such as ambiguity parameters, receiver clock offsets, and ionospheric delays, are mitigated. This is confirmed by undertaking numerical tests based on the real dual-frequency GPS data from a set of global continuously operating reference stations. The results imply that the variations of receiver code biases exhibit a correlation with the ambient temperature. With the modified functional model, an improvement by 42% to 96% is achieved in the Differences of STEC (DSTEC) compared to the original PPP model with regard to the reference values of those derived from the Geometry-Free (GF) carrier phase observations. The medium and long term (1 × 104 to 1.5 × 104 s) frequency stability of receiver clocks are also significantly improved.

CSES GNSS ionospheric inversion technique, validation and error analysis

With the increased number of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites equipped with global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver, the LEO based GNSS slant total electron content (TEC) and electron density profile (EDP) data play an increasingly important role in space weather and ionospheric research due to improved global coverage. China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES), which was launched in February 2018, is equipped with GNSS receiver for either precise orbit determination (POD) and ionospheric inversion. The purpose of the present paper is to validate CSES GNSS ionospheric inversion technique based on the real observations and verify the accuracy of TEC and EDP retrieval based on the simulated data. The following conclusions can be drawn: the epoch difference inversion (EDI) derived from CSES can successfully retrieve the EDPs without non-occultation side measurements; the technique of EDI and the calibrated TEC inversion (CTI) have similar behaviors in inversion errors, however, the retrieved NmF2 and hmF2 have a larger systematic error surrounding the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) where the assumption of spherical symmetry is often invalid; the precision and accuracy of retrieved TEC have been investigated in the paper based on the simulated data, and it is found that the accuracy of the retrieved TEC is relative to solar activity: the lower the F10.7 index, the higher the accuracy of retrieved TEC.

Improved TEC retrieval based on spaceborne PolSAR data

AbstractIt is well known that for Earth observations, the spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems at L‐band can be seriously affected by the ionosphere. Fortunately, the destructive ionospheric information, total electron content (TEC), can be retrieved and removed by model inversion from SAR echoes and becomes a subject of interest for ionospheric research. Considering the system noise and channel phase imbalance, this paper focuses on accurate TEC retrieval from the Faraday rotation angle, which is embedded in Advanced Land Observing Satellite phased array L‐band synthetic aperture radar (PALSAR) full‐pol data. For the consideration of denoising, averaging filtering is widely used in existing studies to remove the system noise. In order to further reduce the noise effects, a fast total variation (FTV) denoising method is applied in this paper. By using the PALSAR full‐pol data sets, a series of simulation results show that the FTV denoising is effective for noise suppression and markedly reduce the standard deviation. For the error of channel phase imbalance, a new Faraday estimator based on the covariance matrix of circular basis is proposed. Compared with previous estimators, theoretical analysis and simulation results show that this new estimator can give the best performance for sensors that are dominated by channel phase imbalance errors. Thus, the proposed estimator can be a candidate method for TEC retrieval when phase imbalance is the domain error.

Computerized ionospheric tomography based on geosynchronous SAR

AbstractComputerized ionospheric tomography (CIT) based on spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is an emerging technique to construct the three‐dimensional (3‐D) image of ionosphere. The current studies are all based on the Low Earth Orbit synthetic aperture radar (LEO SAR) which is limited by long repeat period and small coverage. In this paper, a novel ionospheric 3‐D CIT technique based on geosynchronous SAR (GEO SAR) is put forward. First, several influences of complex atmospheric environment on GEO SAR focusing are detailedly analyzed, including background ionosphere and multiple scattering effects (induced by turbulent ionosphere), tropospheric effects, and random noises. Then the corresponding GEO SAR signal model is constructed with consideration of the temporal‐variant background ionosphere within the GEO SAR long integration time (typically 100 s to 1000 s level). Concurrently, an accurate total electron content (TEC) retrieval method based on GEO SAR data is put forward through subband division in range and subaperture division in azimuth, obtaining variant TEC value with respect to the azimuth time. The processing steps of GEO SAR CIT are given and discussed. Owing to the short repeat period and large coverage area, GEO SAR CIT has potentials of covering the specific space continuously and completely and resultantly has excellent real‐time performance. Finally, the TEC retrieval and GEO SAR CIT construction are performed by employing a numerical study based on the meteorological data. The feasibility and correctness of the proposed methods are verified.

