hmF2 Variations Research Articles

Multi-station observation of ionospheric disturbance of March 9 2012 and comparison with IRI-model

The magnetic storm of 9 March 2012 is a single step intense storm (Dst=−143nT) whose main phase begins around 0100UT and lasted for almost 11h. The increases in NmF2 recorded 33% and 67% incidence respectively during the main and the recovery phase of the storm at the stations considered. The increase in hmF2 occurred concurrently with the increase in thickness parameter B0 between 0000 and 1100UT, and a simultaneous decrease in the shape parameter B1 for the entire mid-latitude stations. Generally, B1 responded to the storm with a decrease away from the quiet day average, and decreased simultaneously with the increase in NmF2. B0 displays higher variability magnitude during daytime than the nighttime period. The occasional differences in the response of the ionospheric parameters to the storm event are attributed to longitudinal differences. Variation in hmF2 and NmF2 is projected to change in B1, but the rationale behind this effect on B1 is still not known and therefore left open. The two IRI options over-estimate the observed values with that of URSI higher than CCIR. The over-estimation was higher during the nighttime than the daytime for NmF2 response for the mid-latitude stations and the reverse for the equatorial station. A fairer fit of the model with the observed for all parameters over Jicamarca suggests that equatorial regions are better represented on the model. Extensive study of B1 and B0 is recommended to arrive at a better performance of IRI.

The quiet nighttime low-latitude ionosphere as observed by TIMED/GUVI

In this paper, we examine the nighttime ionosphere climatology structure in the low latitude region and discrepancies between Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) observations and the IRI model predictions using (1) the magnetic zonal mean of electron number density as a function of altitude and magnetic latitude, (2) vertical electron density profiles at various levels of F10.7 index, (3) nighttime descent and magnitude decrease of the ionosphere, (4) point-to-point comparisons of F-peak height (hmF2) and density (NmF2), and (5) the magnetic longitudinal variations of hmF2 and NmF2. The data collected from the Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere, Energetics, and Dynamics (TIMED) mission since its launch in December 2001 have provided great opportunities for many scientific investigations of the ionosphere. In this analysis, we investigate the climatology of the nighttime low-latitude ionosphere under low geomagnetic activity (kp⩽4) using the electron density profiles inferred from the airglow measurements obtained by the GUVI aboard the TIMED spacecraft and compared with the results obtained from IRI (International Reference Ionosphere) model-2001. The observed climatology is an essential tool for further understanding the electrodynamics in the low-latitude region and improving the model’s prediction capability. The time range of the GUVI data used in this study is from 2002 (day 053) to 2006 (day 304), and the IRI model predictions were produced at every GUVI location. The ionosphere observed is generally of greater density than what IRI predicts throughout the night for all four seasons for low and moderate solar activity while the model over-predicts the electron density near the F-region peak at high solar activity before midnight. Observations show that the height of the F-region peak has a steep descent from dusk to midnight and near midnight the height of layer is insensitive to solar conditions, significantly different than what is predicted by IRI. Longitudinal features shown in GUVI data are present in the low-latitude ionosphere after sunset and continue through to midnight after which the low-latitude ionosphere is largely zonally symmetric.

Seasonal changes in the amplitude and phase of diurnal and semidiurnal variations in parameters of the midlatitude F2 layer under minimum solar activity conditions according to the data of an ionospheric station in Irkutsk (52.5°N, 104.0°E)

We performed a statistical and spectral analysis of variations in two main parameters of the ionospheric F2 layer: critical frequency (f0F2) and peak height (hmF2), recorded at an ionospheric station in Irkutsk (52.5°N, 104.0°E) in the period from December 1, 2006, to January 31, 2008, under low solar activity conditions. It was found that the f0F2 and hmF2 variations contained quasi-harmonic oscillations with periods Tn = 24/n h (n = 1−7). We studied the seasonal changes in the mean and median values of monthly f0F2 and hmF2 time series, their spectra, as well as the amplitudes and phases of the diurnal (n = 1) and semidiurnal (n = 2) variations. It is shown that the amplitude of the diurnal f0F2 variations was maximal in October–March 2007 and minimal in May–August 2007. The diurnal f0F2 variations were maximal at noon in the winter months and at 1600 LT in the summer months. The semidiurnal f0F2 variations had two maxima: a primary maximum in December and January and a secondary maximum in May–July. The maxima of semidiurnal f0F2 variations were shifted from 0000 and 1200 LT in winter to 0900 and 2100 LT in summer.

