http://hdl.handle.net/2122/94 2013-05-21T00:47:12Z http://hdl.handle.net/2122/8712 Title: Scientific review on the Complex Eikonal, and research perspectives for the Ionospheric Ray-tracing and Absorption Authors: Settimi, A.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Sciacca, U.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma1, Roma, Italia; Bianchi, C.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia Abstract: The present paper conducts a scientific review on the complex eikonal, extrapolating the research perspectives on the ionospheric ray-tracing and absorption. As regards the scientific review, the eikonal equation is expressed, and some complex-valued solutions are defined corresponding to complex rays and caustics. Moreover, the geometrical optics is compared to the beam tracing method, introducing the limit of the quasi-isotropic and paraxial complex optics approximations. Finally, the quasi-optical beam tracing is defined as the complex eikonal method applied to ray-tracing, discussing the beam propagation in a cold magnetized plasma. As regards the research perspectives, this paper proposes to address the following scientific problem: in absence of electromagnetic (e.m.) sources, consider a material medium which is time invariant, linear, optically isotropic, generally dispersive in frequency and inhomogeneous in space, with the additional condition that the refractive index is assumed varying even strongly in space. The paper continues the topics discussed by Bianchi et al. [2009], proposing a novelty with respect to the other referenced bibliography: indeed, the Joule’s effect is assumed non negligible, so the medium is dissipative, and its electrical conductivity is not identically zero. In mathematical terms, the refractive index belongs to the field of complex numbers. The dissipation plays a significant role, and even the eikonal function belongs to the complex numbers field. Under these conditions, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, suitable generalized complex eikonal and transport equations are derived, never discussed in literature. Moreover, in order to solve the ionospheric ray-tracing and absorption problems, we hint a perspective viewpoint. The complex eikonal equations are derived assuming the medium as optically isotropic. However, in agreement with the quasi isotropic approximation of geometrical optics, these equations can be referred to the Appleton-Hartree’s refractive index for an ionospheric magneto-plasma, which becomes only weakly anisotropic in the presence of Earth’s magnetic induction field. Finally, a simple formula is deduced for a simplified problem. Consider a flat layering ionospheric medium, so without any horizontal gradient. The paper proposes a new formula, useful to calculate the amplitude absorption due to the ionospheric D-layer, which can be approximately modelled by a linearized complex refractive index, because covering a short range of heights, between h1= 50 km and h2= 80 km about. 2013-03-19T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2122/8701 Title: Testing the IONORT-ISP system: A comparison between synthesized and measured oblique ionograms Authors: Settimi, A.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Pezzopane, M.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Pietrella, M.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Bianchi, C.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Scotto, C.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Zuccheretti, E.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Makris, J.; Technological Educational Institute of Crete, P.O. Box 1939 Chania, Crete, Greece Abstract: The three-dimensional (3-D) electron density representation of the ionosphere computed by the assimilative IRI-SIRMUP-P (ISP) model was tested using IONORT (IONOspheric Ray-Tracing), a software application for calculating a 3-D ray-tracing for high frequency (HF) waves in the ionospheric medium. A radio link was established between Rome (41.8°N, 12.5°E) in Italy, and Chania (35.7°N, 24.0°E) in Greece, within the ISP validity area, and for which oblique soundings are conducted. The ionospheric reference stations, from which the autoscaled foF2 and M(3000)F2 data and real-time vertical electron density profiles were assimilated by the ISP model, were Rome (41.8°N, 12.5°E) and Gibilmanna (37.9°N, 14.0°E) in Italy, and Athens (38.0°N, 23.5°E) in Greece. IONORT was used, in conjunction with the ISP and the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) 3-D electron density grids, to synthesize oblique ionograms. The comparison between synthesized and measured oblique ionograms, both in terms of the ionogram shape and the maximum usable frequency characterizing the radio path, demonstrates both that the ISP model can more accurately represent real conditions in the ionosphere than the IRI, and that the ray-tracing results computed by IONORT are reasonably reliable. 