Combination of High-Rate Ionosonde Measurements with COSMIC-2 Radio Occultation Observations for Reference Ionosphere Applications
Knowledge of ionospheric plasma altitudinal distribution is crucial for the effective operation of radio wave propagation, communication, and navigation systems. High-frequency sounding radars—ionosondes—provide unbiased benchmark measurements of ionospheric plasma density due to a direct relationsh...
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2025-07-01
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| author | Iurii Cherniak David Altadill Irina Zakharenkova Víctor de Paula Víctor Navas-Portella Douglas Hunt Antoni Segarra Ivan Galkin |
| author_facet | Iurii Cherniak David Altadill Irina Zakharenkova Víctor de Paula Víctor Navas-Portella Douglas Hunt Antoni Segarra Ivan Galkin |
| author_sort | Iurii Cherniak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Knowledge of ionospheric plasma altitudinal distribution is crucial for the effective operation of radio wave propagation, communication, and navigation systems. High-frequency sounding radars—ionosondes—provide unbiased benchmark measurements of ionospheric plasma density due to a direct relationship between the frequency of sound waves and ionospheric electron density. But ground-based ionosonde observations are limited by the F2 layer peak height and cannot probe the topside ionosphere. GNSS Radio Occultation (RO) onboard Low-Earth-Orbiting satellites can provide measurements of plasma distribution from the lower ionosphere up to satellite orbit altitudes (~500–600 km). The main goal of this study is to investigate opportunities to obtain full observation-based ionospheric electron density profiles (EDPs) by combining advantages of ground-based ionosondes and GNSS RO. We utilized the high-rate Ebre and El Arenosillo ionosonde observations and COSMIC-2 RO EDPs colocated over the ionosonde’s area of operation. Using two types of ionospheric remote sensing techniques, we demonstrated how to create the combined ionospheric EDPs based solely on real high-quality observations from both the bottomside and topside parts of the ionosphere. Such combined EDPs can serve as an analogy for incoherent scatter radar-derived “full profiles”, providing a reference for the altitudinal distribution of ionospheric plasma density. Using the combined reference EDPs, we analyzed the performance of the International Reference Ionosphere model to evaluate model–data discrepancies. Hence, these new profiles can play a significant role in validating empirical models of the ionosphere towards their further improvements. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9d6a5ba071f7427ba2c1deb8d64d65de |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj-art-9d6a5ba071f7427ba2c1deb8d64d65de2025-08-20T02:45:53ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332025-07-0116780410.3390/atmos16070804Combination of High-Rate Ionosonde Measurements with COSMIC-2 Radio Occultation Observations for Reference Ionosphere ApplicationsIurii Cherniak0David Altadill1Irina Zakharenkova2Víctor de Paula3Víctor Navas-Portella4Douglas Hunt5Antoni Segarra6Ivan Galkin7COSMIC Program Office, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO 80301, USAObservatori de l’Ebre (OE), CSIC - Universitat Ramon Llull, Roquetes, 43520 Tarragona, SpainCOSMIC Program Office, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO 80301, USAObservatori de l’Ebre (OE), CSIC - Universitat Ramon Llull, Roquetes, 43520 Tarragona, SpainObservatori de l’Ebre (OE), CSIC - Universitat Ramon Llull, Roquetes, 43520 Tarragona, SpainCOSMIC Program Office, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO 80301, USAObservatori de l’Ebre (OE), CSIC - Universitat Ramon Llull, Roquetes, 43520 Tarragona, SpainSpace Science Laboratory, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USAKnowledge of ionospheric plasma altitudinal distribution is crucial for the effective operation of radio wave propagation, communication, and navigation systems. High-frequency sounding radars—ionosondes—provide unbiased benchmark measurements of ionospheric plasma density due to a direct relationship between the frequency of sound waves and ionospheric electron density. But ground-based ionosonde observations are limited by the F2 layer peak height and cannot probe the topside ionosphere. GNSS Radio Occultation (RO) onboard Low-Earth-Orbiting satellites can provide measurements of plasma distribution from the lower ionosphere up to satellite orbit altitudes (~500–600 km). The main goal of this study is to investigate opportunities to obtain full observation-based ionospheric electron density profiles (EDPs) by combining advantages of ground-based ionosondes and GNSS RO. We utilized the high-rate Ebre and El Arenosillo ionosonde observations and COSMIC-2 RO EDPs colocated over the ionosonde’s area of operation. Using two types of ionospheric remote sensing techniques, we demonstrated how to create the combined ionospheric EDPs based solely on real high-quality observations from both the bottomside and topside parts of the ionosphere. Such combined EDPs can serve as an analogy for incoherent scatter radar-derived “full profiles”, providing a reference for the altitudinal distribution of ionospheric plasma density. Using the combined reference EDPs, we analyzed the performance of the International Reference Ionosphere model to evaluate model–data discrepancies. Hence, these new profiles can play a significant role in validating empirical models of the ionosphere towards their further improvements.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/7/804ionosphereCOSMIC-2ionosondeelectron densityempirical ionospheric modelradio occultation |
| spellingShingle | Iurii Cherniak David Altadill Irina Zakharenkova Víctor de Paula Víctor Navas-Portella Douglas Hunt Antoni Segarra Ivan Galkin Combination of High-Rate Ionosonde Measurements with COSMIC-2 Radio Occultation Observations for Reference Ionosphere Applications Atmosphere ionosphere COSMIC-2 ionosonde electron density empirical ionospheric model radio occultation |
| title | Combination of High-Rate Ionosonde Measurements with COSMIC-2 Radio Occultation Observations for Reference Ionosphere Applications |
| title_full | Combination of High-Rate Ionosonde Measurements with COSMIC-2 Radio Occultation Observations for Reference Ionosphere Applications |
| title_fullStr | Combination of High-Rate Ionosonde Measurements with COSMIC-2 Radio Occultation Observations for Reference Ionosphere Applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Combination of High-Rate Ionosonde Measurements with COSMIC-2 Radio Occultation Observations for Reference Ionosphere Applications |
| title_short | Combination of High-Rate Ionosonde Measurements with COSMIC-2 Radio Occultation Observations for Reference Ionosphere Applications |
| title_sort | combination of high rate ionosonde measurements with cosmic 2 radio occultation observations for reference ionosphere applications |
| topic | ionosphere COSMIC-2 ionosonde electron density empirical ionospheric model radio occultation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/7/804 |
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