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The Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) aboard the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) satellite senses far ultraviolet airglow emissions in the thermosphere. The retrieved altitude profiles of thermospheric neutral density from GUVI daytime limb scans are significant for ionosphere-thermosphere study. Here, we use the profiles of the main neutral density to derive the total mass density during the period 2002-2007 under geomagnetic quiet conditions (ap < =12). We attempt to compare the obtained total mass density with the Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) observations, making use of an empirical model (GUVI model hereafter). This GUVI model is aimed to solve the difficulty of the direct comparison of GUVI and CHAMP observations due to their different local times at a given location in a given day. The GUVI model is in good agreement with CHAMP observations with the small standard deviations of their ratios (less than 10%) except at low solar flux levels. The correlation coefficients are greater than 0.9, and the relative standard errors are less than 20%. Comparison between the GUVI model and CHAMP observations during solar minimum shows a large bias (similar to 30%). The large bias at low solar flux levels might be due to the limitation of F-10.7 as an extreme ultraviolet radiation flux proxy and the fitting method. Our results demonstrate the validity and accuracy of our model based on GUVI data against the density data from the CHAMP satellite.

The Formosa Satellite‐7/Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate‐2 (FORMOSAT‐7/COSMIC‐2) Global Navigation Satellite System radio occultation (RO) payload can provide global observations of slant total electron content (sTEC) with an unprecedentedly high spatial temporal resolution. Recently, a new ionospheric data assimilation system, the Community Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) Ionosphere, is constructed with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration GSI Ensemble Square Root Filter and the Global Ionosphere Plasmasphere and the Thermosphere Ionosphere Electrodynamic General Circulation Model. The paper demonstrates the capability of the GSI Ionosphere to improve the ionospheric specification and make a quantitative assessment of the impact of FORMOSAT‐7/COSMIC‐2 RO data on the ionospheric observing system simulation experiments conducted to calibrate key Ensemble Square Root Filter parameters that control detrimental effects of the sampling errors, particularly on the ensemble‐based estimation of the correlation between observations and model states, in order to yield high‐quality assimilation analysis. Results from the observing system simulation experiments show that (1) an ensemble size larger than 70 is recommended for assimilation of RO sTEC data with the GSI Ionosphere and (2) localizing the impact of observations around the tangent points in the horizontal direction with a length scale of 5,000 km is effective in improving assimilation analysis quality. Assimilation of sTEC data from FORMOSAT‐7/COSMIC‐2 can considerably improve the global ionospheric specification through the application of the GSI Ionosphere. The GSI Ionosphere can provide instantaneous global pictures of the ionosphere variability and help characterize day‐to‐day variability of the ionosphere and deepen our understanding of the observed day‐to‐day variability. Published version

Topside ionospheric total electron content (TEC) observations from multiple low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites have been used to investigate the local time, altitudinal, and longitudinal dependence of the topside ionospheric storm effect during both the main and recovery phases of the March 2015 geomagnetic storm. The results of this study show, for the first time, that there was a persistent topside TEC depletion that lasted for more than 3 days after the storm main phase at most longitudes, except in the Pacific Ocean region, where the topside TECs during the storm recovery phase were comparable to the quiet time ones. The observed depletion in the topside ionospheric TEC was relatively larger at higher altitudes in the evening sector and greater at local times closer to midnight. Moreover, the topside TEC patterns observed by MetOp-A (832 km) were different from those seen by other LEO satellites with lower orbital altitudes during the storm main phase and at the beginning of the recovery phase, especially in the evening sector. This suggests that the physical processes that control the storm time behavior of topside ionospheric response to storms are altitude-dependent.

Ionospheric F2 region peak densities (NmF2) are expected to have a positive correlation with total electron content (TEC), and electron densities usually show an anticorrelation with electron temperatures near the ionospheric F2 peak. However, during the 17 March 2015 great storm, the observed TEC, NmF2, and electron temperatures of the storm-enhanced density (SED) over Millstone Hill (42.6°N, 71.5°W, 72° dip angle) show a quiet different picture. Compared with the quiet time ionosphere, TEC, the F2 region electron density peak height (hmF2), and electron temperatures above ~220 km increased, but NmF2 decreased significantly within the SED. This SED occurred where there was a negative ionospheric storm effect near the F2 peak and below it, but a positive storm effect in the topside ionosphere. Thus, this SED event was a SED in TEC but not in NmF2. The very low ionospheric densities below the F2 peak resulted in a much reduced downward heat conduction for the electrons, trapping the heat in the topside in the presence of heat source above. This, in turn, increased the topside scale height so that even though electron densities at the F2 peak were depleted, TEC increased in the SED. The depletion in NmF2 was probably caused by an increase in the density of the molecular neutrals, resulting in enhanced recombination. In addition, the storm time topside ionospheric electron density profiles were much closer to diffusive equilibrium than the nonstorm time profiles, indicating less daytime plasma flow between the ionosphere and the plasmasphere.