2013-05-02T22:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2122/8649 Title: Digital signal processing and numerical analysis for radar in geophysical applications Authors: Molina, M. G.; Dpto. de Ciencias de la Computación, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología (FACET), Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (UNT), Av. Independencia 1800, Tucumán, Argentina; Cabrera, M. A.; Laboratorio de Telecomunicaciones, Dpto. de Electrónica Electricidad y Computación, FACET, UNT, Av. Independencia 1800, Tucumán, Argentina; Ezquer, R. G.; Laboratorio de Ionósfera, Dpto. de Física, FACET, UNT, Av. Independencia 1800, Tucumán, Argentina; Fernandez, P. M.; Dpto. de Ciencias de la Computación, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología (FACET), Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (UNT), Av. Independencia 1800, Tucumán, Argentina; Zuccheretti, E.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia Abstract: Numerical solutions for signal processing are described in this work as acontribution to study of echo detection methods for ionospheric sounder design. The ionospheric sounder is a high frequency radar for geophysical applications. The main detection approach has been done by implementing the spread-spectrum techniques using coding methods to improve the radar’s range resolution by transmitting low power. Digital signal processing has been performed and the numerical methods were checked. An algorithm was proposed and its computational complexity was calculated. The proposed detection process combines two channels correlations with the local code and calculates threshold (Vt) by statistical evaluation of the background noise to design a detection algorithm. The noisy signals treatment was performed depending on the threshold and echo amplitude. In each case, the detection was improved by using coherent integration. Synthetic signals, close loop and actual echoes, obtained from the Advanced Ionospheric Sounder (AIS-INGV) at Rome Ionospheric Observatory, were used to verify the process. The results showed that, even in highly noisy environments, the echo detection is possible. Given that these are preliminary results, further studies considering data sets corresponding to other geophysical conditions are needed. 2013-05-14T22:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2122/8573 Title: Monitoring, tracking and forecasting ionospheric perturbations using GNSS techniques Authors: Jakowski, N.; German Aerospace Center, Institute of Communications and Navigation, Neustrelitz, Germany; Béniguel, Y.; IEEA, Paris, Courbevoie, France; De Franceschi, G.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Pajares, M. H.; Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Res. group of Astronomy and Geomatics, Barcelona, Spain; Jacobsen, K. S.; Norwegian Mapping Authority, Geodetic Institute, Hønefoss, Norway; Stanislawska, I.; Space Research Center PAS, Warsaw, Poland; Tomasik, L.; Space Research Center PAS, Warsaw, Poland; Warnant, R.; University of Liege, Unit of Geomatics – Geodesy and GNSS, Belgium; Wautelet, G.; University of Liege, Unit of Geomatics – Geodesy and GNSS, Belgium Abstract: The paper reviews the current state of GNSS-based detection, monitoring and forecasting of ionospheric perturbations in Europe in relation to the COST action ES0803 ‘‘Developing Space Weather Products and Services in Europe’’. Space weather research and related ionospheric studies require broad international collaboration in sharing databases, developing analysis software and models and providing services. Reviewed is the European GNSS data basis including ionospheric services providing derived data products such as the Total Electron Content (TEC) and radio scintillation indices. Fundamental ionospheric perturbation phenomena covering quite different scales in time and space are discussed in the light of recent achievements in GNSS-based ionospheric monitoring. Thus, large-scale perturbation processes characterized by moving ionization fronts, wave-like travelling ionospheric disturbances and finally small-scale irregularities causing radio scintillations are considered. Whereas ground and space-based GNSS monitoring techniques are well developed, forecasting of ionospheric perturbations needs much more work to become attractive for users who might be interested in condensed information on the perturbation degree of the ionosphere by robust indices. Finally, we have briefly presented a few samples illustrating the space weather impact on GNSS applications thus encouraging the scientific community to enhance space weather research in upcoming years. 2012-12-19T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2122/8557 Title: Massive statistical analysis of autoscaled data: the case of the double reflection signature in mid-latitude vertical ionograms Authors: Pezzopane, M.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Scotto, C.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia Abstract: This work shows how new capabilities can emerge from a massive statistical analysis of previously overlooked autoscaled data. In particular, the paper shows how autoscaling methods for vertical ionograms, specifically Autoscala, can offer a new kind of data that are not currently available at World Data Center or elsewhere and not reported by manual ionogram scalers. In this context, an example of such new analyses is the presentation of a statistics of occurrence of the double reflection phenomenon that sometimes characterizes ionograms. In order to establish this original statistics, a method developed to smooth out a specific autoscaling problem was utilized, and a large data set of ionograms recorded from 2003 to 2008 by the AIS-INGV ionosondes installed at the ionospheric stations of Rome (41.8°N, 12.5°E) and Gibilmanna (37.9°N, 14.0°E), Italy, was analyzed. The main results that emerged from the study are hence illustrated and briefly discussed. 