The influence of ionospheric thin shell height on TEC retrieval from GPS observation

We investigate the influence of assumed height for the thin shell ionosphere model on the Total Electron Content (TEC) derived from a small scale Global Positioning System (GPS) network. TEC and instrumental bias are determined by applying a grid-based algorithm to the data on several geomagnetically quiet days covering a 10 month period in 2006. Comparisons of TEC and instrumental bias are made among assumed heights from 250 km to 700 km with an interval of 10 km. While the TEC variations with time follow the same trend, TEC tends to increase with the height of the thin shell. The difference in TEC between heights 250 km and 700 km can be as large as ∼ 8 TECU in both daytime and nighttime. The times at which the TEC reaches its peak or valley do not vary much with the assumed heights. The instrumental biases, especially bias from the satellite, can vary irregularly with assumed height. Several satellites show a large deviation of ∼ 3 ns for heights larger than 550 km. The goodness of fit for different assumed heights is also examined. The data can be generally well-fitted for heights from 350 km to 700 km. A large deviation happens at heights lower than 350 km. Using the grid-based algorithm, there is no consensus on assumed height as related to data fitting. A thin shell height in the range 350 – 500 km can be a reasonable compromise between data fitting and peak height of the ionosphere.

Assessment of vertical TEC mapping functions for space-based GNSS observations

The mapping function is commonly used to convert slant to vertical total electron content (TEC) based on the assumption that the ionospheric electrons concentrate in a layer. The height of the layer is called ionospheric effective height (IEH) or shell height. The mapping function and IEH are generally well understood for ground-based global navigation satellite system (GNSS) observations, but they are rarely studied for the low earth orbit (LEO) satellite-based TEC conversion. This study is to examine the applicability of three mapping functions for LEO-based GNSS observations. Two IEH calculating methods, namely the centroid method based on the definition of the centroid and the integral method based on one half of the total integral, are discussed. It is found that the IEHs increase linearly with the orbit altitudes ranging from 400 to 1400 km. Model simulations are used to compare the vertical TEC converted by these mapping functions and the vertical TEC directly calculated by the model. Our results illustrate that the F&K (Foelsche and Kirchengast) geometric mapping function together with the IEH from the centroid method is more suitable for the LEO-based TEC conversion, though the thin layer model along with the IEH of the integral method is more appropriate for the ground-based vertical TEC retrieval.

TEC retrieval from spaceborne SAR data and its applications

AbstractIt is well known that the spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) at VHF‐UHF band can be seriously affected by the ionosphere. Thus, the geophysical information of the ionosphere will be embedded in the low‐frequency SAR echoes after they transverse the ionosphere. Correspondingly, the total electron content (TEC), a typical ionospheric information parameter, can be retrieved from the spaceborne SAR data. However, the existing dual‐band techniques for TEC retrieval usually do not include consideration of multiple scattering effects caused by turbulent ionosphere, which plays an important role in the total path delay of signal under the strong fluctuation regimes. The result of TEC retrieval is therefore inaccurate and not applicable. Aiming at this issue, first, this paper analyzes the effects of regular background and the irregularity of electron density on SAR at L‐band, and the theoretical formulation is given. Then, a triband path delay technique of TEC retrieval based on the SAR data is proposed. By using three path delays corresponding to three specific frequencies within the signal bandwidth, this technique can remove the errors of multiple scattering due to the irregularity, and a high accuracy resolution of TEC value therefore can be obtained. Meanwhile, the sensitivity of this technique is analyzed. Finally, compared with traditional dual‐band technique, the numerical simulations show that the correction of SAR imaging based on triband technique is improved significantly. In addition, the resolution of reconstruction imaging using computerized ionospheric tomography performs significantly better based on the triband technique.

