Thermospheric Mass Density Disturbances Due to Magnetospheric Forcing From 2014–2020 CASSIOPE Precise Orbits

Abstract Long‐term thermospheric mass density disturbances due to magnetospheric forcing are not clear due to a lack of measurement data and imprecise models. In this study, the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) precise orbits of CAScade SmallSat and IOnospheric Polar Explorer (CASSIOPE) are used to infer high‐resolution thermospheric mass densities between the years 2014 and 2020. The CASSIOPE densities are comprehensively validated at altitudes from 325 to 425 km at intervals of 25 km with the High Accuracy Satellite Drag Model (HASDM) density database, and further compared with the Naval Research Laboratory Mass Spectrometer and Incoherent Scatter Radar Exosphere/2000 (NRLMSISE‐00) and the Jacchia‐Bowman/2008 (JB2008) empirical models. The CASSIOPE densities are very similar to the HASDM and JB2008 densities, while the NRLMSISE‐00 largely overestimates (∼150%) during low solar‐flux conditions. For density values above ∼10 −12  kg/m 3 , the correlation of CASSIOPE with HASDM is ∼5% better than the models, and the standard deviation is within 10% of the background density. For density values below ∼10 −12  kg/m 3 , systematic errors have shown to reduce the precision of the CASSIOPE densities. By setting geomagnetic contributions to zero in the models, the density disturbances due to magnetospheric forcing are isolated from the CASSIOPE time‐series, allowing investigation into the correlations and time‐delay responses to the models and to the merging electric field (E m ). A new linear dependence of the time delay to the E m was found and then parameterized in this study. Time delays occurred at the 4–7 h range during geomagnetic storms, and at 9–11 h during quiet conditions; neither had significant dependence on altitude. The results represent the validation of the first high‐resolution thermospheric mass density estimates inferred from commercial‐off‐the‐shelf GNSS receivers.