A climatology study on ionospheric F 2 peak over Anyang, Korea

We analyzed peak electron densities (NmF2) and peak heights (hmF2)of F2 layer, measured by a digisonde at Anyang (37.4°N, 127.0°E, Geomag = 27.7°N, 196.9°E) during the period of April 1998 through April 2008. The Anyang NmF2 and hmF2 values averaged over each month show generally good linear relationship with increasing solar activities for all local time and for various geomagnetic activities. The change of the noon NmF2 with increasing solar flux indices (F10.7) is much slower in summer than in other seasons, and the NmF2 difference between noon and midnight is minimized in summer. The hmF2 varies with F10.7 from 200 km to 350 km at noon and from 300 to 450 km at midnight, but the hmF2 variations do not show seasonal difference significantly for all local time. The semi-annual variations of NmF2 and hmF2 are apparent and the winter anomaly of NmF2 is also clearly seen for most cases of geomagnetic and solar activities. The Anyang NmF2 values are in good agreement with the IRI 2007 model except for high solar and geomagnetic activity cases. However, the Anyang hmF2 values at midnight are significantly higher than the IRI model, being higher by up to ∼100 km for high solar activities.

A global model of the ionospheric F2 peak height based on EOF analysis

Abstract. The ionospheric F2 peak height hmF2 is an important parameter that is much needed in ionospheric research and practical applications. In this paper, an attempt is made to develop a global model of hmF2. The hmF2 data, used to construct the global model, are converted from the monthly median hourly values of the ionospheric propagation factor M(3000)F2 observed by ionosondes/digisondes distributed globally, based on the strong anti-correlation existed between hmF2 and M(3000)F2. The empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis method, combined with harmonic function and regression analysis, is used to construct the model. The technique used in the global modelling involves two layers of EOF analysis of the dataset. The first layer EOF analysis is applied to the hmF2 dataset which decomposed the dataset into a series of orthogonal functions (EOF base functions) Ek and their associated EOF coefficients Pk. The base functions Ek represent the intrinsic characteristic variations of the dataset with the modified dip latitude and local time, the coefficients Pk represents the variations of the dataset with the universal time, season as well as solar cycle activity levels. The second layer EOF analysis is applied to the EOF coefficients Pk obtained in the first layer EOF analysis. The coefficients Ak, obtained in the second layer EOF analysis, are then modelled with the harmonic functions representing the seasonal (annual and semi-annual) and solar cycle variations, with their amplitudes changing with the F10.7 index, a proxy of the solar activity level. Thus, the constructed global model incorporates the geographical location, diurnal, seasonal as well as solar cycle variations of hmF2 through the combination of EOF analysis and the harmonic function expressions of the associated EOF coefficients. Comparisons between the model results and observational data were consistent, indicating that the modelling technique used is very promising when used to construct the global model of hmF2 and it has the potential of being used for the global modelling/mapping of other ionospheric parameters. Statistical analysis on model-data comparison showed that our constructed model of hmF2, based on the EOF expansion method, compares better with the observational data than the model currently used in the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model.

Spectrum of quasi-wave disturbances in the topside daytime ionosphere according to the data of radiosounding onboard the Intercosmos-19 satellite

Quasi-wave disturbances in the topside daytime ionosphere, related to auroral activity, have been detected using the data of radiosounding onboard the Intercosmos-19 satellite on April 28, 1979. A disturbance was caused by an abrupt enhancement of the eastward electrojet, which was not reflected in the variations in the AE and AU indices. According to the estimates, the period of electron density disturbances was about 0.5 h, the velocity was 350 m/s, and the length along the meridian was several hundreds of kilometers, which corresponds to medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs). The disturbance amplitude was only 30 km in the hmF2 variations and 0.20–0.25 MHz in the foF2 variations but increased to 0.25–0.30 MHz in the plasma frequency variations at satellite altitudes of 520–580 km with increasing altitude. It is impossible to register so weak short-period variations during ground-based sounding. The method for detecting disturbance spatial characteristics has been proposed. The disturbance spectrum including three quasiperiodic structures has been revealed using this method. The optimal estimates have been made for the trend, described by the polynomial of the third degree, and for the expansion of the residuals in terms of three harmonics.