In this paper, we report the evolution (generation, amplification, and dissipation) of optically observed mesoscale field-aligned irregularity structures (FAIs) (similar to 150 km) associated with a medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbance (MSTID) event. There have not been observations of mesoscale FAIs of airglow before. The mesoscale FAIs were generated in an airglow-depleted front of southwestward propagating MSTIDs that were simultaneously observed by an all-sky imager, a GPS monitor, and a digisonde around Xinglong (40.4 degrees N, 30.5 degrees magnetic latitude), China, on 17/18 February 2012. A normalized cross-correlation method has been used to obtain the velocities of mesoscale FAIs and MSTIDs. The mesoscale FAIs had an obvious northwestward relative velocity to main-body MSTIDs (about 87.0 m/s on average). The direction of this relative velocity was roughly parallel to the depleted fronts. Furthermore, the evolution of the mesoscale FAIs was mostly controlled by the intensity of the depleted fronts. Occurred in a highly elevated ionosphere that had a total electron content depletion associated with large negative airglow perturbations (-25%), the mesoscale FAIs grew rapidly when they experienced southeastward wind, which had a speed of about 100 m/s and were measured by a Fabry-Perot interferometer. A northeastward polarization electric field within a depleted airglow front can play a controlling role in the development of the mesoscale FAIs. The electric field can significantly elevate the ionosphere and move the mesoscale FAIs northwestward by the E x B drift. The processes for the generation and development of the polarization electric field and the mesoscale FAIs, however, need further study.

An improved method to retrieve electron density profiles from Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation (RO) data is presented and applied to Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) observations. The improved inversion uses a monthly grid of COSMIC F region peak densities (NmF2), which are obtained via the standard Abel inversion, to aid the Abel inversion by providing information on the horizontal gradients in the ionosphere. This lessens the impact of ionospheric gradients on the retrieval of GPS RO electron density profiles, reducing the dominant error source in the standard Abel inversion. Results are presented that demonstrate the NmF2 aided retrieval significantly improves the quality of the COSMIC electron density profiles. Improvements are most notable at E region altitudes, where the improved inversion reduces the artificial plasma cave that is generated by the Abel inversion spherical symmetry assumption at low latitudes during the daytime. Occurrence of unphysical negative electron densities at E region altitudes is also reduced. Furthermore, the NmF2 aided inversion has a positive impact at F region altitudes, where it results in a more distinct equatorial ionization anomaly. COSMIC electron density profiles inverted using our new approach are currently available through the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research COSMIC Data Analysis and Archive Center. Owing to the significant improvement in the results, COSMIC data users are encouraged to use electron density profiles based on the improved inversion rather than those inverted by the standard Abel inversion.

The solar cycle variation of F2 region winter anomaly is related to solar cycle changes in the latitudinal winter-to-summer difference of O/N2. Here we use the National Center for Atmospheric Research–Global Mean Model to develop a concept of why the latitudinal winter-to-summer difference of O/N2 varies with solar cycle. The main driver for these seasonal changes in composition is vertical advection, which is expressed most simply in pressure coordinates. Meridional winds do not change over the solar cycle, so the vertical winds should also not change. The other component of vertical advection is the vertical gradient of composition. Is there any reason that this should change? At solar maximum vertical temperature gradients between 100 and 200 km altitude are strong, whereas they are weak at solar minimum. To maintain the same pressure, the weak vertical temperature gradients at solar minimum must be balanced by weak density gradients and the strong temperature gradients at solar maximum must be balanced by strong density gradients to obtain the same pressure profile. Changes in the vertical density gradients are species dependent: heavy species change more and light species change less than the average density change. Hence, vertical winds act on stronger O/N2 gradients at solar maximum than they do at solar minimum, and a stronger winter-to-summer difference of O/N2 occurs at solar maximum compared with solar minimum.

