On the validation effort of the coupled thermosphere ionosphere plasmasphere electrodynamics model

Abstract

The Coupled Thermosphere Ionosphere Plasmasphere electrodynamics model (CTIPe) has proven to be a valuable ionospheric research tool. Improving our knowledge of systematic and seasonal model biases is necessary if further improvements are to be made. This paper presents the next step in our verification and validation effort and in developing a standardized analysis methodology. A semi-automated software part of the near-real-time-run of CTIPe is described and results derived from its usage are presented. Model limitations and biases are detailed for the electron density profile peak (NmF2) and its corresponding height (hmF2). Model performance for hmF2 is constant throughout the whole year, with an average 10% deviation from observed values. There is a strong seasonal variation for NmF2, with greater deviations from the observed trends during summer. This effect seems to have latitude dependence, although the gaps in the available data do not allow for an exact determination of its nature. © 2012. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.