Anomalous variations of <I>Nm</I>F2 over the Argentine Islands: a statistical study

Abstract. We present a statistical study of variations in the F2-layer peak electron density, NmF2, and altitude, hmF2, over the Argentine Islands ionosonde. The critical frequencies, foF2, and, foE, of the F2 and E-layers, and the propagation factor, M(3000)F2, measured by the ionosonde during the 1957–1959 and 1962–1995 time periods were used in the statistical analysis to determine the values of NmF2 and hmF2. The probabilities to observe maximum and minimum values of NmF2 and hmF2 in a diurnal variation of the electron density are calculated. Our study shows that the main part of the maximum diurnal values of NmF2 is observed in a time sector close to midnight in November, December, January, and February exhibiting the anomalous diurnal variations of NmF2. Another anomalous feature of the diurnal variations of NmF2 exhibited during November, December, and January when the minimum diurnal value of NmF2 is mainly located close to the noon sector. These anomalous diurnal variations of NmF2 are found to be during both geomagnetically quiet and disturbed conditions. Anomalous features are not found in the diurnal variations of hmF2. The statistical study of the NmF2 winter anomaly phenomena over the Argentine Islands ionosonde was carried out. The variations in a maximum daytime value, R, of a ratio of a geomagnetically quiet daytime winter NmF2 to a geomagnetically quiet daytime summer NmF2 taken at a given UT and for approximately the same level of solar activity were studied. The conditional probability of the occurrence of R in an interval of R, the most frequent value of R, the mean expected value of R, and the conditional probability to observe the F2-region winter anomaly during a daytime period were calculated for low, moderate, and high solar activity. The calculations show that the mean expected value of R and the occurrence frequency of the F2-region winter anomaly increase with increasing solar activity.

Solar activity variations of nighttime ionospheric peak electron density

Monthly median NmF2 (maximum electron density of the F2‐layer) data at Okinawa, Yamagawa, Kokubunji, and Wakkanai have been collected to investigate the solar activity dependence of the nighttime ionosphere. The result shows that there are seasonal and latitudinal differences of the solar activity variation of nighttime NmF2. The main seasonal effects are as follows: nighttime NmF2 increases with F107 linearly in equinoctial months (March and September), and it tends to saturate with F107 increasing in summer solstice month (June). What is peculiar is that there is an amplification trend of nighttime NmF2 with F107 in winter solstice month (December). The latitudinal difference is mainly displayed by the evolvement course of the variation trend between NmF2 and F107. Using hmF2 (peak height of the F2‐layer) data and the NRLMSISE00 model, we estimated the recombination loss around the F2‐peak at different solar activity levels. We found that the solar activity variation of the recombination processes around the F2‐peak also shows seasonal dependence, which can explain the variation trends of nighttime NmF2 with F107 qualitatively, and field‐aligned plasma influx plays an important role in the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) crest region. During the first several hours following sunset in December, there are faster recombination processes around the F2‐peak at medium solar activity level in mid‐latitude regions. This feature is suggested to be responsible for inducing the amplification trend in winter. In virtue of the calculation of neutral parameters at 300‐km altitude and hmF2 data, the variation trend of the recombination processes around the F2‐peak with F107 can be explained. It shows that both the solar activity variations of hmF2 and neutral parameters (neutral temperature, density, and vibrational excited N2) are important for the variation trend of nighttime NmF2 with F107. Furthermore, the obvious uplift of hmF2 at low solar activity level following sunset in December is important for the amplification trend.

