Climatological Fit to the Ionospheric Parameters f0F2 and hmF2 for the High Latitude Stations at Sondrestrom, Greenland, and Qaanaaq, Greenland

• Main Author: Dandekar, Balkrishna S.
• Other Authors: AIR FORCE RESEARCH LAB HANSCOM AFB MA SPACE VEHICLES DIRECTORATE
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2002
• Subjects: Atmospheric Physics; Meteorology; *CLIMATOLOGY; *IONOSPHERIC MODELS; *HIGH LATITUDES; *POLAR CAP; ALGORITHMS; STATIONS; GEOMAGNETISM; PREDICTIONS; REAL TIME; PARAMETERS; ERRORS; IONIZATION; INDEXES; SOLAR CYCLE; PLANETS; SEASONS; PRISMS(OPTICS); GREENLAND; TONGUE OF THE OCEAN; PE62101F; WUAFRL1010ICAA; Greenland; Qaanaaq
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA422091; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA422091

Ionospheric data from the high latitude stations Sondrestrom, Greenland, and Qaanaaq, Greenland, for a period of 8 years, covering a good range of solar cycle variation, are used to derive empirical algorithms for the prediction of foF2 and hmF2. The algorithm connects these two parameters with diurnal, seasonal, 90-day averaged solar flux at 2800 MHz and the planetary geomagnetic activity index Kp. The Sondrestrom station sees foF2 inhancement due to the tongue of ionization, and the Qaanaaq station experiences foF2 enhancement due to the occurrence of the polar cap patch activity. Therefore, empirical algorithms are derived for predicting the distribution of foF2 during the presence (or absence) of the polar cap patch (or tongue of ionization) activity. This algorithm connects the average and average plus or minus one sigma values of foF2 with season and 90-day averaged solar flux at 2800 MHz for the respective category. The prediction errors from these algorithms are smaller than those from the IONCAP and PRISM models. These algorithms would be very useful for filling the gaps in the real time ionospheric data needed to support USAF operational systems.