Comparison of IONOLAB with GOPI TEC Models over South Africa

Project Description:

The ionosphere is a portion of the Earth’s upper atmosphere ranging vertically from 60 to 1000 km above the ground. It is mainly formed by electromagnetic radiation from the Sun. The atoms in the ionosphere are ionised by extreme ultraviolet radiation from solar heating and background X-ray radiation. Electromagnetic waves, such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) signals, experience time delays when traversing the ionosphere. The delay of the GPS broadcasting signals is directly proportional to the integrated free-electron density (Total Electron Content (TEC)) along the signal path from the broadcasting position in space to the receiver on Earth. The magnitude of TEC is highly variable and depends on several factors such as local time, geographical location, season, and solar activity. In this study, we will focus on the comparison of TEC derived from IONOLAB with the GOPI GPS-TEC model over South Africa during selected geomagnetically perturbed conditions. The results of this study will be indicative of the performance of these models over the midlatitude Ionosphere.

Research Area:

Space Physics

Project Level:

Honours

This Project Is Offered At The Following Node(s):

(NWU)