A new topside profiler based on Alouette/ISIS topside sounding. Issue 10 (15th November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhu, Jie; Zhao, Biqiang; Wan, Weixing; Ning, Baiqi; Zhang, Shunrong
• Is Part Of: Advances in space research. Volume 56:Issue 10(2015)
• Page Start: 2080
• Page End: 2090
• Publication Date: 2015-11-15
• Subjects: Topside ionosphere -- Profiler -- Light-ions layer; Space sciences -- Periodicals; Astronautics -- Periodicals; Geophysics -- Periodicals; 500.505
• DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2015.08.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0273-1177

Abstract

Abstract: A new empirical model of the topside ionospheric density was developed to describe the measured topside profile accurately. This profiler is a composite of two separate layers of different ion species in the topside ionosphere, the O + layer and the light-ions (H + and He + ) layer. The light-ions layer is characterized by an α-Chapman function with a linearly increasing scale height with altitude. This new model appears to perform the best as compared to five other typical topside profilers in representing data from ISIS-1&2 and Alouette-1&2 observations. We also analyzed the magnetic latitude dependence, seasonal variation, and day–night difference of the characteristic parameters of the light-ions layer during the magnetic quiet ( Kp < 4) and low solar activity (f107 < 120 solar flux unit, sfu) period within magnetic latitudes from −60° to 90°. The statistical results show the expected different behaviors of light-ions and O + parameters. In addition, the portion of the light-ion components contributing to the topside-ionospheric total electron content (TTEC) was studied also. The results suggest that the light ions make a great contribution to the TTEC, especially in magnetic low- and middle-latitudes at night.