Technique of ionospheric parameters automatic determination from data of vertical sounding with a continuous chirp signal

Sergey Ponomarchuk; Viktor Grozov

doi:10.12737/szf-121202607

UDC 621.371.3 UDC 537.87

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TECHNIQUE OF IONOSPHERIC PARAMETERS AUTOMATIC DETERMINATION FROM DATA OF VERTICAL SOUNDING WITH A CONTINUOUS CHIRP SIGNAL Technique of ionospheric parameters automatic determination from data of vertical sounding with a continuous chirp signal

АА Аа

Published in Solnechno-Zemnaya Fizika · Volume 12, Issue 1 · Pages 55–63 · Rubric: Results of current research

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12737/szf-121202607 · EDN: JLPGDI

Received: 27.06.2025 Accepted: 22.09.2025 Published: 25.03.2026

Authors

Sergey Ponomarchuk

ORCID ResearcherID

Viktor Grozov

ORCID

Sergey Ponomarchuk

Academic degree: candidate of physical and mathematical sciences

Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics SB RAS Russian Federation · Irkutsk

ORCID ResearcherID

Viktor Grozov

Academic degree: candidate of physical and mathematical sciences

Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics SB RAS Russian Federation · Irkutsk

ORCID

ABSTRACT

We present a technique for determination of ionospheric parameters based on automatic interpretation of vertical sounding (VS) ionograms. Ionograms are interpreted using points with significant amplitude, which were detected after secondary data processing with results of modelling of VS signal height-frequency characteristic (HFC). We have developed algorithms to extract HFC tracks of signals reflected from the E, F1, and F2 layers. These algorithms involve analyzing signal amplitude characteristics and plotting distribution histograms of points falling into the HFC model mask when it is moved over the ionogram. The algorithm to detect tracks of signals reflected from sporadic layers is implemented separately. From the resultant VS HFC, we can estimate ionospheric parameters and calculate the electron density profile.

KEYWORDS

radio wave propagation, ionospheric vertical sounding, ionogram, electron density profile, chirp signal

Funding

The work was financially supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (Subsidy No. 075-GZ/Ts3569/278).

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Editor-in-Chief

Geliy Zherebtsov

solater@iszf.irk.ru

Deputy Editor-in-Chief

Aleksandr Stepanov

stepanov@gaoran.ru

Deputy Editor-in-Chief

Alexander Potapov

potapov@iszf.irk.ru

Executive Secretary of Editorial Board

Natalia Polyushkina

npol@iszf.irk.ru

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GOST

Ponomarchuk S. N., Grozov V. P. Technique of ionospheric parameters automatic determination from data of vertical sounding with a continuous chirp signal // Solnechno-Zemnaya Fizika. 2026. no. 1. pp. 55-63. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12737/szf-121202607. EDN: JLPGDI. (Date of access 25.10.2026).

MLA

Sergey Ponomarchuk, Grozov V. P.. "Technique of ionospheric parameters automatic determination from data of vertical sounding with a continuous chirp signal." Solnechno-Zemnaya Fizika 12.1 (2026): 55-63. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12737/szf-121202607. EDN: JLPGDI.

APA

Ponomarchuk S. N., Grozov V. P. (2026). Technique of ionospheric parameters automatic determination from data of vertical sounding with a continuous chirp signal. Solnechno-Zemnaya Fizika, 12(1), 55-63. https://doi.org/10.12737/szf-121202607 EDN: JLPGDI.

Chicago

Sergey Ponomarchuk, Grozov V. P.. "Technique of ionospheric parameters automatic determination from data of vertical sounding with a continuous chirp signal." Solnechno-Zemnaya Fizika 12, no. 1 (2026): 55-63. https://doi.org/10.12737/szf-121202607. EDN: JLPGDI.

WIKI

{{cite journal | author = Ponomarchuk S. N., Grozov V. P. | title = Technique of ionospheric parameters automatic determination from data of vertical sounding with a continuous chirp signal | journal = Solnechno-Zemnaya Fizika | year = 2026 | volume = 12 | issue = 1 | pages = 55-63 | doi = 10.12737/szf-121202607 }} EDN: JLPGDI

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TECHNIQUE OF IONOSPHERIC PARAMETERS AUTOMATIC DETERMINATION FROM DATA OF VERTICAL SOUNDING WITH A CONTINUOUS CHIRP SIGNAL Technique of ionospheric parameters automatic determination from data of vertical sounding with a continuous chirp signal

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