Towards a new reference model of hmF2 for IRI

A numerical model of the peak height of the F2 layer, hmF2_ top, is derived from the topside sounding database of 90,000 electron density profiles for a representative set of conditions provided by ISIS1, ISIS2, IK19 and Cosmos-1809 satellites for the period of 1969–1987. The model of regular hmF2 variations is produced in terms of local time, season, geomagnetic latitude, geodetic longitude and solar radio flux. No geomagnetic activity trends were discernible in the topside sounding data. The nighttime peak of hmF2_ top evident for mid-latitudes disappears near the geomagnetic equator where a maximum of hmF2_ top occurs at sunset hours when it can exceed 500 km at solar maximum. The hmF2 given by the IRI exceeds hmF2_ top at the low solar activities. The hmF2_ top, obtained by extrapolation of the first derivative of the topside profile to zero shows saturation similar to foF2 the greater the solar activity. The proposed model differs from hmF2 given by IRI based on M( 3000) F2 to hmF2 conversion by empirical relationships in terms of foF2, foE and R12 with these quantities mapped globally by the ITU-R (former CCIR) from ground-based ionosonde data. The differences can be attributed to the different techniques of the peak height derivation, different epochs and different global distribution of the source data as well as the different mathematical functions involved in the maps and the model presentation.

Modeling the relationship between E × B vertical drift and the time rate of change of hmF2 (ΔhmF2/Δt) over the magnetic equator

A middle and low latitude ionospheric model is used to model the relationship between E × B vertical drift velocity and time rate of change of hmF2 (ΔhmF2/Δt) over the magnetic equator. F107 (10.7 cm solar radiation flux) is chosen to be equal to 100, 150, and 200 to represent low, middle, and high solar activities, respectively, and Ap is equal to 1 to represent quiet geomagnetic activity. Our simulations show that hmF2 derived vertical drifts over the magnetic equator are in good agreement with the E × B vertical drift imposed in the model during 0600–0730 and 1700–2100 LT. This is consistent with previous comparisons between vertical drift velocities derived from ionosonde, Jicamarca incoherent scatter radar, and AE‐E observations well. However, the amplitudes of hmF2 derived drift are smaller than the given drift velocities during other local times. During disturbed conditions, the variations of hmF2 can be used to determine the occurrence of intense electric field disturbance.

Comparison between IRI predictions and digital ionosonde measurements of hmF2 at New Delhi during low and moderate solar activity

This paper deals with the diurnal and seasonal variations of height of the peak electron density of the F2-layer (hmF2) derived from digital ionosonde measurements at a low–middle-latitude station, New Delhi (28.6°N, 77.2°E, dip 42.4°N). Diurnal and seasonal variations of hmF2 are examined and comparisons of the observations are made with the predictions of the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI-2001) model. Our study shows that during both the moderate and low solar activity periods, the diurnal pattern of median hmF2 reveals a more or less similar trend during all the seasons with pre-sunrise and daytime peaks during winter and equinox except during summer, where the pre-sunrise peak is absent. Comparison of observed median hmF2 values with the IRI during moderate and low solar activity periods, in general, reveals an IRI overestimation in hmF2 during all the seasons for local times from about 06 LT till midnight hours except during summer for low solar activity, while outside this time period, the observed hmF2 values are close to the IRI predictions. The hmF2 representation in the IRI model does not reproduce pre-sunrise peaks occurring at about 05 LT during winter and equinox as seen in the observations during both the solar activity periods. The noontime observed median hmF2 values increase by about 10–25% from low (2004–2005) to high solar activity (2001–2002) during winter and equinox, while the IRI in the same time period and seasons shows an increase of about 10–20%. During summer, however, the observed noontime median hmF2 values show a little increase with the solar activity, as compared to the IRI with an increase of about 12%.

Ionospheric long-term trends: can the geomagnetic control and the greenhouse hypotheses be reconciled?

