Open AccessAltitude Extension of the NCAR‐TIEGCM (TIEGCM‐X) and Evaluation
Author(s) -
Cai Yihui,
Yue Xinan,
Wang Wenbin,
Zhang ShunRong,
Liu Huixin,
Lin Dong,
Wu Haonan,
Yue Jia,
Bruinsma Sean L.,
Ding Feng,
Ren Zhipeng,
Liu Libo
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
space weather
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.254
H-Index - 56
ISSN - 1542-7390
DOI - 10.1029/2022sw003227
Subject(s) - thermosphere , ionosphere , atmospheric sciences , geomagnetic storm , altitude (triangle) , environmental science , storm , middle latitudes , international reference ionosphere , latitude , f region , earth's magnetic field , geophysics , physics , meteorology , geology , total electron content , tec , geodesy , magnetic field , geometry , mathematics , quantum mechanics
The upper boundary height of the traditional community general circulation model of the ionosphere‐thermosphere system is too low to be applied to the topside ionosphere/thermosphere study. In this study, the National Center for Atmospheric Research Thermosphere‐Ionosphere‐Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (NCAR‐TIEGCM) was successfully extended upward by four scale heights from 400–600 km to 700–1,200 km depending on solar activity, named TIEGCM‐X. The topside ionosphere and thermosphere simulated by TIEGCM‐X agree well with the observations derived from a topside sounder and satellite drag data. In addition, the neutral density, temperature, and electron density simulated by TIEGCM‐X are morphologically consistent with the NCAR‐TIEGCM simulations before extension. The latitude‐altitude distribution of the equatorial ionization anomaly derived from TIEGCM‐X is more reasonable. During geomagnetic storm events, the thermospheric responses of TIEGCM‐X are similar to NCAR‐TIEGCM. However, the ionospheric storm effects in TIEGCM‐X are stronger than those in NCAR‐TIEGCM and are even opposites at some middle and low latitudes due to the presence of more closed magnetic field lines. Defense Meteorological Satellite Program observations prove that the ionospheric storm effect of TIEGCM‐X is more reasonable. The well‐validated TIEGCM‐X has significant potential applications in ionospheric/thermospheric studies, such as the responses to storms, low‐latitude dynamics, and data assimilation.