• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2023

The ionosphere is one of the key components of the near-Earth's space environment and has a practical consequence to the human society as a nearest region of the space environment to the Earth. Therefore, it becomes essential to specify and forecast the state of the ionosphere using both the observations and numerical models. In particular, numerical modeling of the ionosphere is a prerequisite not only for better understanding of the physical processes occurring within the ionosphere but also for the specification and forecast of the space weather. There are several approaches for modeling the ionosphere, including data-based empirical modeling, physics-based theoretical modeling and data assimilation modeling. In this review, these three types of the ionospheric model are briefly introduced with recently available models. And among those approaches, fundamental aspects of the physics-based ionospheric model will be described using the basic equations governing the mid-latitude ionosphere. Then a numerical solution of the equations will be discussed with required boundary conditions.

• Journal of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2013

The signal broadcast from a GPS satellite experiences code delay and carrier phase advance while passing through the ionosphere, which causes a signal error. Many ionosphere models have been studied to correct this ionospheric delay error. In this paper, the ionosphere modeling for the Korean Peninsula was carried out using a spherical harmonics based model. In contrast to the previous studies, we considered a real-time ionospheric delay correction model using fewer number of basis functions. The modeling performance was evaluated by comparing with a grid model. Total number of basis functions was set to be identical to the number of grid points in the grid model. The performance test was conducted using the GPS measurements collected from 5 reference stations during 24 hours. In the test result, the modeling residual error was smaller than that of the existing grid model. However, when the number of measurements was small and the measurements were not evenly distributed, the overall trend was found to be problematic. For improving this problem, we implemented the modeling with additional virtual measurements.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.537-539
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• 2003

We present a GPS-derived regional ionosphere model, which estimates Total Electron Content (TEC) in rectangular grids on the spherical shell over Korea. The GPS data from nine GPS stations were used. The pseudorange data were phase-leveled by a linear combination of pseudoranges and carrier phases. During a quiet day of solar activity, the regional ionosphere map indicated 30-45 Total Electron Content Unit (TECU) at the peak of the diurnal variation. In comparison with the Global Ionosphere Map of the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe, RMS differences were at the level of 4-5 TECU for five days.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Navigation and Port Research Conference
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• v.2
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• pp.203-208
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• 2006

The main research conducted previously on GPS ionosphere in China is first introduced. Besides, the current investigations include as follows: (1) GPS-based spatial environmental, especially the ionosphere, monitoring, modeling and analysis, including ground/space-based GPS ionosphere electron density (IED) through occultation/tomography technologies with GPS data from global/regional network, development of a GNSS-based platform for imaging ionosphere and atmosphere (GPFIIA), and preliminary test results through performing the first 3D imaging for the IED over China, (2) The atmospheric and ionospheric modeling for GPS-based surveying, navigation and orbit determination, involving high precisely ionospheric TEC modeling for phase-based long/median range network RTK system for achieving CM-level real time positioning, next generation GNSS broadcast ionospheric time-delay algorithm required for higher correction accuracy, and orbit determination for Low-Earth-orbiter satellites using single frequency GPS receivers, and (3) Research products in applications for national significant projects: GPS-based ionospheric effects modeling for precise positioning and orbit determination applied to China's manned space-engineering, including spatial robot navigation and control and international space station intersection and docking required for related national significant projects.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2016

In recent years, there has been renewed activity in the study of local plasma density enhancements in the low latitude F region ionosphere (low latitude plasma blobs). Satellite, all-sky airglow imager, and radar measurements have identified the characteristics of these blobs, and their coupling to Equatorial Plasma Bubbles (EPBs). New information related to blobs has also been obtained from the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite. In this paper, we briefly review experimental, theoretical and modeling studies related to low latitude plasma blobs.