2012-12-31T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2122/8519 Title: Power variation analysis of echo signals from ionospheric reflectors Authors: Bianchi, C.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Baskaradas, J. A.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Pietrella, M.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Sciacca, U.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma1, Roma, Italia; Zuccheretti, E.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia Abstract: A series of Power Virtual Height measurements (PVH) of radio echoes reflected from the ionosphere were acquired at a given frequency during the period 3–22 January 2008 with the purpose of studying the slow fading variations through time of the ionospheric channel. To obtain PVH data, an ionospheric vertical sounding system was suitably adapted to work at a single fixed frequency. PVH measurements were recorded between two routine ionospheric vertical soundings, providing a data type that enables evaluation of fading fluctuation through time. The time stability of the ionospheric layers is determined by analyzing the level of the received signal power within a chosen threshold. In this paper the fading behaviour and its characteristics are described, considering only temporal periodicity above 0.5 s. In a further analysis a relation is demonstrated between the recorded fading and the time stability of the signal within a fixed interval of values. 2013-01-31T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2122/8509 Title: Low-latitude equinoctial spread-F occurrence at different longitude sectors under low solar activity Authors: Pezzopane, M.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Zuccheretti, E.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Abadi, P.; Division of Ionosphere and Telecommunication, Space Science Center, Indonesian National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN), Indonesia; A.J. de Abreu, A. J.; Universidade do Vale do Paraíba, São José dos Campos, Brazil; de Jesus, R.; Universidade do Vale do Paraíba, São José dos Campos, Brazil; Fagundes, P. R.; Universidade do Vale do Paraíba, São José dos Campos, Brazil; Supnithi, P.; Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL), Bangkok 10520, Thailand; Rungraengwajiake, S.; Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL), Bangkok 10520, Thailand; Nagatsuma, T.; Space Weather and Environment Informatics Laboratory, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Tokyo 184-8795, Japan; Tsugawa, T.; Space Weather and Environment Informatics Laboratory, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Tokyo 184-8795, Japan; Cabrera, M. A.; Laboratorio de Telecomunicaciones, DEEC, FACET, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina; Ezquer, R. G.; Laboratorio de Ionósfera, Departamento de Física, FACET, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina Abstract: We present the results of a comparative study of spread-F signatures over five low-latitude sites: Chiangmai (CGM; 18.8 N, 98.9 E, mag. Lat. 8.8 N), Thailand; Tanjungsari(TNJ; 6.9 S, 107.6 E, mag. Lat. 16.9 S), Indonesia; Palmas (PAL; 10.2 S, 311.8 E, mag. Lat. 0.9 S) and São José Dos Campos (SJC; 23.2 S, 314.1 E, mag. Lat. 14.0 S), Brazil; and Tucumán (TUC; 26.9 S, 294.6 E, mag. Lat. 16.8 S), Argentina. The investigation was based on simultaneous ionograms recorded by an FMCW (frequency modulated continuous-wave) at CGM, an IPS-71 (digital ionosonde from KEL aerospace) at TNJ, a CADI (Canadian Advanced Digital Ionosonde) at PAL and SJC, and an AIS-INGV (Advanced Ionospheric Sounder – Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia) at TUC, during the equinoctial periods March–April (R12 = 2.0 and R12 = 2.2) and September–October (R12 = 6.1 and R12 = 7.0) 2009, for very low solar activity. Spread-F signatures were categorized into two types: the range spread-F (RSF) and the frequency spread-F (FSF). The study confirms that the dynamics and the physical processes responsible for these phenomena are actually complicated. In fact, the features that arise from the investigation are different, depending on both the longitude sector and on the hemisphere. For instance, TUC, under the southern crest of the ionospheric equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA), shows a predominance of RSF signatures, while both SJC, under the southern crest of EIA but in a different longitude sector, and CGM, under the northern crest of EIA, show a predominance of FSF signatures. Moreover, the spread-F occurrence over the longitude sector that includes CGM and TNJ is significantly lower than the spread-F occurrence over the longitude sector of PAL, SJC, and TUC. 2013-02-04T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2122/8500 Title: Space weather challenges of the polar cap ionosphere Authors: Moen, J.; Department of Physics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1048 Blindern, NO-0316 Oslo, Norway; Oksavik, K.; Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7803, NO-5020 Bergen, Norway; Alfonsi, L.