Abstract

The six-satellite FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC GPS Occultation Experiment (GOX) provides up to 2500 ionospheric electron density profiles per day via the radio occultation technique. In addition, absolute Total Electron Content (TEC) between the COSMIC satellites and GPS satellites in view are derived from ... Show moreThe six-satellite FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC GPS Occultation Experiment (GOX) provides up to 2500 ionospheric electron density profiles per day via the radio occultation technique. In addition, absolute Total Electron Content (TEC) between the COSMIC satellites and GPS satellites in view are derived from the phase and pseudo-range measurements sampled every second. In the early phase of the FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC mission, the six satellites are only a few hundred kilometers apart offering an opportunity for ionospheric studies of unprecedented high spatial and temporal resolution. Later in the mission (mid 2007) the satellites will be in their final configuration in six different orbital planes providing maximum global coverage of measurements. This presentation will focus on early ionospheric measurements from the GOX instruments. Preliminary results, comparing near collocated ionospheric occultations, show an RMS difference in electron density of about 103 cm-3. In the presentation we will also show examples of ionospheric electron density distributions with high vertical and temporal resolution and assess the accuracy of the derived absolute TEC by comparing measurements from different COSMIC satellites. Show less