SPASE.info

Australian Space Weather Services Learmonth Ionogram

ResourceID
spase://ASWS/NumericalData/Ionogram/Lem_Ionogram

Description

Ionograms are an image of frequency versus time delay (virtual height) of HF echoes from the ionosphere recorded by an ionosonde. An ionosonde is a swept frequency HF pulsed radar used to monitor the ionosphere. SWS WDC has archived ionogram data from 26 stations, 12 of them are still active at present. An IPS 5D ionosonde has been sounding since 01/01/2004 at Learmonth. The 5D vertical sounding ionosondes normally sweep in frequency from about 1 to 21.5 MHz. Frequency step resolution for the 5D is 5kHz, with up to 4095 steps available. The step interval is variable, becoming more coarse at higher frequencies as ionograms are generally displayed on a logarithmic scale. Every five minutes, a Ionogram data file is recorded, cleaned and the cleaned ionogram is transfered to SWS Sydney head office for autoscaling and further analysis. The raw ionogram file is recorded in a DVD monthly, which will be posted to Sydney SWS head office every month. SWS WDC archives all raw ionogram files and cleaned ionogram files. During 25/11/1994-28/01/2010, Learmonth also had an Lowell ionosonde. The Learmonth digital clean ionogram data is available since 01/01/2004, and digital raw ionogram data since 25/11/1994. The Learmonth scaled hourly ionospheric data include parameters of foF2, foF1, FoE, foEs, fbEs, fmin, fxl, f'scaling F/s, M(3000)F2, h'F2, h'F, h'E, h'Es, h'Scaling R/S and Type Es. They are avalable since 01/01/2004. The Learmonth median data of foF2 and M(3000)F2 are available since 01/2004.

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Details

Version:2.2.3

NumericalData

ResourceID
spase://ASWS/NumericalData/Ionogram/Lem_Ionogram
ResourceHeader
ResourceName
Australian Space Weather Services Learmonth Ionogram
AlternateName
ReleaseDate
2016-11-24 17:00:00Z
Description

Ionograms are an image of frequency versus time delay (virtual height) of HF echoes from the ionosphere recorded by an ionosonde. An ionosonde is a swept frequency HF pulsed radar used to monitor the ionosphere. SWS WDC has archived ionogram data from 26 stations, 12 of them are still active at present. An IPS 5D ionosonde has been sounding since 01/01/2004 at Learmonth. The 5D vertical sounding ionosondes normally sweep in frequency from about 1 to 21.5 MHz. Frequency step resolution for the 5D is 5kHz, with up to 4095 steps available. The step interval is variable, becoming more coarse at higher frequencies as ionograms are generally displayed on a logarithmic scale. Every five minutes, a Ionogram data file is recorded, cleaned and the cleaned ionogram is transfered to SWS Sydney head office for autoscaling and further analysis. The raw ionogram file is recorded in a DVD monthly, which will be posted to Sydney SWS head office every month. SWS WDC archives all raw ionogram files and cleaned ionogram files. During 25/11/1994-28/01/2010, Learmonth also had an Lowell ionosonde. The Learmonth digital clean ionogram data is available since 01/01/2004, and digital raw ionogram data since 25/11/1994. The Learmonth scaled hourly ionospheric data include parameters of foF2, foF1, FoE, foEs, fbEs, fmin, fxl, f'scaling F/s, M(3000)F2, h'F2, h'F, h'E, h'Es, h'Scaling R/S and Type Es. They are avalable since 01/01/2004. The Learmonth median data of foF2 and M(3000)F2 are available since 01/2004.

Acknowledgement
We are thankful to the Space Weather Network, Bureau of Meteorology of Australia for the observations of Learmonth ionogram data.
Contacts
RolePerson
1.GeneralContactspase://SMWG/Person/Kehe.Wang
2.MetadataContactspase://SMWG/Person/Kehe.Wang
InformationURL
Name
World Data Centre: Data Display and Download: Hourly Ionospheirc Data
URL
http://www.sws.bom.gov.au/World_Data_Centre/1/3
Description

includes browse display interface, button to get yearly data file and link to data availability chart

Language
en
InformationURL
Name
World Data Centre: Data Display and Download: Monthly Median Ionospheirc Data
URL
http://www.sws.bom.gov.au/World_Data_Centre/1/4
Description

includes browse display interface, button to get the median data file and link to data availability chart

Language
en
InformationURL
Name
Documentation
URL
ftp://ftp-out.ips.gov.au/wdc/wdc_ion_archive/doc/
Description

includes descriptions of data format of raw ionogram data and clean ionogram data

Language
en
InformationURL
Name
Software
URL
ftp://ftp-out.ips.gov.au/wdc/wdc_tools/ionogram_viewers/
Description

Softwares to view clean ionogram data with scaling function

Language
en
InformationURL
Name
Real Time Display
URL
http://www.sws.bom.gov.au/HF_Systems/1/3
Description

Online viewer of Real Time clean ionogram data

Language
en
AccessInformation
RepositoryID
spase://SMWG/Repository/SWS
Availability
Online
AccessRights
Open
AccessURL
Name
FTP access to raw and clean ionogram data
URL
ftp://ftp-out.ips.gov.au/wdc/wdc_ion_archive/
Description

FTP access to the raw and clean ionogram data of Learmonth IPS 5D (bri5d) ionosondes

Language
en
Format
Binary
Encoding
None
Acknowledgement
ProviderProcessingLevel
The original ionogram data are raw data, they are then cleaned by reducing noise signals at the station. The manually scaled data is calibrated and the autoscaled data is uncalibrated.
InstrumentIDs
spase://ASWS/Instrument/Ground/Learmonth/Ionosonde
MeasurementType
Waves.Active
TemporalDescription
TimeSpan
StartDate
1994-11-25 00:00:00Z
RelativeStopDate
-P1D
Note
The earliest raw ionogram data since 25/11/1994. Digital clean ionogram data are current to within a day.
SpectralRange
RadioFrequency
ObservedRegion
Earth.NearSurface.Ionosphere
Caveats
Keywords
Ionogram
Ionospheric data
Ionosphere
Median ionospheric data
Hourly ionospheric data
Scaled parameters
Parameter #1
Name
Frequency
Description

Frequencies used to sonde ionopshere

Caveats
Cadence
PT5M
Units
MHz
Wave
WaveType
Electromagnetic
Qualifier
Directional
Qualifier
Group
WaveQuantity
Frequency
FrequencyRange
SpectralRange
RadioFrequency
Low
1
High
21.5
Units
MHz
Parameter #2
Name
Virtual Height
Description

The apparent height of an ionospheric layer deduced from the time delay of a reflected radio pulse upon the assumption that it travelled at the speed of light over its entire path. However, the radio wave actually slows down as it is refracted so that the virtual height is greater than the true height of the refracting layer.

Caveats
Cadence
PT5M
Units
Km
ValidMin
50
ValidMax
1000
Mixed
MixedQuantity
Other
Extension