REsearch based on Ground-based mesospheric and Ionospheric data with Swarm data
Measuring the ionospheric variability by Swarm satellites and ground-based instruments reveals a broader picture of the atmospheric dynamic impact from below.
The sun is the driving force of the atmosphere and particularly influences the upper part of the atmosphere, the ionosphere. However, unexpected fluctuations also occur during periods of low solar activity. Ground-based measurements, in particular the Ariglow from 80 to 300 km altitude, and measurements from the Swarm satellite mission help to understand these changes by analysing the influence of atmospheric waves on the ionosphere.
The aim of the QUID-REGIS project is to improve our understanding of the influence of atmospheric dynamics on the variability of the ionosphere. The ionosphere influences satellite-based navigation systems (GPS), radio communications and even the stability of the power grid. Disturbances in ionospheric conditions can lead to signal delays, errors in geolocation services and interference in radio frequency transmissions. Thus, it is essential to study and model these fluctuations in detail. The ionosphere is a region of the upper atmosphere that is significantly influenced by variable solar radiation. However, in addition to the strong influence of the sun, there is a previously unexplained variability of the ionosphere, particularly in mid-latitudes. Here, an influence of atmospheric dynamics from the middle atmosphere is expected.
The measurements of the ESA Swarm satellite mission have made it possible to characterize the conditions in the ionosphere for more than 10 years. Using Swarm data, it has been recognized that the ionosphere is sometimes disturbed even during "quiet" solar periods. Based on the Swarm data, supported by extensive ground-based measurements of the upper mesosphere/lower thermosphere (UMLT) and the D, E and F regions of the ionosphere in comparison with the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model, the QUID-REGIS project contributes to the characterization of the atmospheric state during these solar quiet periods. QUID-REGIS identifies and analyses unexpected disturbances in the upper atmosphere and clarifies whether these are at least partly due to atmospheric dynamics from the lower atmosphere at mid-latitudes. These results will be integrated into IRI and further evaluated. The aim is to provide the international user community with a much better description of the ionosphere.
The project is funded by ESA. The main contractor is the DLR Earth Observation Centre. The Czech Academy of Sciences with the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (Czech Republic) and the Slovak Academy of Sciences with the Institute of Experimental Physics (Slovakia) are involved as subcontractors.
