Learmonth Ionogram
SPASE version 2.2.3
Numerical Data Product: Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre Learmonth Ionogram
- Resource ID
- spase://ASWS/NumericalData/Ionogram/Lem_Ionogram
- Name
- Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre Learmonth Ionogram
- Alternate name
- 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. The WDC has archived ionogram data from 30 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 Sydney for autoscaling and further analysis. The raw ionogram file is recorded in a DVD monthly, which will be posted to Sydney every month. The IPS 5D ionosonde was stopped in 29/04/2019 and replaced by an IPS 5F ionosonde since 02/05/2019 to 08/03/2024. Since 02/05/2023, a 6A ionosonde has been sounding at Learmonth. The 6A vertical sounding ionosondes normally sweep in frequency from 1 to 22 MHz. Minimum frequency step resolution for the 6A is 5kHz, with up to 4200 frequency points available. The step interval is variable, starting from 25 kHz at 1 MHz and becoming more coarse at higher frequencies (100 kHz at 22 MHz) as ionograms are generally displayed on a logarithmic scale. Every five minutes, an Ionogram data file is recorded, cleaned and the cleaned ionogram is transferred to Sydney for autoscaling and further analysis. The 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.
- Additional information
-
- World Data Centre: Data Display and Download: Hourly Ionospheirc Data
-
includes browse display interface, button to get yearly data file and link to data availability chart
- Language
- en
- World Data Centre: Data Display and Download: Monthly Median Ionospheirc Data
-
includes browse display interface, button to get the median data file and link to data availability chart
- Language
- en
- Documentation
-
includes descriptions of data format of raw ionogram data and clean ionogram data
- Language
- en
- Software
-
Softwares to view clean ionogram data with scaling function
- Language
- en
- Real Time Display
-
Online viewer of Real Time clean ionogram data
- Language
- en
- Acknowledgement
-
- Contact
-
Role Person 1. General contact spase://SMWG/Person/Kehe.Wang 2. Metadata contact spase://SMWG/Person/Kehe.Wang - Release date
- 2016-11-24 17:00:00
- Repository
-
- Name
- spase://SMWG/Repository/SWS
- Availability
- Online
- Access rights
- Open
- URL
-
- https access to raw and clean ionogram data
-
https access to the raw and clean ionogram data of Learmonth IPS 5D (lea5d) ionosondes
- Language
- en
- Format
- Binary
- Encoding
- None
- Acknowledgement
- Provider processing level
- 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.
- Instrument
- spase://ASWS/Instrument/Ground/Learmonth/Ionosonde
- Measurement type
- Active waves
- Temporal description
-
- Start date
- 1994-11-25 00:00:00
- Relative stop date
- 1 day ago
- Note
-
The earliest raw ionogram data since 25/11/1994. Digital clean ionogram data are current to within a day.
- Spectral range
- RadioFrequency
- Observed regions
- Earth.NearSurface.Ionosphere
- Caveats
- Keywords
- Hourly ionospheric data
- Ionogram
- Ionosphere
- Ionospheric data
- Median ionospheric data
- Scaled parameters
Parameters
Parameter #1
- Name
- Frequency
- Description
-
Frequencies used to sonde ionopshere
- Caveats
- Cadence
- 5 minutes
- Units
- MHz
- Wave type
- Electromagnetic
- Quantity
- Frequency
- Qualifier
- Directional
- Group
- Frequency range
-
- Spectral range
- RadioFrequency
- Low frequency
- 1
- High frequency
- 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
- 5 minutes
- Units
- Km
- Valid minimum
- 50
- Valid maximum
- 1000
- Quantity
- Other