Citation
Abstract
The evaluation of an ionospheric model started in Volume XI of the DSN Progress Report series (TR 32-1526) is continued. This article discusses the nighttime ionosphere and considers specifically the dawn and dusk situation in which a transition from electron production by the Sun’s radiation to a cessation of this production gradually occurs. The strict nighttime ionosphere is governed by electron attachment and diffusion. The transition period depends very much on the declination angle of the Sun and the latitude of the geographical location on Earth where knowledge of the ionospheric electron distribution is desired. Simple and concise expressions for the electron distribution in the upper ionosphere are derived. Calibrations for range corrections ona global scale are therefore possible. The ionospheric model presented contains six empirical parameters. These parameters are to be considered as functions of geographical location and must be determined by measurement. Future work will concentrate on the determination of these parameters and the implementation of the model to obtain range corrections. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis of the model with respect to the six parameters will also be performed.
Details
- Volume
- XV
- Published
- June 15, 1973
- Pages
- 32–47
- File Size
- 1.2 MB