This paper presents an epoch analysis of global ionosphere responses to recurrent geomagnetic activity during 79 corotating interaction region (CIR) events from 2004 to 2009. The data used were GPS total electron content (TEC) data from the Madrigal Database at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory and the electron density (Ne) data obtained from CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) observations. The results show that global ionosphere responses to CIR events have some common features. In high and middle latitudes, the total electron content (TEC) showed a significant positive response (increased electron densities) in the first epoch day. A negative TEC response occurred at high latitudes of the American sector following the positive response. The CHAMP Ne showed a daytime positive response in all latitudes and a nighttime negative response in the subauroral region. These negative TEC and Ne responses were found to be related to thermospheric composition (O/N-2) changes during the storms. At all latitudes, the maximum of the TEC positive effect always occurred at 2-6 h after the CIR starting during local daytime and 10-18 h later for the CIR onset during local nighttime. Case studies indicate that the TEC and Ne positive response had a strong dependence on the southward component (Bz) of the interplanetary magnetic field and solar wind speed. This suggests that penetration electric fields that were associated with changes in solar winds might play a significant role in the positive ionospheric response to storms. During the recovery time of the CIR-produced geomagnetic activity, the TEC positive disturbance at low latitudes sometimes could last for 2-4 days, whereas at middle to high latitudes the disturbance lasted only for 1 day in most cases. A comparison of the ionospheric responses between the American, European and Asian sectors shows that the ionosphere response in the North American sector was stronger than that in the other two regions. The response of f(o)F(2) to the CIR events in middle to high latitudes showed a negative response for 2-3 days after the first epoch day. This is different from the response of TEC, which was mostly positive during the same period of time.

Longitudinal variations of the nighttime E layer electron density (21:00–03:00 magnetic local time) in the auroral zone are investigated, and their sources are discussed in terms of auroral precipitation and solar radiation. The electron density data used in this study are retrieved from Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate radio occultation observations during 2006–2009 under quiet geomagnetic activity (Kp ≤ 3) and solar minimum conditions. The main conclusions of this study are as follows: (1) the nighttime E layer electron density had pronounced longitudinal variations in the auroral zone. These variations depended on season and had large hemispheric asymmetry for all seasons. In winter, relatively larger electron density was located in 120–310° magnetic longitude (MLON) in the northern hemisphere and in 170–360° MLON in the southern hemisphere, and greater maximum density occurred in the northern hemisphere than in the southern one. In summer and equinox, the longitudinal asymmetry was greater in the southern hemisphere. (2) The peaks of the E layer electron density along latitude generally occurred between 65° and 70° magnetic latitude in the auroral zone in all seasons for both hemispheres except for the sunlit sector of the southern summer. (3) The greater electron density in local winter in the auroral zone was generally associated with the more intense auroral precipitation intensity at roughly the same longitude, whereas the longitudinal patterns of the electron density were under the combined impact of both auroral precipitation and solar radiation in the local summer and equinoxes.

Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate, Ionosonde, and Global Ultraviolet Imager data have been used to investigate the solar cycle changes in the winter anomaly (the winter anomaly is defined as the enhancement of the F2 peak electron density in the winter hemisphere over that in the summer hemisphere) in the last solar cycle. There is no winter anomaly in solar minimum, and an enhancement of about 50% in winter over summer ones on the same day of the year at solar maximum. This solar cycle variation in the winter anomaly is primarily due to greater winter to summer differences of [O]/[N2] in solar maximum than in solar minimum, with a secondary contribution from the effects of temperature on the recombination coefficient between O+ and the molecular neutral gas. The greater winter increases in electron density in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere appear to be related to the greater annual variation of [O]/[N2] in the north than in the south.

The ionospheric peak electron density height (hm) is one of the most important ionospheric parameters characterizing high-frequency radio wave propagation conditions. In this paper, a global hm model based on the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis method is constructed by using Global Navigation Satellite Systems ionospheric radio occultation measurements from COSMIC and CHAMP as well as global ionosonde data during the years 2002–2011. The variability of hm can be well represented by the several EOF base functions Ek and the corresponding coefficients Pk. The rapid convergence of EOF decomposition makes it possible to use only the first four EOFs components, which express 99.133% of total variance in this study, to construct the empirical model. The variations of hm with respect to the magnetic latitude, local time, season, and solar cycle have been studied, and the EOF-based hm model has been validated through comparisons with the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model and other observation. The evaluations indicate that the EOF and IRI model give better hmF2 at middle and high latitudes than those at low latitudes. Since the limited data were used in the EOF model during high solar activity years, its accuracy degrades to some extent. During nighttime of spring, summer, and winter in the auroral zone, the hm derived from the EOF model may range from 90 to 150 km because of the reduction of hm, which is due to particle precipitation, whereas the IRI model does not include this reduction. During the periods of low solar activity, the F2 peak heights (hmF2) from the EOF model are in good agreement with the observed data, while the IRI model tends to overestimate the hmF2 in the middle and high latitudes.

The total electron content (TEC) data measured by the Jason, CHAMP, GRACE, and SAC-C satellites, the in situ electron densities from CHAMP and GRACE, and the vertical E x B drifts from the ROCSAT, have been utilized to examine the ionospheric response to the October 2003 superstorms. The combination of observations from multiple satellites provides a unique global view of ionospheric storm effects, especially over the Pacific Ocean and American regions, which were under sunlit conditions during the main phases of the October 2003 superstorms. The main results of this study are as follows: (1) There were substantial increases in TEC in the daytime at low and middle latitudes during both superstorms. (2) The enhancements were greater during the 30 October superstorm and occurred over a wider range of local times. (3) They also tended to peak at earlier local times during this second event. (4) These TEC enhancement events occurred at the local times when there were enhancements in the upward vertical drift. (5) The strong upward vertical drifts are attributed to penetration electric fields, suggesting that these penetration electric fields played a significant role in the electron density enhancements during these superstorms. Overall, the main contribution of this study is the simultaneous view of the storm time ionospheric response from multiple satellites, and the association of local time differences in ionospheric plasma response with measured vertical drift variations.

