Modeling the F2 layer peak height in terms of atmospheric pressure
Abstract
Ionospheric data from several stations are used to verify that, at any given local time, the mid-latitude F2 peak tends to lie at fixed values of atmospheric pressure, as expected from theory. The pressure values are found empirically to be about 2 × 10-10 atmosphere at noon, 2 × 10-11 atmosphere at midnight. Given that the global Mass Spectrometer/Incoherent Scatter (MSIS) model of the neutral thermosphere is now readily available, we suggest that the "constant pressure" approach provides a simple way of modeling the height hmF2 for practical purposes, for a wide range of solar and geomagnetic activity, with better consistency than is given by methods based on ionosonde data alone.
- Publication:
-
Radio Science
- Pub Date:
- October 1990
- DOI:
- 10.1029/RS025i005p00757
- Bibcode:
- 1990RaSc...25..757R
- Keywords:
-
- Atmospheric Models;
- Atmospheric Pressure;
- F 2 Region;
- Incoherent Scatter Radar;
- Ionograms;
- Ionospheric Electron Density;
- Mass Spectroscopy;
- Maximum Usable Frequency;
- Pressure Effects;
- Ionosphere: Modeling and forecasting;
- Radio Science: Ionospheric physics