Due to the unique geometry of the geomagnetic fields near the magnetic equator and low-latitude regions, the satellite communication system in the African sector is strongly influenced by the effects resulting from the accumulation of electrons in their ionosphere. Hence, this paper investigates the patterns of the vertical total electron content (VTEC) variation detected by the Global Positioning System (GPS) over low-latitude regions during a very low (2008 to 2009) and a high solar activity (2012 to 2013) phases. The study has been carried out by considering eight ground-based dual-frequency GPS receivers installed recently at different regions in Ethiopia. In this work, the diurnal, monthly, and seasonal variations in the GPS-VTEC have been analyzed. It has been found that the diurnal variability of VTEC has shown minimum values at around 0300 UT (0600 local time (LT)) and maximum values nearly between 1000 and 1300 UT (1300 and 1600 LT) during both the low and the high activity phases. Moreover, the maximum and minimum of monthly mean hourly VTEC values are observed in October and July, respectively, during both the low (2009) and the high solar activity (2012) phases. It has also been depicted that seasonal mean hourly VTEC values have shown maxima and minima in the March equinox and the June solstice, respectively, during both the low and the high solar activity phases.
This paper examines the capacity of the latest version of the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI‐2012) model in predicting the vertical total electron content (VTEC) variation over Uganda during a very low solar activity phase (2009) and a high solar activity (2012) phase. This has been carried out by comparing the ground‐based Global Positioning System (GPS) VTEC inferred from dual‐frequency GPS receivers installed at Entebbe (geographic latitude 0.038°N and longitude 32.44°E; geomagnetic latitude −9.53°N and longitude 104.06°E) and Mbarara (geographic latitude −0.60°N and longitude 30.74°E; geomagnetic latitude −10.02°N and longitude 102.36°E). In this work, the diurnal, monthly, and seasonal variations in the measured VTEC have been analyzed and compared with the VTEC derived from IRI‐2012 model. It has been shown that the lowest diurnal peak GPS‐VTEC values are observed in the June solstice months during both the low and the high solar activity phases. Similarly, the highest diurnal peak IRI‐2012 VTEC values are observed in equinoctial months during both phases. The variability of the VTEC in both the experimental and model is minimal nearly at 03:00 UT (06:00 LT) and maximal mostly between 10:00 and 13:00 UT (13:00–16:00 LT) during both phases. The diurnal highest peak modeled VTEC value observed during the high solar activity phase is almost twice larger than the diurnal highest peak modeled VTEC value depicted during the low solar activity phase. Moreover, the highest monthly mean hourly measured VTEC value observed in October during the high solar activity phase is larger by more than twice the corresponding highest monthly mean hourly measured VTEC value observed in November during the low solar activity phase. Similarly, the lowest monthly measured VTEC value observed in July during the high solar activity phase is larger by more than twice the corresponding lowest measured monthly VTEC value observed in the same month during the low solar activity phase. It has also been shown that the highest measured seasonal mean hourly VTEC values are observed in the December solstice and the March equinox, respectively, during the low and the high solar activity phases, while the corresponding lowest measured VTEC values are observed in the June solstice during both phases. The model prediction generally follows the monthly and seasonal variations of measured VTEC, with the highest and the lowest monthly values being observed in equinoctial and solstice months, respectively, during both phases. The overall results show that the modeled diurnal, monthly, and seasonal VTEC values are generally larger than those corresponding measured VTEC values observed during both the low and the high solar activity phases, with the largest deviations being observed during the low solar activity phase. Moreover, the model does not respond to the effects resulting from the storm. Hence, unlike the measured VTEC values, the modeled VTEC values are unaffected by the storm.
This study mainly focuses on the prediction of the variability of the vertical total electron content (VTEC) and validation of the new versions of the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI 2016), IRI extended to the plasmasphere (IRI‐Plas 2017), and NeQuick 2 models over the equatorial anomaly region during 2013–2018. The Global Positioning System (GPS)‐derived VTEC data inferred from the South American equatorial region during the relatively high (2013–2014), descending (2015–2016), and low (2017–2018) solar activity years have been considered as measurements to validate the models. The modeled (IRI 2016, IRI‐Plas 2017, and NeQuick 2) VTEC values are generally larger than the GPS‐derived VTEC values, with the highest overestimation being illustrated by the IRI‐Plas 2017 model. Small underestimations are also observed in employing the IRI 2016 and NeQuick 2 models, especially when the solar activity increases. The highest root‐mean‐square Deviations (RMSDs) reaching up to 10 TEC units (TECU) is observed in some hours while using the IRI‐Plas 2017 model during the high solar activity years. RMSDs less than 5 TECU are also observed on most of the hours while utilizing the model during all solar activity years. However, RMSD values less than 2 TECU (while using the NeQuick 2 model) and less than 1 TECU (while using the IRI 2016 model) are seen on most of the hours during 2013–2018. This shows that the performance of the IRI 2016 and NeQuick 2 is better than the IRI‐Plas 2017 with the IRI 2016 model consistently revealing the best in all solar activity years.
This paper discusses the performance of the latest version of the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI-2012) model for estimating the vertical total electron content (VTEC) variation over Ethiopian regions during the rising phase of solar cycle 24 (2009-2011). Ground-based Global Positioning System (GPS) VTEC data, inferred from dual-frequency GPS receivers installed at Bahir Dar (geographic latitude 11.6°N and longitude 37.35°E, geomagnetic latitude 2.64°N and longitude 108.94°E), Nazret (geographic latitude 8.57°N and longitude 39.29°E, geomagnetic latitude −0.25°N and longitude 111.01°E), and Robe (geographic latitude 7.11°N and longitude 40.03°E, geomagnetic latitude −1.69°N and longitude 111.78°E), are compared to diurnal, monthly, and seasonal VTEC variations obtained with the IRI-2012 model. It is shown that the variability of the diurnal VTEC is minimal at predawn hours (near 0300 UT, 0600 LT) and maximal between roughly 1000 and 1300 UT (1300-1600 LT) for both the experimental data and the model. Minimum seasonal VTEC values are observed for the June solstice during the period of 2009-2011. Moreover, it is shown that the model better estimates diurnal VTEC values just after the midnight hours (0000-0300 UT, 0300-0600 LT). The modeled monthly and seasonal VTEC values are larger than the corresponding measured values during the period of 2009-2010 when all options for the topside electron density are used. An important finding of this study is that the overestimation of VTEC values derived from the model decreases as the Sun transitions from very low to high solar activity. Moreover, it is generally better to use the model with the NeQuick option for the topside electron density when estimating diurnal, monthly, and seasonal VTEC variations.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.