[1] Solar radio burst (SRB) is the radio wave emission after a solar flare, covering a broad frequency range, originated from the Sun's atmosphere. During the SRB occurrence, some specific frequency radio wave could interfere with the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals and therefore disturb the received signals. In this study, the low Earth orbit- (LEO-) based high-resolution GNSS radio occultation (RO) signals from multiple satellites (COSMIC, CHAMP, GRACE, SAC-C, Metop-A, and TerraSAR-X) processed in University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) were first used to evaluate the effect of SRB on the RO technique. The radio solar telescope network (RSTN) observed radio flux was used to represent SRB occurrence. An extreme case during 6 December 2006 and statistical analysis during April 2006 to September 2012 were studied. The LEO RO signals show frequent loss of lock (LOL), simultaneous decrease on L1 and L2 signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) globally during daytime, small-scale perturbations of SNR, and decreased successful retrieval percentage (SRP) for both ionospheric and atmospheric occultations during SRB occurrence. A potential harmonic band interference was identified. Either decreased data volume or data quality will influence weather prediction, climate study, and space weather monitoring by using RO data during SRB time. Statistically, the SRP of ionospheric and atmospheric occultation retrieval shows ~4% and ~13% decrease, respectively, while the SNR of L1 and L2 show ~5.7% and ~11.7% decrease, respectively. A threshold value of ~1807 SFU of 1415 MHz frequency, which can result in observable GNSS SNR decrease, was derived based on our statistical analysis.

The global configuration of the geomagnetic field shows that the maximum east-west difference in geomagnetic declination of northern middle latitude lies in the US region (similar to 32 degrees), which produces the significant ionospheric east-west coast difference in terms of total electron content first revealed by Zhang et al. (2011). For verification, it is valuable to investigate this feature over the Far East area, which also shows significant geomagnetic declination east-west gradient but smaller (similar to 15 degrees) than that of the US. The current study provides evidence of the longitudinal change supporting the thermospheric zonal wind mechanism by examining the climatology of peak electron density (NmF2), electron density (Ne) of different altitudes in the Far East regions with a longitude separation of up to 40-60 degrees based on ground ionosonde and space-based measurements. Although the east-west difference (R-ew) over the Far East area displays a clear diurnal variation similar to the US feature, that is negative R-ew (West Ne > East Ne) in the noon and positive at evening-night, the observational results reveal more differences including: (1) The noontime negative R-ew is most pronounced in April-June while in the US during February-March. Thus, for the late spring and summer period negative R-ew over the Far East region is more significant than that of the US. (2) The positive R-ew at night is much less evident than in the US, especially without winter enhancement. (3) The magnitude of negative R-ew tends to enhance toward solar maximum while in the US showing anticorrelation with the solar activity. The altitude distribution of pronounced negative difference (300-400 km) moves upward as the solar flux increases and hence produces the different solar activity dependence at different altitude. The result in the paper is not simply a comparison corresponding to the US results but raises some new features that are worth further studying and improve our current understanding of ionospheric longitude difference at midlatitude. Citation: Zhao, B., M. Wang, Y. Wang, Z. Ren, X. Yue, J. Zhu, W. Wan, B. Ning, J. Liu, and B. Xiong (2013), East-west differences in F-region electron density at midlatitude: Evidence from the Far East region, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 118, 542-553, doi:10.1029/2012JA018235.

In this study, the ionospheric observations from ionosondes, ground-based GPS receivers, Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and MetOp-A satellites, and Fabry-Perot interferometer over the Asian-Australian sector have been used to investigate the responses of the F2 peak and the topside ionosphere to the 2 October 2013 geomagnetic storm, particularly during the recovery phase. The comparison between the multiple simultaneous observations revealed a contrasting behavior of the topside ionosphere and the F2 peak in East Asia during the recovery phase. The upward looking total electron content from low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites did not undergo such depletions as seen in the region near the F2 peak, and they even showed increases. Furthermore, the simulation results of the Thermosphere Ionosphere Electrodynamics General Circulation Model are used to explore the possible mechanisms responsible for the observed features. The model results and observations suggested that the contrasting behavior of the F2 peak and the topside ionosphere is mainly associated with the enhancement of the equatorward winds, albeit the disturbed electric fields could play an important role in producing it.