Predicting Ionospheric Densities and Scintillation with the Communication / Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) Mission Chin S. Lin 1, O. de La Beaujardière 2, J. Retterer 2 1Boston College, MA 2Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicle Directorate, Hanscom AFB, MA Second GPS RO Data Users’ workshop August 2005
2 Outline – Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) will provide ionosphere and scintillation forecasts – Motivation for this paper: Perform pre-launch validation of models and algorithms that will be used during the C/NOFS satellite mission Analysis of DMSP and ROCSAT-1 satellite data prior to C/NOFS launch have improved our ability to forecast ionosphere, especially during magnetic storms Collaborative studies of Formosat- 3/COSMIC and C/NOFS data will be very useful The C/NOFS Satellite: 13 0 orbit, 375x710 km alt, 06 launch
3 Introduction C/NOFS First satellite to provide continuous, global ambient ionosphere and scintillation forecasts Mission elements Satellite Ground-based instruments Models Data center
4 The C/NOFS Satellite +Y -Z +X VEFI Trigger Probe CERTO Antenna VEFI Booms (6) (Shown Truncated) Zenith ground link Tx and Receive Patch Antennas Real time Antennas (7, Yellow) VEFI Magnetometer Ram Plate w/ detectors Double Flip Down Deployable Solar Arrays (8) cm (133.3”) Star Trackers Image provided by General Dynamics C4 Systems, Spectrum Astro Space Systems VEFI Mag CERTO VEFI booms CINDI, PLP C/NOFS will fly vertically, the ram plate in the forward direction 6 Instruments: – CORRIS: GPS receiver – VEFI: Electric & Mag Field – CINDI: Ion Velocity Meter (IVM ) + Neutral Wind Meter (NWM) – CERTO: Beacon Tx) – PLP: Plasma Langmuir Probe
5 Concluding Remarks C/NOFS is first-ever system for continuous global scintillation forecasts Campaigns, ground and satellite support are essential C/NOFS data will be not be restricted ( ask for password) C/NOFS observations could improve understanding of occurrence and structures of equatorial plasma bubbles Collaborative studies of Formosat- 3/COSMIC and C/NOFS satellite data are welcome NASA and NSF have set aside funds for scientific investigation with C/NOFS Satellite System Ground-Based Sensors Forecast Modeling Prototype Map