Abstract. The ionospheric F2-layer parameter long-term trends are considered from the geomagnetic control concept and the greenhouse hypothesis points of view. It is stressed that long-term geomagnetic activity variations are crucial for ionosphere long-term trends, as they determine the basic natural pattern of foF2 and hmF2 long-term variations. The geomagnetic activity effects should be removed from the analyzed data to obtain real trends in ionospheric parameters, but this is not usually done. Only a thermosphere cooling, which is accepted as an explanation for the neutral density decrease, cannot be reconciled with negative foF2 trends revealed for the same period. A more pronounced decrease of the O/N2 ratio is required which is not provided by empirical thermospheric models. Thermospheric cooling practically cannot be seen in foF2 trends, due to a weak NmF2 dependence on neutral temperature; therefore, foF2 trends are mainly controlled by geomagnetic activity long-term variations. Long-term hmF2 variations are also controlled by geomagnetic activity variations, as both parameters, NmF2 and hmF2 are related by the F2-layer formation mechanism. But hmF2 is very sensitive to neutral temperature changes, so strongly damped hmF2 long-term variations observed at Slough after 1972 may be considered as a direct manifestation of the thermosphere cooling. Earlier revealed negative hmF2 trends in western Europe, where magnetic declination D<0 and positive trends at the eastern stations (D>0), can be related to westward thermospheric wind whose role has been enhanced due to a competition between the thermosphere cooling (CO2 increase) and its heating under increasing geomagnetic activity after the end of the 1960s.

On the long-term change of ionospheric parameters

Independent of the possible sources (solar activity, geomagnetic activity, greenhouse effect, etc.) of a global change in the upper atmosphere, it is the sign of a long-term trend of temperature that might reveal the cause of a global change. Long-term change of temperature in the F region of the ionosphere has been studied and is assumed to be expressed in terms of thickness of the bottomside F2 layer characterized by the difference between height of the maximum electron density of the F2 layer hmF2 and altitude of the lower boundary of the F region represented by h′F. Using the difference of two ionospheric parameters has the advantage that it reduces the effect of changes resulting from alteration of equipment and scaling personnel. In this study, in summer only night values of the difference hmF2−h′F and in winter both day and night values have been taken into account considering that h′F might indicate the lower boundary of the F region in these periods. The study of the behaviour of hmF2−h′F taking separately the stations and determining yearly the mean measure (trend) of the variation of hmF2−h′F with solar and geomagnetic activities found that this difference increases significantly with enhanced solar activity, but trends of the solar activity effect exerted on this difference themselves do not practically change with increasing sunspot number. Further, hmF2−h′F decreases only insignificantly with growing geomagnetic activity. Trends of the geomagnetic activity effect related to hmF2−h′F change only insignificantly with increasing Ap; however, trends of the geomagnetic activity effect decreased with increasing latitude. As a result of this investigation it has been found that hmF2−h′F regarded as thickness of the bottomside F2 layer shows an effect of the change of solar activity during the last three solar cycles, indicating temperature change in the upper atmosphere to be expected on the basis of changing solar activity. Furthermore, though a long-term variation of solar activity considering only years around solar activity minima is relatively small, the difference hmF2−h′F indicates a trend opposing the change of solar activity; that is, it decreases slightly during the first three 20, 21, 22 solar cycle minima (1964–1986), but decreases more abruptly according to the change of solar activity towards the minimum of solar cycle 23 (1986–1996), thus also indicating variation of temperature in the F region. However, this variation cannot be explained by the change of solar and geomagnetic activities alone, but assumes some other source (e.g. greenhouse gases) too.

Long‐term ionospheric trends based on ground‐based ionosonde observations at Kokubunji, Japan

