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Abstract Data from a network of high‐frequency (HF) beacons deployed in Peru are used to estimate the regional ionospheric electron density in a volume. Pseudorange, accumulated carrier phase, and signal power measurements for each of the 36 ray paths provided by the network at a 1 min cadence are incorporated in the estimates. Additional data from the Jicamarca incoherent scatter radar, the Jicamarca sounder, and GPS receivers can also be incorporated. The electron density model is estimated as the solution to a global optimization problem that uses ray tracing in the forward model. The electron density is parametrized in terms of B‐splines in the horizontal direction and generalized Chapman functions or related functions in the vertical. Variational sensitivity analysis has been added to the method to allow for the utilization of the signal power observable which gives additional information about the morphology of the bottomside F region as well as absorption including absorption in the D and E regions. The goal of the effort is to provide contextual information for improving numerical forecasts of plasma interchange instabilities in the postsunset F region ionosphere associated with equatorial spread F (ESF). Data from two ESF campaigns are presented. In one experiment, the HF data revealed the presence of a large‐scale bottomside deformation that seems to have led to instability under otherwise inauspicious conditions. In another experiment, gradual variations in HF signal power were found to be related to the varying shape of the bottomside F layer.
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This content will become publicly available on June 16, 2026
Using Ionosondes for Lower‐Ionosphere Remote Sensing
Abstract Ionosondes are primarily used to measure the electron densities of the ionosphere's E and F‐region via frequency‐range analysis of the probing signal returns. The amplitude of the returning signal has often been ignored, however, and may allow estimates of other propagation effects such as D and E‐region absorption. We introduce a methodology to extract this information from amplitude data and view results in ensemble with Very Low Frequency‐derived, D‐Region absorption estimates. This comparison allows us to infer what portion of High Frequency (HF) attenuation is due to D‐region versus E‐region absorption. The attenuation observed by both methodologies are congruent with each other in the diurnal cycle across HF frequencies between 2.5 and 4.5 MHz. This technique may extend the utility of ionosondes beyond their traditional applications.
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- PAR ID:
- 10616100
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Geophysical Research Letters
- Volume:
- 52
- Issue:
- 11
- ISSN:
- 0094-8276
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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