Coherent matched filter signal-processing algorithms for probing the ionosphere using broadband RF data

[1] We have developed a new method for extracting ionospheric parameters from broadband RF data collected in low-Earth orbit using coherent matched filters. The coherent matched filter uses the full time series of the electric field and matches the Fourier transform of these data with an ionospheric transfer function. This approach was applied to both lightning and human-made data transmitted on or near the ground and collected on-board the FORTE satellite, which is a low-Earth orbiting satellite with a broadband RF VHF receiver. We show that this approach allows us to discriminate natural (i.e., lightning) from human-made signals and provides a more accurate estimate of the total electron content (TEC) compared to the quasi-longitudinal approach applied to low VHF data. A comparison of TEC retrieval methods and sensitivity is described herein.

Development and error analysis of nonlinear ionospheric removal algorithm for ionospheric electron density determination using broadband RF data

[1] The first documented, empirical comparisons are provided of four methods to retrieve total electron content (TEC) that use broadband, impulsive events detected by satellite in the lower very high frequency range (20–150 MHz). The four TEC retrieval methods are the quasi-longitudinal approximation (i.e., Taylor expansion) of the Appleton-Hartree (A-H) dispersion relation to the first and second orders, as well as the nonlinear ionospheric removal algorithm (NIRA) that utilizes the A-H dispersion equation directly to model the propagation of an electromagnetic wave through the ionosphere. NIRA solves not only for TEC between the ground source and satellite, but also for higher-order ionospheric terms, such as electron density, ionospheric thickness, and angle between wave vector and magnetic field. Regimes of validity for each TEC retrieval method are analyzed by comparison of the parameters retrieved from synthetic data with a known ionosphere and from RF FORTE satellite data measurements of a ground-based broadband transmitter. Results include a comparison between TEC and infinite frequency time of arrival (to) determined by NIRA and determined by using the first- and second-order terms from the Taylor expansion of the A-H equation. Plasma density, ionospheric thickness, and angle between magnetic field and wave vector as determined by the two NIRA methods are also compared.

Ionospheric tomography of small-scale disturbances with a triband beacon: A numerical study

[1] The total electron content (TEC) along the raypath is a fundamental control on the quality of computerized ionospheric tomography (CIT) reconstructions. By measuring the frequency shift or phase, a traditional dual-band beacon can retrieve the relative TEC using the differential Doppler technique. However, because of the uncertainty in the phase integral constants, this technique can only approximately retrieve the absolute TEC. In some cases, the TEC errors are very large and significantly degrade the CIT results. A planned Chinese satellite for seismological studies will carry a triband beacon transmitting VHF, UHF, and L band frequencies. Using the differential phase between each pair of frequencies, the phase ambiguity can be resolved and used to determine the phase integral constant, hence greatly improving absolute TEC retrieval. This paper proposes an algorithm for finding the integral constant in the triband beacon technique. The numerical simulations show that electron density images reconstructed from TEC using three frequencies are much better than those reconstructed from TEC using two frequencies. In particular, when the initial electron density used in the iterative scheme is far from the true value, small-scale structures cannot be discriminated using a dual-band beacon but are visible in reconstructions using the three-frequency technique.

A global mapping technique for GPS‐derived ionospheric total electron content measurements

A worldwide network of receivers tracking the transmissions of Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites represents a new source of ionospheric data that is globally distributed and continuously available. We describe a technique for retrieving the global distribution of vertical total electron content (TEC) from GPS‐based measurements. The approach is based on interpolating TEC within triangular tiles that tessellate the ionosphere modeled as a thin spherical shell. The high spatial resolution of pixel‐based methods, where widely separated regions can be retrieved independently of each other, is combined with the efficient retrieval of gradients characteristic of polynomial fitting. TEC predictions from climatological models are incorporated as simulated data to bridge significant gaps between measurements. Time sequences of global TEC maps are formed by incrementally updating the most recent retrieval with the newest data as it becomes available. This Kalman filtering approach smooths the maps in time, and provides time‐resolved covariance information, useful for mapping the formal error of each global TEC retrieval. Preliminary comparisons with independent vertical TEC data, available from the TOPEX dual‐frequency altimeter, suggest that the maps can accurately reproduce spatial and temporal ionospheric variations over latitudes ranging from equatorial to about ±65°.