Using monthly medians of ionosonde observations taken over a period including more than four solar cycles (1958–2003) at Kokubunji (35.71°N, 139.49°E), Japan and a linear regression model to eliminate solar and geomagnetic effects, we derive the long‐term trends of critical frequencies (foE,foF1, andfoF2), the E region height (h′E), and the F2 peak height (hmF2). The results show increasing trends forfoE (+0.002 MHz/yr),h′E (+0.189 km/yr), andfoF1 (+0.0107 MHz/yr) and decreasing trends forfoF2 (−0.0058 MHz/yr at noon and −0.0016 MHz/year at midnight) andhmF2 (−0.398 km/yr at noon and −0.505 km/year at midnight). We have also analyzed seasonal and diurnal trend variations. These trends differed for various times of day and months, even with altering signs (except forhmF2). An interesting phenomenon was observed for the first time; that is, the morphologies of the overall seasonal trend variations offoE andfoF1 were opposite each other to some extent, although the trends remained positive. A similar phenomenon was found for the seasonal trend variation ofhmF2 between local noon and midnight. In addition, comparison of the results from four regression models indicated that the differences induced by linear and quadratic models are slightly significant forfoF2 but not for other parameters. On the basis of the average offoF2 data obtained over 5 hours around noon, we have assessed the performance of each of these regression models. The performance differed depending on the month. The results showed that the quadratic model and the linear model that took saturation into consideration performed better than the linear ones which did not consider saturation. In addition, it was indicated that the effect of geomagnetic activity was not significant in regression models at this station.

Diurnal and seasonal variations of <i>hm</i>F2 deduced from digitalionosonde over New Delhi and its comparison with IRI 2001

Abstract. Using digital ionosonde observations at a low mid-latitude station, New Delhi (28.6°N, 77.2°E, dip 42.4°N), we have derived hourly monthly values of hmF2 (the real height corresponding to the peak electron density in the F2-region), employing both the Dudeney (1983) and Bilitza (1990) empirical formulations for the period from January 2001 to August 2002. The diurnal and seasonal variations of hmF2 are analyzed. Further, to assess the predictability of the latest available model, International Reference Ionosphere, (IRI-2001), we have obtained the median values of hmF2 derived from M(3000)F2 for each hour during different seasons and compare these with the model. Our results show that both the Dudeney (1983) and Bilitza (1990) formulations reveal more or less a similar diurnal trend of hmF2, with higher values around midnight and lower during sunrise, in all the seasons. It is also noted that the hmF2 shows a larger variability around midnight than by daytime, in all the seasons. Further, the study shows that median values of observed hmF2, using both formulations, are somewhat larger than those predicted by the IRI, in all seasons and at all local times. During summer, the IRI values agree comparatively well with the observations, especially during daytime. Major discrepancies occur when the IRI underestimates observed hmF2 for local times from about 14:00 LT to 18:00 LT and 04:00 LT to 05:00 LT during winter and equinox, where the percentage deviation of the observed hmF2 values with respect to the IRI model varies from 15 to 25%. The difference between the model and observations, outside this time period, remains less than 20% during all the seasons. Key words. Ionosphere (modelling and forecasting; equatorial ionosphere)

Dependence of F2- peak height on solar activity: A study with incoherent scatter measurements

We have used about 16000 high resolution electron density profiles from Arecibo (18.4 N, 66.7 W, dip 50°) incoherent scatter radar for the years 1974–1977 and 1989–1990 to study the control of solar activity on the F2 peak height (hmF2). Although the general trend of diurnal variations in hmF2 are nearly identical (i.e. maximum around midnight and minimum around sunrise) during low as well as high solar activity, the median hmF2 increases by about 100 km from solar minimum to solar maximum. Further, there is a considerable day-to-day variability in hmF2. Comparison of measured hmF2 with the IRI (derived from numerical map of M(3000)F2) reveals that IRI generally overestimates this parameter during low solar activity and underestimates during high solar activity.

Asymmetry of the longitudinal effect in the low-latitude ionosphere

From the Intercosmos-19 satellite topside sounding data the dependence of the low-latitude nighttime F2 layer heights on latitude and longitude was analysed and hmF2 maps were constructed. Longitudinal variations of the F2 layer heights with periods of 75° to 100° and average amplitudes of 50 to 70 km, occasionally greater than 100 km were found. Variations are stronger in the winter hemispheres, generally more pronounced in the Southern hemisphere than in the Northern one. Longitudinal variations of hmF2 are so strong and their extrema at certain longitudes are so stable that they are clearly seen even in maps established after averaging a great number of measurements at different times. Observed North/South asymmetry in hmF2 combined with strong longitudinal variations suggest corresponding patterns in the thermospheric winds.

