Behavior of GPS TEC, ITEC and IRITEC predictions over Pruhonice

MOSERT, M. M. GENDE, C. BRUNINI, D. BURESOVA

Praga Republica Checa

Workshop; IRI/Cost296 Workshop; 2007

In this paper we investigate the behavior of the total electron content derived from ionograms (ITEC) recorded by a DGS 256 at Pruhonice (50.0°N;15.0°E) and the vertical electron content derived from GPS signals (GPSTEC). The study is done for a year of low solar activity and for different seasonal conditions. We also compare the ITEC values with the corresponding IRI-2000 predictions (IRITEC). The differences between the GPS TEC and ITEC values (representing an estimate of the plasmaspheric electron content)   are also analyzed. It is found that the diurnal and seasonal   variations of GPSTEC and ITEC are in good agreement. The daily peak of the two TEC estimates is observed around noon and a clear seasonal behaviour is observed with minimum values in winter and maximum values in summer. The diurnal and seasonal variations of the differences between GPSTEC and ITEC are analyzed. The plasmaspheric contribution range between 20 and 35% during daytime and 40-60% during nighttime   and it is maximum during the winter months. The results are compared with those obtained by different authors  in previous studies.