STUDY OF IONIC BEHAVIOR OF IONOSPHERE F2 REGION USING SATELLITE DATA

Abstract

The earth atmosphere is mainly governed by the sun since solar energy majorly controls all newlinethe processes of it. Atmosphere is quite dense near ground level but density as well as newlinepressure fall down with altitude. Absorption of solar radiation brings about heating, newlinephotodissociation and photoionizaion in the atmosphere. The upper atmosphere above 50-60 newlinekm containing free electrons and ions is Ionosphere which can affect the radio wave newlinepropagation. Interest in ionosphere has increased extensively over past few decades since our newlinetechnological system is affected by it. Ionospheric characteristics like electron and ion newlinetemperature, density, and ionic composition depends primarily on the sun and other related newlinephenomenon but show variation with time (diurnal, seasonal, annual and solar cycle newlinevariations), geographical location (latitude and longitude) and with certain solar-related newlinephenomena like solar cycle and solar ionizing flux, coronal mass ejection, solar flare and newlineother phenomenon contributing to total energy budget of the atmosphere newlineIn the present study in situ measurement of ion and electron parameters of ionosphere F2 newlineregion made by separate Retarding Potential Analyzers (RPAs) payload onboard the Indian newlinesatellite SROSS-C2 over Indian region (65 95°E and 5 35°N) for more than half of 23rd newlinesolar cycle are examined to analyze the ion density (ni) at an average altitude of ~ 500 km newline(altitude range 500± 100 km). The dataset is analyzed for the diurnal and seasonal behavior newlineof ni and its dependence on solar activity by comparing the results for solar minima (1995, newlineF10.7 95 = 77) and solar maxima (2000, F10.7 00 = 178) years. ni is found to exhibit the newlineexpected diurnal behavior with day minimum in presunrise hrs. and maximum at local noon newlineor afternoon. This trend is not affected by seasons or solar activity. However for different newlineseasons, ni enhances with solar activity and more interestingly, nighttime values of ni are newlinefound to be affected by greater magnitude as compared to daytime corresponding values. newline