Zonal and meridional wind components derived from intercosmos-19 hmF2 measurements

Abstract The technique for the derivation of the meridional, V, and zonal, U, components of neutral wind from the longitudinal variations of vertical plasma drift, W, is developed. (Longitudinal variations of W were calculated by means of servo-model from Intercosmos-19 hmF2 data carefully selected for the ±40° invariant and geographical latitudes in the Northern and Southern hemispheres.) The technique is based on expansion of longitudinal variations of W, V, U and parameters of the geomagnetic field into finite Fourier series and on solution of the obtained equations set. The best solution of this problem is obtained by means of the Tikhonov regularization method. The most precise solution is derived for average value of meridional wind, the least precise one - for the longitudinal variations of zonal wind. The comparison with HWM and MWM wind models is carried out. The contributions of the different factors in the longitudinal variations of hmF2 are estimated.

Annual and semiannual variations in the ionospheric F2-layer. I. Modelling

Abstract. Annual, seasonal and semiannual variations of F2-layer electron density (NmF2) and height (hmF2) have been compared with the coupled thermosphere-ionosphere-plasmasphere computational model (CTIP), for geomagnetically quiet conditions. Compared with results from ionosonde data from midlatitudes, CTIP reproduces quite well many observed features of NmF2, such as the dominant winter maxima at high midlatitudes in longitude sectors near the magnetic poles, the equinox maxima in sectors remote from the magnetic poles and at lower latitudes generally, and the form of the month-to-month variations at latitudes between about 60°N and 50°S. CTIP also reproduces the seasonal behaviour of NmF2 at midnight and the summer-winter changes of hmF2. Some features of the F2-layer, not reproduced by the present version of CTIP, are attributed to processes not included in the modelling. Examples are the increased prevalence of the winter maxima of noon NmF2 at higher solar activity, which may be a consequence of the increase of F2-layer loss rate in summer by vibrationally excited molecular nitrogen, and the semiannual variation in hmF2, which may be due to tidal effects. An unexpected feature of the computed distributions of NmF2 is an east-west hemisphere difference, which seems to be linked to the geomagnetic field configuration. Physical discussion is reserved to the companion paper by Rishbeth et al.Key words: Atmospheric composition and structure (thermosphere-composition and chemistry) - Ionosphere (mid-latitude ionosphere; modelling and forecasting)

Semiannual and annual variations in the height of the ionospheric F2-peak

Abstract. Ionosonde data from sixteen stations are used to study the semiannual and annual variations in the height of the ionospheric F2-peak, hmF2. The semiannual variation, which peaks shortly after equinox, has an amplitude of about 8 km at an average level of solar activity (10.7 cm flux = 140 units), both at noon and midnight. The annual variation has an amplitude of about 11 km at northern midlatitudes, peaking in early summer; and is larger at southern stations, where it peaks in late summer. Both annual and semiannual amplitudes increase with increasing solar activity by day, but not at night. The semiannual variation in hmF2 is unrelated to the semiannual variation of the peak electron density NmF2, and is not reproduced by the CTIP and TIME-GCM computational models of the quiet-day thermosphere and ionosphere. The semiannual variation in hmF2 is approximately "isobaric", in that its amplitude corresponds quite well to the semiannual variation in the height of fixed pressure-levels in the thermosphere, as represented by the MSIS empirical model. The annual variation is not "isobaric". The annual mean of hmF2 increases with solar 10.7 cm flux, both by night and by day, on average by about 0.45 km/flux unit, rather smaller than the corresponding increase of height of constant pressure-levels in the MSIS model. The discrepancy may be due to solar-cycle variations of thermospheric winds. Although geomagnetic activity, which affects thermospheric density and temperature and therefore hmF2 also, is greatest at the equinoxes, this seems to account for less than half the semiannual variation of hmF2. The rest may be due to a semiannual variation of tidal and wave energy transmitted to the thermosphere from lower levels in the atmosphere.Key words: Atmospheric composition and structure (thermosphere - composition and chemistry) - Ionosphere (mid-latitude ionosphere)