Horizontal gradients in the polar ionosphere.
Polar Ionosphere Beacon Satellite S-66 signals measured for large scale horizontal gradients in total electron content of Antarctic ionosphere at sunspot minimum and maximum
Titheridge, J. E.↗
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Plasma column changes at small solar elongations
The differenced range versus integrated Doppler (DRVID) technique was used to study charged particle changes in the ray path between earth and Mariner 9. For plasma activity near the sun, DRVID data were obtained from August 10 to October 24, 1972, surrounding the Mariner 9 superior conjunction on September 7. If the records are viewed in terms of range change or range change rate, the day-to-day fluctuations in these quantities mask the changes expected due to the varying solar elongation. Thus, while the steady-state total electron content varies by a factor of 4, the columnar content changes show no systematic variations.
Callahan, P. S.↗
Changes in atmospheric composition inferred from ionospheric production rates
Changes in the total electron content of the ionosphere near sunrise are used to determine the integrated production rate in the ionosphere (Q) from 1965 to 1971 at latitudes of 34S, 20N, and 34N. The observed regular semiannual variation in Q through a range of 1:3:1 is interpreted as an increase in the ratio O/N2 (relative densities) near the equinoxes. It follows that there is a worldwide semiannual variation in atmospheric composition, with the above ratio maximum just after the equinoxes. There is a large seasonal variation in the Northern hemisphere with a maximum in mid-summer. This effect is absent in the Southern hemisphere. At all times except solar maximum in the Northern hemisphere there is a global asymmetry. The ratio O/N2 is about three times as large in the Northern hemisphere. The overall mechanism appears to be N2 absorption.
Titheridge, J. E.↗
Explanation of the computer listings of Faraday factors for INTASAT users
Using a simplified form of the Appleton-Hartree formula for the phase refractive index, a relationship was obtained between the Faraday rotation angle along the angular path and the total electron content along the vertical path, intersecting the angular at the height of maximum electron density. Using the second mean value theorem of integration, the function B cosine theta second chi was removed from under the integral sign and replaced by a 'mean' value. The mean value factors were printed on the computer listing for 39 stations receiving signals from the INTASAT satellite during the specified time period. The data is presented by station and date. Graphs are included to demonstrate the variation of the Faraday factor with local time and season, with magnetic latitude, elevation and azimuth angles. Other topics discussed include a description of the bent ionospheric model, the earth's magnetic field model, and the sample computer listing.
Nesterczuk, G.↗
F-region enhancements induced by solar flares
ATS-6 total electron content (NT) observations during solar flares exhibit four types of response: (1) a sudden increase in NT (SITEC) for about 2 min with several maxima in growth rate, then a maximum or a distinct slowing in growth, followed by a slow smooth increase to a flat peak, and finally a slow decay in NT; (2) a SITEC that occurs during ionospheric storms, where NT decays abruptly after the first maximum; (3) slow enhancements devoid of distinct impulsive structure in growth rate; and (4) no distinct response in NT, even for relatively large soft X-ray flares. Flare-induced increases in NT are dominated by low-loss F2 ionization produced by 90-911-A emission. The impulsive flare component is relatively intense in the 90-911-A range, but is short lived and weak for flares near the edge of the visible solar disk and for certain slow flares. The impulsive flare component produces the rapid rise, the sharp maxima in growth rate, and the first maximum in SITECs. The slow flare components are strong in the 1-90-A range but relatively weak in the 90-911-A range and accumulatively contribute to the second maximum in type 1 and 3 events, except during storms when F2 loss rates are abnormally high in type 2 events.
Donnelly, R. F.↗
Line-of-sight electron density gradients as deduced from an empirical ionospheric model
A topside ionospheric model (Bent Ionospheric Model) was developed for an accurate prediction of integrated total electron content (TEC), from a global data acquired for the years 1962 to 1969. In this paper the effects of line-of-sight electron density gradients on ground to satellite measurements are discussed. The results of analyses show that in the presence of increasing density gradients, deduced values of vertical electron content or slab thicknesses will be too large, while for decreasing gradients these values will be smaller than they should be.
Nesterczuk, G.↗
A numerical model for low-latitude ionospheric TEC
A numerical model of total electron content (TEC) at low latitudes has been constructed from the Faraday rotation data recorded at a number of locations in India during the period Oct. 1975-July 1976 when the geostationary satellite ATS-6 was located at 35 deg E. In all, 36 coefficients for each season are required to represent the model. The model can be used for satellite tracking systems in estimating quickly the range, range rate and angular refraction errors. The present model is an improvement over the previously constructed model based on orbiting satellite data.
