Bruno Zolesi
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia
bruno.zolesi@ingv.it
1
Overview
• The basic physical principles of the ionospheric vertical soundings are here
shown and then the significance of the ionospheric measurements, their
interpretation according the international conventions used for a common
morphological description of the ionosphere.
3
The Terrestrial Ionosphere
The method and the instrumentation used for electronic density measurements is based
on the principle that when an electromagnetic wave penetrates vertically in the
ionospheric plasma the reflection occurs at the level where the refractive index becomes
zero.
n2=1-(fN /f)2
where N is electron density, q and m the charge and the mass of the electron and f the
incident frequency. Reflection in the ionosphere occurs when the incident frequency f is
equal to fN.
The ionospheric vertical
soundings
The Ionogram
The Ionogram
Virtual height or time delay
If the frequency of the signa1
is increased the virtua1 height
increases more rapid1y than
the true height. When the level
of the maximum electron
density in the layer is reached
the virtual height becomes
infinite. This frequency is
called the critical frequency of
the layer frequency
The ionospheric vertical soundings
ordinary extraordinary
The ionospheric vertical soundings
Night-time ionogram
Day-time ionogram
The ionospheric vertical soundings
NmF2
foF2
foF1 NmF1
foE
NmE
From the analysis of one ionogram several important characteristics (like the
critical frequencies and the heights of the different ionospheric layers) can
be found, that have a significant role in the studies concerning ionospheric
physics, space weather and related phenomena.
Ionograms and their interpretation
E Region
foE: critical frequency of the ordinary trace of the E
region.
h’E: minimum virtual height of the ordinary trace of
the E region.
Es Sporadic E layer
foEs: highest frequency of the ordinary trace of the
continuous sporadic E layer.
h’Es: minimum virtual height of the ordinary trace of
the Es layer.
fbEs: blanketing frequency of the Es layer.
fmin: lowest frequency recorded in the ionogram.
Ionograms and their interpretation
Digisonde 128 P
Digisonde DPS4
Ionospheric oblique sounding
These ground-based routine measurements constituted the basis for the
global models of ionospheric plasma.
1490
hpF 2 176 km
M (3000) F 2
Ionospheric radio sounding application :
models of the electron density profile
The radon released from the crust is an important source of ionization and
clusters of heavy ions in the atmospheric layer close to the ground produce an
additional electric field overlapping the total (ionosphere-ground) electric field.
Projects: ESPAS objectives
Conclusion:
Good Data are like a Good Wine…….:
Thanks for your attention!