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Daabakk, Y.; Department of Physics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1048 Blindern, NO-0316 Oslo, Norway; Romano, V.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Spogli, L.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia Abstract: This paper presents research on polar cap ionosphere space weather phenomena conducted during the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) action ES0803 from 2008 to 2012. The main part of the work has been directed toward the study of plasma instabilities and scintillations in association with cusp flow channels and polar cap electron density structures/patches, which is considered as critical knowledge in order to develop forecast models for scintillations in the polar cap. We have approached this problem by multi-instrument techniques that comprise the EISCAT Svalbard Radar, SuperDARN radars, in-situ rocket, and GPS scintillation measurements. The Discussion section aims to unify the bits and pieces of highly specialized information from several papers into a generalized picture. The cusp ionosphere appears as a hot region in GPS scintillation climatology maps. Our results are consistent with the existing view that scintillations in the cusp and the polar cap ionosphere are mainly due to multi-scale structures generated by instability processes associated with the cross-polar transport of polar cap patches. We have demonstrated that the SuperDARN convection model can be used to track these patches backward and forward in time. Hence, once a patch has been detected in the cusp inflow region, SuperDARN can be used to forecast its destination in the future. However, the high-density gradient of polar cap patches is not the only prerequisite for high-latitude scintillations. Unprecedented highresolution rocket measurements reveal that the cusp ionosphere is associated with filamentary precipitation giving rise to kilometer scale gradients onto which the gradient drift instability can operate very efficiently. Cusp ionosphere scintillations also occur during IMF BZ north conditions, which further substantiates that particle precipitation can play a key role to initialize plasma structuring. Furthermore, the cusp is associated with flow channels and strong flow shears, and we have demonstrated that the Kelvin- Helmholtz instability process may be efficiently driven by reversed flow events. 2012-12-31T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2122/8320 Title: IONORT: A Windows software tool to calculate the HF ray tracing in the ionosphere Authors: Settimi, A.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Azzarone, A.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Bianchi, C.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Pezzopane, M.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Scotto, C.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Pietrella, M.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia Editors: Monorchio, A.; Universita` di Pisa via Diotisalvi 2 -- 56126 PISA Abstract: This proceeding describes an applicative software tool, named IONORT (IONOspheric Ray Tracing), for calculating a three-dimensional ray tracing of high frequency waves in the ionospheric medium. This tool runs under Windows operating systems and its friendly graphical user interface facilitates both the numerical data input/output and the two/three-dimensional visualization of the ray path. In order to calculate the coordinates of the ray and the three components of the wave vector along the path as dependent variables, the core of the program solves a system of six first order differential equations, the group path being the independent variable of integration. IONORT uses a three-dimensional electron density specification of the ionosphere, as well as geomagnetic field and neutral particles-electrons collision frequency models having validity in the area of interest. 2012-05-29T22:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2122/8164 Title: Assimilation of SLA along track observations in the Mediterranean with an oceanographic model forced by atmospheric pressure Authors: Dobricic, S.; CMCC; Dufau, C.; CLS; Oddo, P.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Bologna, Bologna, Italia; Pinardi, N.; UniBo; Pujol, I.; CLS; Rio, M. H.; CLS Abstract: A large number of SLA observations at a high along track horizontal resolution are an important ingredient of the data assimilation in the Mediterranean Forecasting System (MFS). Recently, new higher-frequency SLA products have become available, and the atmospheric pressure forcing has been implemented in the numerical model used in the MFS data assimilation system. In a set of numerical experiments, we show that, in order to obtain the most accurate analyses, the ocean model should include the atmospheric pressure forcing and the observations should contain the atmospheric pressure signal. When the model is not forced by the atmospheric pressure, the high-frequency filtering of SLA observations, however, improves the quality of the SLA analyses. It is further shown by comparing the power density spectra of the model fields and observations that the model is able to extract the correct information from noisy observations even without their filtering during the pre-processing. 2011-12-31T23:00:00Z