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Electron number density profiles derived from radio occultation on the CASSIOPE spacecraft
Author(s) -
Shume Esayas B.,
Vergados Panagiotis,
Komjathy Attila,
Langley Richard B.,
Durgonics Tibor
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
radio science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1944-799X
pISSN - 0048-6604
DOI - 10.1002/2017rs006321
Subject(s) - radio occultation , ionosphere , electron density , ionosonde , longitude , occultation , cosmic cancer database , global positioning system , latitude , aeronomy , geodesy , remote sensing , physics , geology , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , astronomy , electron , computer science , telecommunications , quantum mechanics
This paper presents electron number density profiles derived from high‐resolution Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation (RO) observations performed using the Enhanced Polar Outflow Probe payload on the high inclination CAScade, Smallsat and IOnospheric Polar Explorer (CASSIOPE) spacecraft. We have developed and applied a novel inverse Abel transform algorithm on high rate RO total electron content measurements performed along GPS to CASSIOPE radio links to recover electron density profiles. The high‐resolution density profiles inferred from the CASSIOPE RO are (1) in very good agreement with density profiles estimated from ionosonde data, measured over stations nearby to the latitude and longitude of the RO tangent points; (2) in good agreement with density profiles inferred from GPS RO measured by the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC); and (3) in general agreement with density profiles estimated using the International Reference Ionosphere climatological model. Using both CASSIOPE and COSMIC RO observations, we identify, for the first time, that there exist differences in the characteristics of the electron number density profiles retrieved over landmasses and oceans. The density profiles over oceans exhibit widespread values and scale heights compared to density profiles over landmasses. We provide an explanation for the ocean‐landmass discrepancy in terms of the unique wave coupling mechanisms operating over oceans and landmasses.