• Journal of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.297-304
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• 2022

The models used for ionosphere error correction in positioning using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) are representatively Klobuchar model and NeQuick model. Although these models can correct the ionosphere error in real time, the disadvantage is that the accuracy is only 50-60%. In this study, a method for polynomial modeling of Global Ionosphere Map (GIM) which provides Vertical Total Electron Content (VTEC) in grid type was studied. In consideration of Ionosphere Pierce Points (IPP) of satellites with a receivable elevation angle of 15 degrees or higher on the Korean Peninsula, the target area for model generation and provision was selected, and the VTEC at 88 GIM grid points was modeled as a polynomial. The developed VTEC polynomial model shows a data reduction rate of 72.7% compared to GIM regardless of the number of visible satellites, and a data reduction rate of more than 90% compared to the Slant Total Electron Content (STEC) polynomial model when there are more than 10 visible satellites. This VTEC polynomial model has a maximum absolute error of 2.4 Total Electron Content Unit (TECU) and a maximum relative error of 9.9% with the actual GIM. Therefore, it is expected that the amount of data can be drastically reduced by providing the predicted GIM or real-time grid type VTEC model as the parameters of the polynomial model.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.283-292
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• 2005

Ionosphere is deeply coupled to the space environment and introduces the perturbations to radio signal because of its electromagnetic characteristics. Therefore, the status of ionosphere can be estimated by analyzing the GPS signal errors which are penetrating the ionosphere and it can be the key to understand the global circulation and change in the upper atmosphere, and the characteristics of space weather. We used 9 GPS Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS), which have been operated by Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) , to determine the high precision of Total Electron Content (TEC) and the pseudorange data which is phase-leveled by a linear combination with carrier phase to reduce the inherent noise. We developed the method to model a regional ionosphere with grid form and its results over South Korea with $0.25^{\circ}\;by\;0.25^{\circ}$ spatial resolution. To improve the precision of ionosphere's TEC value, we applied IDW (Inverse Distance Weight) and Kalman Filtering method. The regional ionospheric model developed by this research was compared with GIMs (Global Ionosphere Maps) preduced by Ionosphere Working Group for 8 days and the results show $3\~4$ TECU difference in RMS values.

• Journal of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.159-165
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• 2024

The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) has been used as a tool to accurately extract the Total Electron Content (TEC) in the ionosphere. The multi-GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, and QZSS) constellations bring new opportunities for ionospheric research. In this study, we develop a regional ionospheric TEC model using GPS, Galileo, and QZSS measurements. To develop an ionospheric model covering the Asia-Oceania region, we select 13 International GNSS Service (IGS) stations. The ionospheric model applies the spherical harmonic expansion method and has a spatial resolution of 2.5°×2.5° and a temporal resolution of one hour. GPS TEC, Galileo TEC, and QZSS TEC are investigated from January 1 to January 31, 2024. Different TEC values are in good agreement with each other. In addition, we compare the QZSS(J07) TEC and the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) Global Ionosphere Map (GIM) TEC. The results show that the QZSS TEC estimated in the study coincides closely with the CODE GIM TEC.

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
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• 2003.05b
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• pp.50-50
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• 2003

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Journal of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.63-73
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• 2024

NeQuick G is the ionosphere model utilized by Galileo single-frequency users to estimate the ionospheric delay on each user-satellite link. The model is characterized by the effective ionization level (Az) index, determined by a modified dip latitude (MODIP) and broadcast coefficients derived from daily global space weather observations. However, globally fitted Az coefficients may not accurately represent ionosphere within local area. This study introduces a method for regional ionospheric modeling that searches for locally optimized Az coefficients. This approach involves fitting TEC output from NeQuick G to TEC data collected from GNSS stations around Korea under various ionospheric conditions including different seasons and both low and high solar activity phases. The optimized Az coefficients enable calculation of the Az index at any position within a region of interest, accounting for the spatial variability of the Az index in a polynomial function of MODIP. The results reveal reduced TEC estimation errors, particularly during high solar activity, with a maximum reduction in the RMS error by 85.95%. This indicates that the proposed method for NeQuick G can effectively model various ionospheric conditions in local areas, offering potential applications in GNSS performance analyses for local areas by generating various ionospheric scenarios.