A Method for Direct Determination of Real Height from Virtual Height Data for the Auroral Region of the Ionosphere

摘要

As part of an effort to determine electron density profiles in the auroral region of the ionosphere, a method has been developed for directly calculating real height from virtual height data obtained at high latitudes. The essential ingredient of the method is the representation of the curved portion of the ordinary ray dispersion curve by an analytic form which reduces the virtual height - real height integral relation to a form of Abel's integral equation. Numerical checks indicate that the present method gives an accurate representation of the dispersion curve. The correctness of the present procedure has been verified for the case of a linear electron density profile. The present method will be applied to the numerical calculation of real height electron density profiles in the auroral region from virtual height data. The accuracy and convenience of the present method will be assessed by comparison of the results with those obtained from standard programs. (Author)