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Comparisons of Total Ion Density Derived from IVM and GNSS TEC on the FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 Mission
  • +8
  • Qian Wu,
  • Nicholas Michael Pedatella,
  • John J. Braun,
  • William S. Schreiner,
  • Jan Weiss,
  • Min-Yang Chou,
  • Irina Zakharenkova,
  • Iurii Cherniak,
  • Douglas Hunt,
  • Roderick A. Heelis,
  • Teresa Marie VanHove
Qian Wu
National Center for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Nicholas Michael Pedatella
National Center for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)
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John J. Braun
Univ Corp for Atmospheric Res. (UCAR)
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William S. Schreiner
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)
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Jan Weiss
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)
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Min-Yang Chou
Goddard Space Flight Center
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Irina Zakharenkova
COSMIC Program Office, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
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Iurii Cherniak
COSMIC Program Office, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
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Douglas Hunt
National Center for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)
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Roderick A. Heelis
University of Texas at Dallas
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Teresa Marie VanHove
National Center for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)
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Abstract

We report on a new method to calibrate the FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 (F7/C2) ion velocity meter (IVM) in-situ ion density data using the Tri GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) Radio-occultation System (TGRS) differential total electron content (TEC) data. This calibration is made using collocated measurements from the IVM and TGRS instruments on the same satellite. We found that the IVM ion density is about 8-15% lower than the TGRS derived density at the insertion orbit (~ 710 km) and 5% higher at the mission operation orbit (~ 540 km). Using a linear correction specific to orbit altitude and satellite, an adjustment is implemented for the IVM density data. These corrections remove the offsets between the IVM and TGRS density measurements. We believe the corrected densities eliminate any inter-spacecraft discrepancy in the IVM density data, making it suitable for use in multi-satellite scientific investigations of longitudinal and local time variations and space weather operational applications.