An analysis of the scale height at the F2-layer peak over three middle latitude stations in the European sector

MOSERT, M., D. BURESOVA, S. MAGDALENO, B. DE LA MORENA, D. ALTADILL, R.G. EZQUER , L. SCIDA

Kagoshima, Japon

Workshop; IRI Workshop 2009; 2009

Kagoshima University

This paper presents the results of an analysis of the variations of the scale height at the F2-layer peak (Hm) under different seasonal and solar activity conditions. The database includes hourly Hm values derived from ionograms recorded at three middle latitude stations in the European sector: El Arenosillo (37.1°N; 353.3°E), Ebro (40.8°N, 0.5°E) and Pruhonice (50.0° N; 15.0°E). The results show that, in general: (1) Hm exhibits  diurnal variation with higher  values during daytime than during night-time and secondary peaks around sunrise and sunset; (2) during winter time the scale height is lower than summer time; (3) the scale heights increase with increasing solar activity; (4) Hm decreases when the latitude increases; (5) Hm shows a low   correlation between Hm and the F2-region peak parameters NmF2 and hmF2 and a high correlation with the thickness parameter B0 and the equivalent slab thickness EST; (6) the day to day variability is greater at low solar activity than at high solar activity, it reaches maximum values around sunrise or sunset and it is lower around midnight than around noon.  The results of this study are similar to those reported by other authors and they can be useful for modelling the topside ionosphere.