Electron-density comparisons between radar observations and 3-D ionospheric model calculations. Master's thesis

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6054689

Johnson, M W

A comparison of electron densities calculated from the Utah State University First-Principals Ionospheric Model with simultaneous observations taken at Sondrestrom, Millstone, and Arecibo incoherent-scatter radars was undertaken to better understanding the response of the ionosphere at these longitudinally similar yet latitudinally separated locations. The comparison included over 50 days distributed over 3 1/2 years roughly symmetrical about the last solar-minimum in 1986. The overall trend of the comparison was that to first-order the model reproduces electron densities responding to diurnal, seasonal, geomagnetic, and solar-cycle variations for all three radars. However, some model-observation discrepancies were found. These include, failure of the model to correctly produce an evening peak at Millstone, fall-spring equinox differences at Sondrestrom, tidal structure at Arecibo, and daytime NmF2 values at Arecibo.

• Research Organization: Air Force Inst. of Tech., Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6054689
• Report Number(s): AD-A-227703/6/XAB; AFIT/CI/CIA--90-109
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DAILY VARIATIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRON DENSITY
FAILURES
GEOMAGNETIC FIELD
IONOSPHERE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
RADAR
RANGE FINDERS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SOLAR CYCLE
TIDE
VARIATIONS