Investigation of ionospheric pierce points for TNPGN-active network

Abstract

In this study, the effects of height of the ionospheric thin shell, neighboring stations and satellite positions on the ionospheric pierce points are investigated by using the data obtained from TNPGN-Active GPS TRIMBLE receivers in Turkey and North Cyprus. For this purpose, Total Electron Content (TEC) value along the path between receiver and satellite, Slant Ray Total Electron Content (STEC) are examined for each satellite and receiver pair. Hence, the data obtained from GPS stations is processed and ionospheric pierce points along the way between receiver and satellite are calculated by considering geographical coordinates of GPS stations. In order to determine the appropriate sampling intervals in the STEC model specific to Turkey, the distance between pierce points are investigated. At the ionospheric heights between 200 km and 450 km, the arc lengths between pierce points are reasonable and proportional to the distance between neighborhoods. Depending on these results, the distance between pierce points represents appropriate sampling intervals for the stations in Turkey.