Application of the Fengyun 3 C GNSS occultation sounder for assessing the global ionospheric response to a magnetic storm event

W. Bai; W. Bai; W. Bai; G. Wang; G. Wang; Y. Sun; Y. Sun; Y. Sun; J. Shi; J. Shi; J. Shi; G. Yang; X. Meng; X. Meng; D. Wang; D. Wang; Q. Du; Q. Du; X. Wang; X. Wang; J. Xia; J. Xia; Y. Cai; Y. Cai; C. Liu; C. Liu; W. Li; W. Li; C. Wu; C. Wu; D. Zhao; D. Zhao; D. Wu; D. Wu; C. Liu; C. Liu

doi:10.5194/amt-12-1483-2019

Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (Mar 2019)

Application of the Fengyun 3 C GNSS occultation sounder for assessing the global ionospheric response to a magnetic storm event

W. Bai,
W. Bai,
W. Bai,
G. Wang,
G. Wang,
Y. Sun,
Y. Sun,
Y. Sun,
J. Shi,
J. Shi,
J. Shi,
G. Yang,
X. Meng,
X. Meng,
D. Wang,
D. Wang,
Q. Du,
Q. Du,
X. Wang,
X. Wang,
J. Xia,
J. Xia,
Y. Cai,
Y. Cai,
C. Liu,
C. Liu,
W. Li,
W. Li,
C. Wu,
C. Wu,
D. Zhao,
D. Zhao,
D. Wu,
D. Wu,
C. Liu,
C. Liu

Affiliations

W. Bai: National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
W. Bai: Beijing Key Laboratory of Space Environment, Beijing 100190, China
W. Bai: School of Astronomy and Space Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
G. Wang: National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
G. Wang: State Key Laboratory of Space Weather, Beijing 100190, China
Y. Sun: National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Y. Sun: Beijing Key Laboratory of Space Environment, Beijing 100190, China
Y. Sun: School of Astronomy and Space Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
J. Shi: National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
J. Shi: School of Astronomy and Space Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
J. Shi: State Key Laboratory of Space Weather, Beijing 100190, China
G. Yang: National Satellite Meteorological Center, Chinese Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081, China
X. Meng: National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
X. Meng: Beijing Key Laboratory of Space Environment, Beijing 100190, China
D. Wang: National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
D. Wang: Beijing Key Laboratory of Space Environment, Beijing 100190, China
Q. Du: National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Q. Du: Beijing Key Laboratory of Space Environment, Beijing 100190, China
X. Wang: National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
X. Wang: Beijing Key Laboratory of Space Environment, Beijing 100190, China
J. Xia: National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
J. Xia: Beijing Key Laboratory of Space Environment, Beijing 100190, China
Y. Cai: National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Y. Cai: Beijing Key Laboratory of Space Environment, Beijing 100190, China
C. Liu: National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
C. Liu: Beijing Key Laboratory of Space Environment, Beijing 100190, China
W. Li: National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
W. Li: Beijing Key Laboratory of Space Environment, Beijing 100190, China
C. Wu: National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
C. Wu: Beijing Key Laboratory of Space Environment, Beijing 100190, China
D. Zhao: National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
D. Zhao: Beijing Key Laboratory of Space Environment, Beijing 100190, China
D. Wu: National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
D. Wu: Beijing Key Laboratory of Space Environment, Beijing 100190, China
C. Liu: National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
C. Liu: Beijing Key Laboratory of Space Environment, Beijing 100190, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-1483-2019
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12
pp. 1483 – 1493

Abstract

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The rapid advancement of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) occultation technology in recent years has made it one of the most advanced space-based remote sensing technologies of the 21st century. GNSS radio occultation has many advantages, including all-weather operation, global coverage, high vertical resolution, high precision, long-term stability, and self-calibration. Data products from GNSS occultation sounding can greatly enhance ionospheric observations and contribute to space weather monitoring, forecasting, modeling, and research. In this study, GNSS occultation sounder (GNOS) results from a radio occultation sounding payload aboard the Fengyun 3 C (FY3-C) satellite were compared with ground-based ionosonde observations. Correlation coefficients for peak electron density (NmF2) derived from GNOS Global Position System (GPS) and Beidou navigation system (BDS) products with ionosonde data were higher than 0.9, and standard deviations were less than 20 %. Global ionospheric effects of the strong magnetic storm event in March 2015 were analyzed using GNOS results supported by ionosonde observations. The magnetic storm caused a significant disturbance in NmF2 level. Suppressed daytime and nighttime NmF2 levels indicated mainly negative storm conditions. In two longitude section zones of geomagnetic inclination between 40 and 80∘, the results of average NmF2 observed by GNOS and ground-based ionosondes showed the same basic trends during the geomagnetic storm and confirmed the negative effect of this storm event on the ionosphere. The analysis demonstrates the reliability of the GNSS radio occultation sounding instrument GNOS aboard the FY3-C satellite and confirms the utility of ionosphere products from GNOS for statistical and event-specific ionospheric physical analyses. Future FY3 series satellites and increasing numbers of Beidou navigation satellites will provide increasing GNOS occultation data on the ionosphere, which will contribute to ionosphere research and forecasting applications.

Published in Atmospheric Measurement Techniques

ISSN: 1867-1381 (Print); 1867-8548 (Online)
Publisher: Copernicus Publications
Country of publisher: Germany
LCC subjects: Technology: Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General): Environmental engineering; Technology: Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General): Earthwork. Foundations
Website: http://www.atmospheric-measurement-techniques.net/home.html

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