What this page will eventually contain.
On this page it is intended that ongoing activities of this project area would be posted here. Typically, :The Challenge
As different ionospheric imaging and data assimilation techniques are developed, it will become increasingly important to undertake studies to assess their performance against independent ionospheric data. WG4 intends to develop openly available test data sets that can be used by anybody working in this field. It is hoped that these will be recognised and used by a range of groups so that true comparative testing can be undertaken easily. The test data sets will include a defined set of data to be assimilated, as well as independent data against which the fidelity of the ionospheric reconstructions can be tested. All the data will be non-propriety, available to all, and in easy to manipulate formats.It is hoped that it will be possible to perform some comparative testing before the next URSI GA.
To facilitate this, the WG Chair and vice-Chair have proposed a very simple initial test data set (WG4_dataset1). The input data comprises RINEX data files from IGS monitoring stations, which can be obtained from one of the IGS data centres (http://igscb.jpl.nasa.gov/organization/centers.html), whilst the validation data set comprises MUF measurements from chirp sounders in Europe. The IGS data is limited to a set of stations that typically provide hourly data, thus replicating the data availability to an operational system.
The Challenge period
2-31 December 2003Time step
15 minutesSuggested input data
IGS RINEX files from the following stations:| albh algo alic amc2 aoa1 artu aspa auck bake ban2 bogi bogo bor1 bork brew brix brmu brus bucu budp bzrg cace cagz cas1 chur cic1 coco cord corm crar cro1 | darw dav1 dent dnvk dour drao drej dres dubr elba eliz eusk fair gisb gjov glps glsv gode gol2 gold gope grac guam guat guug hamt harv hast helg helj hers | hert hikb hnpt hob2 hobu hoer hofn hoki holb iisc ista jab1 joz2 joze jplm karl karr kato kely khar kiru kokb kraw kstu lec1 leij lhas lpgs mac1 madr mall | mana mar6 mas1 mat1 maui maw1 mcm4 mdo1 mizu mqzg nano nlib nply nrc1 nssp ntz1 mast nyir obe2 onsa oros osje ous2 ousd pado paek penc pgc3 pgc5 pie1 pimo | pol2 pots prat prds ptbb qaq1 quin redu reyk sant sch2 sfer ske0 spt0 stjo str1 suld sulp suth sutm takp taup thu3 tid2 tidb tito titz tori tow2 trab trng | tubo uclu ulab unb1 unfe unsa usn1 usno usud vale vene vil0 vill vis0 ware warn wgtn whit whng wroc wtzj wtzr wtzt wtzz yar2 yebe yell zamb zimj zimm zouf zwen zywi |
Data should be treated in one hour blocks to mimic the provision of hourly IGS data to an operational data assimilation process.
Validation data set 1
Validation set 1: (validation01a.txt) This file contains the ordinary mode maximum usable frequency (MUF) from a chirp sounder operating between the UK (53.8N 2.8W) and Italy (41.8N 12.2E). This data is provided by QinetiQ, UK and the National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology (INGV), Rome.Output requirements for data set 1
The MUF on the two paths should be simulated by ray-tracing through the output of the data assimilation process. Ray-tracing should be conducted for a nowcast and a one hour forecast. The latter is more representative of an operational system due to the one hour latency of the IGS data.We would welcome any suggestions and especailly contributions for additional validation data that could be included in this test data set.
Suggestions for other input test data scenarios would also be very welcome.
Some links
Some possible links are shown below. These are not all data assimilation outputs, but still may be of interest in this area.
Ionospheric Forecasting Portal (http://63.231.68.133/ionosphere)
After registration, the interface makes available a wide number of ionospheric parameters in GIF and other formats.
Real-Time Comparisons with Various Ionospheric Models and Other Experimental Techniques with dynasonde output
This site is drawing in at least some local model results and comparing them with indepoendent observations.
STORM: the SEC ionspheric storm simulator
Using past ionospheric observations of peak electron densities, a model has been produced that when keyed with appropriately weighted Ap indices, predicts weighting factors.
JPL Global TEC Maps
Global maps of ionospheric total electron content (TEC) are produced in real-time (RT) by mapping GPS observables collected from ground stations by JPL.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks polar ionospheric model
Uses various data inputs to a physical model of the ionsphere, to produce GIF outputs, among otehrs, of the polar ionosphere, including forecasts.
Ionospheric Dispatch Centre in Europe
Ionospheric Despatch Centre in Europe - IDCE has been established as an initiative of COST 251 Action IITS (Improved Quality of Ionospheric Telecommunication Systems Planning and Operation). Real time ionopsheric maps are made based on real time observations using a kiging technique (I believe).
International Ionospheric Tomography Community (IITC)
Tomography also will need consideration in this area. This site offers a useful opening to further ionospheric tomography sites, in cluding copies of their past newsletters.