HR: 1340h
AN: SM43B-1223    [Abstracts]
TI: Scintillation Forecasting Using NPOESS Data
AU: * Basu, B
EM: Bamandas.Basu@hanscom.af.mil
AF: Air Force Research Laboratory, 29 Randolph Road, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731 United States
AU: Retterer, J
EM: John.Retterer@hanscom.af.mil
AF: Air Force Research Laboratory, 29 Randolph Road, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731 United States
AU: DeMajistre, R
EM: Bob.DeMajistre@jhuapl.edu
AF: Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD 20723 United States
AU: de La Beaujardiere, O
EM: Odile.de La Beaujardiere@hanscom.af.mil
AF: Air Force Research Laboratory, 29 Randolph Road, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731 United States
AU: Scro, K
EM: Kevin.Scro@cisf.af.mil
AF: SMC/WXT, 1050 E. Steward Ave, Peterson AFB, CO 80914 United States
AB: We have conducted a theoretical study of the use of NPOESS data for the forecasting of equatorial radio scintillation using knowledge of the equatorial Appleton anomaly, e.g., the peak-to-valley ratio of TEC (Total Electron Content) between the anomaly crests and the magnetic equator. The peak-to-valley ratio can be obtained from the UV (ultraviolet) imagery of the anomaly region that will be provided by the NPOESS sensors. The post-sunset enhancement of the upward drift velocity of the equatorial plasma has been shown, both theoretically and observationally, to be an important determinant of both the onset of scintillation and the strength of the anomaly. The technical approach is to run PBMOD, the AFRL low-latitude ionosphere model, with a range of post-sunset vertical drift velocities to determine the quantitative relationship between the peak-to-valley ratio and the maximum value of the pot-sunset upward drift velocity of equatorial plasma. Once the relationship is validated, it will be used to estimate the maximum value of the drift velocity from the peak-to-valley ratio, which is derived from the UV imagery data provided by NPOESS-like sensor, such as GUVI on TIMED satellite. The drift velocity will then be used in PBMOD to simulate the formation and evolution of equatorial plasma `bubbles' and calculate the distribution of the amplitude scintillation index S4. Results of the study will be discussed.
DE: 6964 Radio wave propagation
DE: 6969 Remote sensing
DE: 6984 Waves in plasma (7867)
DE: 7538 Solar irradiance
DE: 7984 Space radiation environment
SC: SPA-Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005