Data Access
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 CADI (Canadian Advanced Digital Ionosonde) ionosonde has been sounding since 01/12/2000 at Macquarie Island. The CADI vertical sounding ionosondes normally sweep in frequency from about 1 to 20 MHz. Three standard sweeps are provided: low resolution (100 frequencies), medium resolution (200 frequencies), high resolution (400 frequencies). The step size may be selected to be linear or logarithmic. The step interval is variable, becoming more coarse at higher frequencies as ionograms are generally displayed on a logarithmic scale. Height range up to 512 km (to be increased to 1000 km) with 6 km resolution. 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. During 22/12/1993 to 28/11/2000, Macquarie Island also had an IPS 4D ionosonde. SWS WDC archives all raw ionogram files and cleaned ionogram files. The Macquarie Island digital clean ionogram data is available since 01/12/1994, and digital raw ionogram data since 22/12/1993. The Macquarie Island 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 13/06/1950. The Macquarie Island median data of foF2 and M(3000)F2 are available since 06/1950.
Version:2.3.2
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 CADI (Canadian Advanced Digital Ionosonde) ionosonde has been sounding since 01/12/2000 at Macquarie Island. The CADI vertical sounding ionosondes normally sweep in frequency from about 1 to 20 MHz. Three standard sweeps are provided: low resolution (100 frequencies), medium resolution (200 frequencies), high resolution (400 frequencies). The step size may be selected to be linear or logarithmic. The step interval is variable, becoming more coarse at higher frequencies as ionograms are generally displayed on a logarithmic scale. Height range up to 512 km (to be increased to 1000 km) with 6 km resolution. 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. During 22/12/1993 to 28/11/2000, Macquarie Island also had an IPS 4D ionosonde. SWS WDC archives all raw ionogram files and cleaned ionogram files. The Macquarie Island digital clean ionogram data is available since 01/12/1994, and digital raw ionogram data since 22/12/1993. The Macquarie Island 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 13/06/1950. The Macquarie Island median data of foF2 and M(3000)F2 are available since 06/1950.
| Role | Person | StartDate | StopDate | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | GeneralContact | spase://ASWS/Person/Kehe.Wang | |||
| 2. | MetadataContact | spase://ASWS/Person/Kehe.Wang |
includes descriptions of data format of raw ionogram data and clean ionogram data
Softwares to view clean ionogram data with scaling function
includes browse display interface, button to get yearly data file and link to data availability chart
includes browse display interface, button to get the median data file and link to data availability chart
Online viewer of Real Time clean ionogram data
Access to the raw and clean ionogram data of Macquarie Island CADI ionosonde(maccd) and IPS 4D ionosonde(mac4d)
Frequencies used to sonde ionopshere
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.