The slab thickness of the mid-latitude ionosphere

Titheridge, J. E.

doi:10.1016/0032-0633(73)90168-2

Cited by 94 publications

(97 citation statements)

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“…Ionospheric slab thickness has been a subject of study since the 1960s (e.g. Bhonsle et al, 1965;Titheridge, 1973;Huang, 1983). Based on most of the available and reliable observations of ionospheric TEC and NmF2, numerous analyses for recording the climatology of the slab thickness have been conducted over the past few decades (Jayachandran et al, 2004;Chuo, 2007;Jin et al, 2007;Stankov and Warnant, 2009;Guo et al, 2011;Kenpankho et al, 2011;Weng et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climatology of the ionospheric slab thickness along the longitude of 120° E in China and its adjacent region during the solar minimum years of 2007–2009

Huang

Yuan

2015

Ann. Geophys.

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Abstract. The ionospheric slab thickness is defined as the ratio of the total electron content (TEC) to the ionospheric F2 layer peak electron density (NmF2). In this study, the slab thickness is determined by measuring the ionospheric TEC from dual-frequency Global Positioning System (GPS) data and the NmF2 from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC). A statistical analysis of the diurnal, seasonal and spatial variation in the ionospheric slab thickness is presented along the longitude of 120 • E in China and its adjacent region during the recent solar minimum phase (2007)(2008)(2009). The diurnal ratio, defined as the maximum slab thickness to the minimum slab thickness, and the night-to-day ratio, defined as the slab thickness during daytime to the slab thickness during night-time, are both analysed. The results show that the TEC of the northern crest is greater in winter than in summer, whereas NmF2 is greater in summer than in winter. A pronounced peak of slab thickness occurs during the postmidnight (00:00-04:00 LT) period, when the peak electron density is at the lowest level. A large diurnal ratio exists at the equatorial ionization anomaly, and a large night-to-day ratio occurs near the equatorial latitudes and mid-to high latitudes. It is found that the behaviours of the slab thickness and the F2 peak altitude are well correlated at the latitudes of 30-50 • N and during the period of 10:00-16:00 LT. This current study is useful for improvement of the regional model and accurate calculation of the signal delay of radio waves propagating through the ionosphere.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climatology of the ionospheric slab thickness along the longitude of 120° E in China and its adjacent region during the solar minimum years of 2007–2009

Huang

Yuan

2015

Ann. Geophys.

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“…A study of this parameter at any location provides information about the nature of the distribution of ionization at that location. Besides, from the point of view of satellite to ground radio communication, the equivalent slab thickness is a very useful parameter since it contains all the new information obtainable from TEC measurements, which is not readily available in foF2 (Titheridge, 1973). For an α -Chapman layer, the value of τ is shown to be equal to 4.13 H , where H is the scale height of the ionosphere (Wright, 1960).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For an α -Chapman layer, the value of τ is shown to be equal to 4.13 H , where H is the scale height of the ionosphere (Wright, 1960). Titheridge (1973) has developed a relationship between τ and neutral temperature. Furman and Prasad (1973) found that τ in general depends upon the plasma scale height but is not a good indicator of either electron or ion temperature.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bhuyan et al, 1986;Rao et al, 1988;Davies and Liu, 1991) and midlatitudes (e.g. Bhonsle et al, 1965;Titheridge, 1973;McNamara and Smith, 1982;Gulyaeva, 1997) are available in the literature. However, studies related to the high-latitude variations of τ are rather rare (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A number of theories have been put forward to explain the widely observed feature of predawn peaks in the slab thickness at low and mid-latitudes. Titheridge (1973) explains the presunrise peak in τ as due to the downward movement of the ionosphere when the neutral winds that have been maintaining the ionosphere decrease or reverse. The early morning peaks in τ may also appear due to the fact that sunrise is earlier at heights above the F2-layer causing some production at the topside, tending to give TEC a lead over NmF2 which is still decaying.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Climatology of ionospheric slab thickness

Jayachandran¹,

Krishnankutty

Gulyaeva

2004

Ann. Geophys.

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Abstract. The ionospheric slab thickness τ defined as a ratio of the total electron content (TEC) to the F-region peak electron density (NmF2) has been analysed during the solar maximum (1981) and minimum (1985) phases of an intense, the 21st, solar cycle. Hourly values of TEC and NmF2 collected at Hawaii (low-latitude), Boulder (mid-latitude) and Goosebay (high-latitude) are used in the study. Climatology of the slab thickness is described by the diurnal, seasonal, solar and magnetic activity variations of τ for the different latitude zones. It is found that, for magnetically quiet days of solar maximum, increased ionization of NmF2 and TEC during the daytime is accompanied by an increased thickness of the ionosphere compared to the night-time for non-auroral latitudes. However, the reverse is found to be true during the solar minimum compensating TEC against a weak nighttime ionization of NmF2. For the high-latitude the night-time slab thickness is higher compared to the daytime for both the solar phases. Ratios of daily peak to minimum values of slab thickness vary from 1.3 to 3.75 with the peaks of τ often observed at pre-sunrise and post-sunset hours. The average night-to-day ratios of τ vary from 0.68 to 2.23. The day-today variability of τ , expressed in percentage standard deviation, varies from 10% by day (equinox, high-latitude) to 67% by night (summer, mid-latitude) during solar minimum and from 10% by day (winter and equinox, mid-latitude) to 56% by night (equinox, high-latitude) during solar maximum. A comprehensive review of slab thickness related literature is given in the paper.

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The equivalent slab thickness of Mars' ionosphere: Implications for thermospheric temperature

Mendillo

Narvaez

Lawler

et al. 2015

Geophysical Research Letters

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The total electron content (TEC) of a planetary ionosphere is dominated by plasma near and above the height of maximum electron density (Nmax). The ratio TEC/Nmax represents the thickness (τ) of a TEC slab of uniform density (Nmax). For a photochemical ionosphere, τ relates to the scale height (H = kT/mg) of the ionized neutral gas as τ ~ 4 × H. Derived temperatures refer to ~160 km in thermosphere height—below the asymptotic temperature of the exosphere. The MARSIS instrument on Mars Express has produced data sets of TEC and Nmax. We used them to form τ patterns versus solar zenith angle and solar cycle phase. For daytime (SZA < 90°) conditions, <τ > day ~ 50 km, decreasing rapidly for solar zenith angle (SZA) > 90° to < τ > night ~ 25 km. These correspond to Tn values of 250°K and 125°K. Using Mars Global Surveyor data, τ patterns show a mild dependence upon the solar EUV flux proxy F10.7, with ΔTn(°K) ~ 0.3° per unit change in F10.7 at Mars.

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The slab thickness of the mid-latitude ionosphere

Cited by 94 publications

References 56 publications

Climatology of the ionospheric slab thickness along the longitude of 120° E in China and its adjacent region during the solar minimum years of 2007–2009

Climatology of the ionospheric slab thickness along the longitude of 120° E in China and its adjacent region during the solar minimum years of 2007–2009

Climatology of ionospheric slab thickness

The equivalent slab thickness of Mars' ionosphere: Implications for thermospheric temperature

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