Open AccessComparison of COSMIC ionospheric measurements with ground‐based observations and model predictions: Preliminary results
Author(s) -
Lei Jiuhou,
Syndergaard Stig,
Burns Alan G.,
Solomon Stanley C.,
Wang Wenbin,
Zeng Zhen,
Roble Raymond G.,
Wu Qian,
Kuo YingHwa,
Holt John M.,
Zhang ShunRong,
Hysell David L.,
Rodrigues Fabiano S.,
Lin Chien H.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2006ja012240
Subject(s) - ionosphere , ionosonde , cosmic cancer database , international reference ionosphere , radio occultation , thermosphere , anomaly (physics) , physics , cosmic ray , incoherent scatter , atmospheric sciences , tec , environmental science , electron density , geophysics , total electron content , astronomy , electron , nuclear physics , condensed matter physics
Electron densities retrieved from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) radio occultation (RO) measurements are compared with those measured by incoherent scatter radars (ISR) and ionosondes in this paper. These results show that electron density profiles retrieved from COSMIC RO data are in agreement with the ISR and ionosonde measurements. The ionospheric characteristics ( N m F 2 and h m F 2 ) derived from the COSMIC satellites are also compared with those calculated by the latest International Reference Ionosphere model (IRI‐2001) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research Thermosphere‐Ionosphere‐Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (NCAR‐TIEGCM). The comparison of the magnitude of the COSMIC N m F 2 data with those calculated by the IRI model and the TIEGCM is good. However, features such as the north‐south asymmetry and longitudinal variation of the equatorial anomaly that are seen in the COSMIC data and the TIEGCM simulations are not fully present in the IRI model. On the other hand, the TIEGCM produces a stronger winter anomaly than that seen in either the COSMIC data or the IRI model.