Assessing Thermospheric Neutral Density Models Using GEODYN's Precision Orbit Determination
Abstract This study focuses on utilizing the increasing availability of satellite trajectory data from global navigation satellite system‐enabled low‐Earth orbiting satellites and their precision orbit determination (POD) solutions to expand and refine thermospheric model validation capabilities. Th...
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| Format: | Article |
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Wiley
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Space Weather |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003603 |
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| author | Z. C. Waldron K. Garcia‐Sage J. P. Thayer E. K. Sutton V. Ray D. D. Rowlands F. G. Lemoine S. B. Luthcke M. Kuznetsova R. Ringuette L. Rastaetter G. D. Berland |
| author_facet | Z. C. Waldron K. Garcia‐Sage J. P. Thayer E. K. Sutton V. Ray D. D. Rowlands F. G. Lemoine S. B. Luthcke M. Kuznetsova R. Ringuette L. Rastaetter G. D. Berland |
| author_sort | Z. C. Waldron |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This study focuses on utilizing the increasing availability of satellite trajectory data from global navigation satellite system‐enabled low‐Earth orbiting satellites and their precision orbit determination (POD) solutions to expand and refine thermospheric model validation capabilities. The research introduces an updated interface for the GEODYN‐II POD software, leveraging high‐precision space geodetic POD to investigate satellite drag and assess density models. This work presents a case study to examine five models (NRLMSIS2.0, DTM2020, JB2008, TIEGCM, and CTIPe) using precise science orbit (PSO) solutions of the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite‐2 (ICESat‐2). The PSO is used as tracking measurements to construct orbit fits, enabling an evaluation according to each model's ability to redetermine the orbit. Relative in‐track deviations, quantified by in‐track residuals and root‐mean‐square errors (RMSe), are treated as proxies for model densities that differ from an unknown true density. The study investigates assumptions related to the treatment of the drag coefficient and leverages them to eliminate bias and effectively scale model density. Assessment results and interpretations are dictated by the timescale at which the scaling occurs. DTM2020 requires the least scaling (∼−7%) to achieve orbit fits closely matching the PSO within an in‐track RMSe of 7 m when scaled over 2 weeks and 2 m when scaled daily. The remaining models require substantial scaling of the mean density offset (∼30 − 75%) to construct orbit fits that meet the aforementioned RMSe criteria. All models exhibit slight over or under‐sensitivity to geomagnetic activity according to trends in their 24‐hr scaling factors. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ac30c7e7c1ef420bb2d217a3f3d2fe88 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1542-7390 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Space Weather |
| spelling | doaj-art-ac30c7e7c1ef420bb2d217a3f3d2fe882025-01-14T16:30:42ZengWileySpace Weather1542-73902024-02-01222n/an/a10.1029/2023SW003603Assessing Thermospheric Neutral Density Models Using GEODYN's Precision Orbit DeterminationZ. C. Waldron0K. Garcia‐Sage1J. P. Thayer2E. K. Sutton3V. Ray4D. D. Rowlands5F. G. Lemoine6S. B. Luthcke7M. Kuznetsova8R. Ringuette9L. Rastaetter10G. D. Berland11CU Boulder Space Weather Technology, Research, and Education Center Boulder CO USASpace Weather Laboratory Community Coordinated Modeling Center NASA Goddard Greenbelt MD USACU Boulder Space Weather Technology, Research, and Education Center Boulder CO USACU Boulder Space Weather Technology, Research, and Education Center Boulder CO USACU Boulder Space Weather Technology, Research, and Education Center Boulder CO USAGeodesy and Geophysics Laboratory NASA Goddard Greenbelt MD USAGeodesy and Geophysics Laboratory NASA Goddard Greenbelt MD USAGeodesy and Geophysics Laboratory NASA Goddard Greenbelt MD USASpace Weather Laboratory Community Coordinated Modeling Center NASA Goddard Greenbelt MD USACenter for HelioAnalytics NASA Goddard Greenbelt MD USASpace Weather Laboratory Community Coordinated Modeling Center NASA Goddard Greenbelt MD USADepartment of Aerospace Engineering Sciences CU Boulder Boulder CO USAAbstract This study focuses on utilizing the increasing availability of satellite trajectory data from global navigation satellite system‐enabled low‐Earth orbiting satellites and their precision orbit determination (POD) solutions to expand and refine thermospheric model validation capabilities. The research introduces an updated interface for the GEODYN‐II POD software, leveraging high‐precision space geodetic POD to investigate satellite drag and assess density models. This work presents a case study to examine five models (NRLMSIS2.0, DTM2020, JB2008, TIEGCM, and CTIPe) using precise science orbit (PSO) solutions of the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite‐2 (ICESat‐2). The PSO is used as tracking measurements to construct orbit fits, enabling an evaluation according to each model's ability to redetermine the orbit. Relative in‐track deviations, quantified by in‐track residuals and root‐mean‐square errors (RMSe), are treated as proxies for model densities that differ from an unknown true density. The study investigates assumptions related to the treatment of the drag coefficient and leverages them to eliminate bias and effectively scale model density. Assessment results and interpretations are dictated by the timescale at which the scaling occurs. DTM2020 requires the least scaling (∼−7%) to achieve orbit fits closely matching the PSO within an in‐track RMSe of 7 m when scaled over 2 weeks and 2 m when scaled daily. The remaining models require substantial scaling of the mean density offset (∼30 − 75%) to construct orbit fits that meet the aforementioned RMSe criteria. All models exhibit slight over or under‐sensitivity to geomagnetic activity according to trends in their 24‐hr scaling factors.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003603thermospheric model assessmentprecision orbit determinationthermospheric neutral densityprecise science orbitsGEODYNicesat‐2 |
| spellingShingle | Z. C. Waldron K. Garcia‐Sage J. P. Thayer E. K. Sutton V. Ray D. D. Rowlands F. G. Lemoine S. B. Luthcke M. Kuznetsova R. Ringuette L. Rastaetter G. D. Berland Assessing Thermospheric Neutral Density Models Using GEODYN's Precision Orbit Determination Space Weather thermospheric model assessment precision orbit determination thermospheric neutral density precise science orbits GEODYN icesat‐2 |
| title | Assessing Thermospheric Neutral Density Models Using GEODYN's Precision Orbit Determination |
| title_full | Assessing Thermospheric Neutral Density Models Using GEODYN's Precision Orbit Determination |
| title_fullStr | Assessing Thermospheric Neutral Density Models Using GEODYN's Precision Orbit Determination |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing Thermospheric Neutral Density Models Using GEODYN's Precision Orbit Determination |
| title_short | Assessing Thermospheric Neutral Density Models Using GEODYN's Precision Orbit Determination |
| title_sort | assessing thermospheric neutral density models using geodyn s precision orbit determination |
| topic | thermospheric model assessment precision orbit determination thermospheric neutral density precise science orbits GEODYN icesat‐2 |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003603 |
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