Irkutsk, Russian Federation
Irkutsk, Russian Federation
UDC 537.87
We present a technique for determination of ionospheric parameters based on automatic interpretation of vertical sounding (VS) ionograms. Ionograms are interpreted using points with significant amplitude, which were detected after secondary data processing with results of modelling of VS signal height-frequency characteristic (HFC). We have developed algorithms to extract HFC tracks of signals reflected from the E, F1, and F2 layers. These algorithms involve analyzing signal amplitude characteristics and plotting distribution histograms of points falling into the HFC model mask when it is moved over the ionogram. The algorithm to detect tracks of signals reflected from sporadic layers is implemented separately. From the resultant VS HFC, we can estimate ionospheric parameters and calculate the electron density profile.
radio wave propagation, ionospheric vertical sounding, ionogram, electron density profile, chirp signal
1. Bilitza D., Altadill D. Truhlik V., Shubin V., Galkin I., Reinisch B., Huang X. International Reference Ionosphere 2016: From ionospheric climate to real-time weather predictions. Space Weather. 2017, vol. 15, iss. 2, pp. 418–429. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2016SW001593.
2. Chen Z., Gong Z., Zhang F., Fang G. A new ionogram automatic scaling method. Radio Sci. 2018, vol. 53, iss. 9, pp. 1149–1164. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2018RS006574.
3. Davies K. Ionospheric Radio Waves. London, Blaisdell, 1969, 460 p.
4. Dvinskikh N.I. Expansion of ionospheric characteristics fields in empirical orthogonal functions. Adv. Space Res. 1988, vol. 8, iss. 4, pp. 179–187. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0273-1177(88)90238-4.
5. Grozov V.P., Ilyin N.V., Kotovich G.V., Ponomarchuk S.N. Software system for automatic interpretation of ionosphere sounding data. Pattern Recognition and Image Analysis. 2012, vol. 22, iss. 3, pp. 458–463. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1134/S1054661812030042.
6. Ivanov V.A., Ivanov D.V., Ryabova N.A., et al. Studying the parameters of frequency dispersion for radio links of different length using software-defined radio based sounding system. Radio Sci. 2019, vol. 54, iss. 1, pp. 34–43. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2018RS006636.
7. Krasheninnikov I.V., Lyannoi B.E. On the interpretation of one type of travelling ionospheric disturbance from ionograms of vertical radio sounding. Geomagnetizm i Aeronomiya. [Geomagnetism and Aeronomy]. 1991, vol. 31, iss. 3, pp. 427–433. (In Russian).
8. Kurkin V.I., Medvedeva I.V., Podlesnyi A.V. Effect of sudden stratosphere warming on characteristics of medium–scale traveling ionospheric disturbances in the Asian region of Russia. Adv. Space Res. 2024, vol. 73, iss. 7, pp. 3613–3623. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2023.09.020.
9. Mikhailov S.Ya. Ambiguity of the reconstruction of plasma frequency profiles from a given height-frequency characteristic and their discernibility for oblique propagation of HF radio waves in an isotropic ionosphere. Radiophysics and Quantum Electronics. 2000, vol. 43, iss. 10, pp. 766–782.
10. Penzin M.S., Ponomarchuk S.N., Grozov V.P., Kurkin V.I. Real-time techniques for interpretation of ionospheric backscatter sounding data. Radio Sci. 2019, vol. 54, iss. 5, pp. 480–491. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2018RS006656.
11. Podlesnyi A.V., Brynko I.G., Kurkin V.I., et al. Multifunctional chirp ionosonde for monitoring the ionosphere. Geliogeofizicheskie issledovaniya [Heliogeophys. Res.]. 2013, iss. 4, pp. 24–31. (In Russian).
12. Polyakov V.M., Sukhodolskaya V.E., Ivelskaya M.K., et al. Poluempiricheskaya model’ ionosfery dlya shirokogo diapazona geofizicheskikh uslovii [Semi-empirical Model of the Ionosphere for a Wide Range of Geophysical Conditions]. Moscow, 1986, 139 p. (In Russian).
13. Shindin A.V., Moiseev S.P., Vybornov F.I., et al. The prototype of a fast vertical ionosonde based on modern software-defined radio devices. Remote Sensing. 2022, vol. 14, iss. 3, 547. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14030547.
14. URSI Handbook of Ionogram Interpretation and Reduction 1972. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1978, 342 p. (In Russian).
15. Vertogradov G.G., Uryadov V.P., Vybornov F.I., Pershin A.V. Modeling of decameter radio-wave propagation under conditions of a wave-like electron-density disturbance. Radiophysics and Quantum Electronics. 2018, vol. 61, iss. 6, pp. 407–417. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11141-018-9902-7.
16. URL: http://ckp-rf.ru/ckp/3056/ (accessed June 26, 2025).