Sethia, G.↗
Transionospheric propagation predictions
The current status and future prospects of the capability to make transionospheric propagation predictions are addressed, highlighting the effects of the ionized media, which dominate for frequencies below 1 to 3 GHz, depending upon the state of the ionosphere and the elevation angle through the Earth-space path. The primary concerns are the predictions of time delay of signal modulation (group path delay) and of radio wave scintillation. Progress in these areas is strongly tied to knowledge of variable structures in the ionosphere ranging from the large scale (thousands of kilometers in horizontal extent) to the fine scale (kilometer size). Ionospheric variability and the relative importance of various mechanisms responsible for the time histories observed in total electron content (TEC), proportional to signal group delay, and in irregularity formation are discussed in terms of capability to make both short and long term predictions. The data base upon which predictions are made is examined for its adequacy, and the prospects for prediction improvements by more theoretical studies as well as by increasing the available statistical data base are examined.
Klobucher, J. A.↗
Ionospheric effects in active retrodirective array and mitigating system design
The operation of an active retrodirective array (ARA) in an ionospheric environment (that is either stationary or slowly-varying) was examined. The restrictions imposed on the pilot signal structure as a result of such operation were analyzed. A 3 tone pilot beam system was defined which first estimates the total electron content along paths of interest and then utilizes this information to aid the phase conjugator so that correct beam pointing can be achieved.
Nandi, A. K.↗
Use of Faraday-rotation data from beacon satellites to determine ionospheric corrections for interplanetary spacecraft navigation
Faraday-rotation data from the linearly polarized 137-MHz beacons of the ATS-1, SIRIO, and Kiku-2 geosynchronous satellites are used to determine the ionospheric corrections to the range and Doppler data for interplanetary spacecraft navigation. The JPL operates the Deep Space Network of tracking stations for NASA; these stations monitor Faraday rotation with dual orthogonal, linearly polarized antennas, Teledyne polarization tracking receivers, analog-to-digital converter/scanners, and other support equipment. Computer software examines the Faraday data, resolves the pi ambiguities, constructs a continuous Faraday-rotation profile and converts the profile to columnar zenith total electron content at the ionospheric reference point; a second program computes the line-of-sight ionospheric correction for each pass of the spacecraft over each tracking complex. Line-of-sight ionospheric electron content using mapped Faraday-rotation data is compared with that using dispersive Doppler data from the Voyager spacecraft; a difference of about 0.4 meters, or 5 x 10 to the 16th electrons/sq m is obtained. The technique of determining the electron content of interplanetary plasma by subtraction of the ionospheric contribution is demonstrated on the plasma torus surrounding the orbit of Io.
Royden, H. N.↗
Equatorial scintillations - A review
Scintillation observations of equatorial irregularities by techniques such as in situ, radar backscatter, airglow, and total electron content are reviewed, with an emphasis on GHz measurements. New aspects of the spread-F analysis from ionograms are mentioned, followed by a discussion of scintillation morphology, and the longitudinal control of the equatorial scintillations is emphasized. A coordinated multitechnique observation of the equatorial irregularities is described in detail, the study being divided into two parts: (1) an examination of the large field-aligned irregularity structures and their association with discrete patches of scintillation activity, and (2) an investigation of the coexistence of km-scale-irregularities with meter scales and a description of the evolution of the irregularity and scintillation spectra during the various phases of irregularity generation and decay. Unsolved problems are also reviewed, e.g., it is stated that the effects of steep spatial gradients in the electron density structures and their subsequent erosion on both CW and pulse propagation need to be evaluated both from the point of view of theory and experiments.
Basu, S.↗
Ionospheric effects in active retrodirective array and mitigating system design
The operation of an active retrodirective array (ARA) in an ionospheric environment (that is either stationary or slowly-varying) was examined. The restrictions imposed on the pilot-signal structure as a result of such operation are analyzed. A 3-tone pilot beam system is defined which first estimates the total electron content along paths of interest and then utilizes this information to aid the phase conjugator so that correct beam pointing can be achieved.
