Tests of a New Solar Flare Model Against D and E Region Ionosphere Data
Abstract We present results from a suite of models designed to simulate solar flare effects on the D and E region of the ionosphere. This suite includes models of the solar spectrum, the ionosphere and of HF radiowave propagation. A central component of this system is the development of photoelectro...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Space Weather |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2021SW003012 |
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| author | David E. Siskind McArthur Jones Jr. Jeffrey W. Reep Doug P. Drob Srimoyee Samaddar Scott M. Bailey Shun‐Rong Zhang |
| author_facet | David E. Siskind McArthur Jones Jr. Jeffrey W. Reep Doug P. Drob Srimoyee Samaddar Scott M. Bailey Shun‐Rong Zhang |
| author_sort | David E. Siskind |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract We present results from a suite of models designed to simulate solar flare effects on the D and E region of the ionosphere. This suite includes models of the solar spectrum, the ionosphere and of HF radiowave propagation. A central component of this system is the development of photoelectron ionization enhancement factors with higher energy resolution in the soft X‐ray spectral region that can be used to supplement existing ionization schemes currently implemented in upper atmospheric general circulation models. We tested this photoelectron model in the NCAR Thermosphere‐Ionosphere‐Mesosphere‐ Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIME‐GCM) and in a photochemical model of the D region. In both cases, we compared predicted flare response using two different input solar flare spectra. One is the Flare Irradiance Spectral Model (FISM) and the other is a physics based model called NRLFLARE. Our predictions for the E region were compared with incoherent scatter radar data and suggest that enhanced flux in the 1–2 nm spectral region, as indicated by NRLFLARE, is important for reproducing the observations. For the D region, we combined our theoretical results for the X1.3 flare of 7 September 2017 with ray tracing calculations that suggest 20–40 db of 6.4 MHz absorption. This agrees with previously published observations and model estimates, all of which suggest greater HF absorption than the operational D region absorption prediction model (swpc.noaa.gov/products/d‐region‐absorption‐predictions‐d‐rap). Finally, our theoretical comparison with previously published empirical models derived from very low frequency data was less clear due, in part, to large differences between the different empirical models. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bb0be8a00fc74cb38189c548d3b740da |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1542-7390 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Space Weather |
| spelling | doaj-art-bb0be8a00fc74cb38189c548d3b740da2025-01-14T16:31:05ZengWileySpace Weather1542-73902022-05-01205n/an/a10.1029/2021SW003012Tests of a New Solar Flare Model Against D and E Region Ionosphere DataDavid E. Siskind0McArthur Jones Jr.1Jeffrey W. Reep2Doug P. Drob3Srimoyee Samaddar4Scott M. Bailey5Shun‐Rong Zhang6Space Science Division Naval Research Laboratory Washington DC USASpace Science Division Naval Research Laboratory Washington DC USASpace Science Division Naval Research Laboratory Washington DC USASpace Science Division Naval Research Laboratory Washington DC USABradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Virginia Tech Blacksburg VA USABradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Virginia Tech Blacksburg VA USAMassachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory Westford MA USAAbstract We present results from a suite of models designed to simulate solar flare effects on the D and E region of the ionosphere. This suite includes models of the solar spectrum, the ionosphere and of HF radiowave propagation. A central component of this system is the development of photoelectron ionization enhancement factors with higher energy resolution in the soft X‐ray spectral region that can be used to supplement existing ionization schemes currently implemented in upper atmospheric general circulation models. We tested this photoelectron model in the NCAR Thermosphere‐Ionosphere‐Mesosphere‐ Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIME‐GCM) and in a photochemical model of the D region. In both cases, we compared predicted flare response using two different input solar flare spectra. One is the Flare Irradiance Spectral Model (FISM) and the other is a physics based model called NRLFLARE. Our predictions for the E region were compared with incoherent scatter radar data and suggest that enhanced flux in the 1–2 nm spectral region, as indicated by NRLFLARE, is important for reproducing the observations. For the D region, we combined our theoretical results for the X1.3 flare of 7 September 2017 with ray tracing calculations that suggest 20–40 db of 6.4 MHz absorption. This agrees with previously published observations and model estimates, all of which suggest greater HF absorption than the operational D region absorption prediction model (swpc.noaa.gov/products/d‐region‐absorption‐predictions‐d‐rap). Finally, our theoretical comparison with previously published empirical models derived from very low frequency data was less clear due, in part, to large differences between the different empirical models.https://doi.org/10.1029/2021SW003012solar flaresionospherephotoelectronsphotochemistry |
| spellingShingle | David E. Siskind McArthur Jones Jr. Jeffrey W. Reep Doug P. Drob Srimoyee Samaddar Scott M. Bailey Shun‐Rong Zhang Tests of a New Solar Flare Model Against D and E Region Ionosphere Data Space Weather solar flares ionosphere photoelectrons photochemistry |
| title | Tests of a New Solar Flare Model Against D and E Region Ionosphere Data |
| title_full | Tests of a New Solar Flare Model Against D and E Region Ionosphere Data |
| title_fullStr | Tests of a New Solar Flare Model Against D and E Region Ionosphere Data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tests of a New Solar Flare Model Against D and E Region Ionosphere Data |
| title_short | Tests of a New Solar Flare Model Against D and E Region Ionosphere Data |
| title_sort | tests of a new solar flare model against d and e region ionosphere data |
| topic | solar flares ionosphere photoelectrons photochemistry |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2021SW003012 |
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