Model evaluation of accuracy of obtaining total electron content by the method of spaced reception of low Earth orbit satellite signals

Abstract

A model-based technique to estimate the accuracy of the ionospheric total electron content (TEC) based on the data from spaced receivers of low Earth orbit satellite signals has been suggested. That allows us to estimate the total electron content errors for both quiet ionosphere conditions and under the presence of a plasma ring. To estimate the error, the dynamic model of the electron concentration of the Earth's ionosphere has been used. For the selected input parameters (day of the year, time of day, etc.), a model two-dimensional electron density distribution has been calculated using this model. When calculating this two-dimensional distribution of the electron density, changes have been made that transformed it into a distribution that most closely matches the real ionosphere, for example, the presence of a plasma ring, a trough, etc. Using the obtained distribution, some model quantities (differential phase and total electron content) have been calculated. Then they are used for model estimation of errors in the calculation of the TEC by the spaced reception method. For quite conditions in the ionosphere, the relative error of determining the initial phase constant does not exceed 3 %, and in the case of the plasma ring - 13 %. For the vertical total electron content, the relative error in quite conditions does not exceed 7 %, and in the case of a plasma ring - 60 %. Large values of the relative error are in areas of sharp change of the vertical total electron content.