Contribution of the International Reference Ionosphere-2016 Model in the Evidence of the Winter Anomaly

This study is a contribution to the estimation of the winter anomaly in the F2 layer of the ionosphere at low latitudes. The aim is to study the variability of the virtual height (hmF2) of the F2 region of the ionosphere through the predictions of the latest International Reference Ionosphere model (IRI-2016). The present work allows analyzing the temporal evolution of hmF2 according to the different phases of three (3) solar cycles during the quiet geomagnetic activity to estimate the seasonal anomaly at the Ouagadougou station. The analysis of the seasonal profiles shows that the variability of hmF2 is: 1) strongly linked to the solar cycle activity, 2) dependent on the season and 3) variable from one cycle to the next for the same phase. It appears that hmF2 increases during the ascending phase to reach its maximum value at the phase maximum. During the descending phase, it decreases until the phase minimum where it finds its minimum value. The difference between winter and summer on the hmF2 values for each phase of the cycle is obtained at the phase minimum and is estimated to be at least 16 km. In low latitudes, solar irradiation is greater in summer than in winter. From this study, hmF2 values are larger in winter compared to summer indicating an anomaly in the virtual height of the F2 layer of the ionosphere through the predictions of IRI-2016 at the Ouagadougou station.

Comparative Study of foF2 during Quiet Geomagnetic Activity with URSI and CCIR Predictions during the Phase Minimum of Solar Cycle 22

This paper investigates the performance of the latest International Reference Ionosphere model to predict the critical frequency at low latitudes in the African region. The variability of the critical frequency of the F2 layer of the ionosphere (foF2) is studied for the different seasons of the phase minimum of solar cycle 22 during quiet geomagnetic activity at the Ouagadougou station. The data used are those provided by the ionosonde and the predictions of the two subprograms: International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR) and International Radio-Scientific Union (URSI) of the 2016 version of the International Reference Ionosphere model. This study shows that, in general, URSI and CCIR of the IRI-2016 model are able to reproduce fairly well the variability of the critical frequency of the F2 layer of the ionosphere at low latitudes during the phase minimum at the Ouagadougou station. However, the model shows an almost homogeneous overestimation of the foF2 during the four seasons studied. The good response is observed between 0700 TL and 1900 TL for the available data. The agreement between the subroutine responses and the observed results is between reasonable and poor. The best match state response is obtained in winter with the CCIR subroutine. These results show that there is a need to improve both CCIR and URSI subroutines of the IRI-2016 model in low latitudes in the African region.

Peak of Electron Density in F2-Layer Parameters Variability at Quiet Days on Solar Minimum

This study deals with Peak of electron density in F2-layer sensibility scale during quiet time on solar minimum. Peaks of electron density in F2-layer (NmF2) values at the quietest days are compared to those carried out from the two nearest days (previous and following of quietest day). The study uses International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) for ionosphere modeling. The located station is Ouagadougou, in West Africa. Solar minimum of phase 22 is considered in this study. Using three core principles of ionosphere modeling under IRI running conditions, the study enables to carry out Peak of electron density in F2-layer values during the quietest days of the characteristic months for the four different seasons. These parameters are compared to those of the previous and the following of the quietest days (the day before and following each quietest selected day) at the same hour. The knowledge of NmF2 values at the quietest days and at the two nearest days enables to calculate the relative error that can be made on this parameter. This calculation highlights insignificant relative errors. This means that NmF2 values at the two nearest days of each quietest day on solar minimum can be used for simulating the quietest days’ behavior. NmF2 values obtained by running IRI model have good correlation with those carried out by Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics-General Circulation Model (TIEGCM).