Abstract
A technique is proposed to measure the electron density profile of the ionosphere between 100 and 800 km using a microwave frequency receiver on board a conventional Earth Observations Satellite and a series of transmitters on micro satellites in appropriate orbits. A pair of pulsed frequencies will enable the relative signal delay to be determined and hence the total electron content between the two devices. The vertical profiles of Ne along the satellite track can be retrieved using a modified form of tomography. Regular global coverage from a single experiment over several years would provide a unique data set for comparison with models of the ionosphere, and also its interaction with the neutral atmosohere and its response to changes in solar activity.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1741-1749 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Atmospheric and Terrestrial Physics |
| Volume | 58 |
| Issue number | 15 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1996 |
| Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Environmental Science
- Geophysics
- General Engineering
- Atmospheric Science
- General Earth and Planetary Sciences