Nandi, A. K.↗
Optical signature of an ionospheric hole
Simultaneous radio and optical diagnostics of a large, artificially-induced ionospheric modification were conducted during the June 1981 launch of a weather satellite. Intensified imaging and photometer observations at 6300 A, along the same ray path as VHF polarimeter measurements of the ionosphere's total electron content (TEC), were made while the rocket plume caused disturbances. A rapid TEC chemical depletion, on the order of -16.8 x 10 to the 12th el/sq cm, caused a burst of 6300 A radiation which expanded over 60 deg of the sky, with a peak intensity of almost 9 k R. Atmospheric diffusion and O(1D) quenching rate theoretical estimates were then tested, using the event as an active space plasma experiment.
Mendillo, M.↗
Propagation effects on radio range and noise in earth-space telecommunications
Attention is given to the propagation effects on radio range and noise in earth-space telecommunications. The use of higher frequencies minimizes ionospheric effects on propagation, but tropospheric effects often increase or dominate. For paths of geostationary satellites, and beyond, the excess range delay caused by the ionosphere and plasmasphere is proportional to the total electron content along the path and inversely proportional to frequency squared. The delay due to dry air is usually of the order of a few meters while the delay due to water vapor (a few tens of centimeters) is responsible for most of the temporal variation in the range delay for clean air. For systems such as that of the Voyager spacecraft, and for attenuation values up to about 10 dB, increased sky noise degrades the received signal-to-noise ratio more than does the reduction in signal level due to attenuation.
Flock, W. L.↗
Propagation effects on satellite systems at frequencies below 10 GHz, a handbook for satellite systems design, 1st edition
Satellite communications below about 6 GHz may need to contend with ionospheric effects, including Faraday rotation and ionospheric scintillation, which become increasingly significant with decreasing frequency. Scintillation is most serious in equatorial, auroral, and polar latitudes; even the 4 to 6 GHz frequency range turns out to be subject to scintillation to a significant degree of equatorial latitudes. Faraday rotation, excess range or time delay, phase advance, Doppler frequency fluctuations, and dispersion are proportional to total electron content (TEC) or its variation along the path. Tropospheric refraction and fading affects low angle satellite transmissions as well as terrestrial paths. Attenuation and depolarization due to rain become less important with decreasing frequency but need consideration for frequencies of about 4 GHz and higher. Empirically derived relations are useful for estimating the attenuation expected due to rain for particular percentages of time. Aeronautical, maritime, and land mobile satellite services are subject to fading due to multipath propagation.
Flock, W. L.↗
Influence of solar sector boundaries on ionospheric variability
A search for solar sector boundary related perturbations upon the ionospheric F region has been conducted by using a 3-year data base of ionospheric total electron content (TEC) observations from low to auroral latitudes. It has been found that as the earth passes from one sector to another, the daytime TEC from middle to high latitudes (L = 3-5) generally undergoes a change from relatively enhanced to relatively depleted TEC values. The opposite trend occurs at low latitudes (L = 2). The TEC variations are small in comparison with the overall F region variability and appear to be associated with the increased geomagnetic activity levels that occur when the earth enters into a new sector.
Mendillo, M.↗
Incoherent scatter observations of an artificially modified ionosphere
The 'experiment of opportunity' to test incoherent scatter radar techniques for the diagnostic study of a chemically induced modification of the ionosphere occasioned by the launch of the HEAO-C satellite is described. The optimal utilization of a steerable incoherent scatter radar for a short duration event is examined. The choice of keeping the antenna fixed to obtain good control data and excellent time resolution along a given direction versus scanning the antenna to obtain mixed spatial and temporal morphologies is discussed. Results for fixed position measurements, elevation scans, ion-drift, and total electron content are presented. The first unambiguous observations of a gas expansion 'snowplow effect' is reported along with the derivation of local and height-integrated plasma recombination rates and the full spatial, temporal, and dynamical morphologies of a large-scale ionospheric hole.
Wand, R. H.↗
Comparison of NAVSTAR satellite L band ionospheric calibrations with Faraday rotation measurements
It is pointed out that interplanetary navigation at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is performed by analyzing measurements derived from the radio link between spacecraft and earth and, near the target, onboard optical measurements. For precise navigation, corrections for ionospheric effects must be applied, because the earth's ionosphere degrades the accuracy of the radiometric data. These corrections are based on ionospheric total electron content (TEC) determinations. The determinations are based on the measurement of the Faraday rotation of linearly polarized VHF signals from geostationary satellites. Problems arise in connection with the steadily declining number of satellites which are suitable for Faraday rotation measurements. For this reason, alternate methods of determining ionospheric electron content are being explored. One promising method involves the use of satellites of the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS). The results of a comparative study regarding this method are encouraging.
Royden, H. N.↗