Longitudinal variation of the equatorial ionosphere: Modeling and experimental results

We describe a new version of the Parameterized Regional Ionospheric Model (PARIM) which has been modified to include the longitudinal dependences. This model has been reconstructed using multidimensional Fourier series. To validate PARIM results, the South America maps of critical frequencies for the E (foE) and F (foF2) regions were compared with the values calculated by Sheffield Plasmasphere-Ionosphere Model (SUPIM) and IRI representations. PARIM presents very good results, the general characteristics of both regions, mainly the presence of the equatorial ionization anomaly, were well reproduced for equinoctial conditions of solar minimum and maximum. The values of foF2 and hmF2 recorded over Jicamarca (12 degrees S; 77 degrees W; dip lat. 1 degrees N; mag. declination 0.3 degrees) and sites of the conjugate point equatorial experiment (COPEX) campaign Boa Vista (2.8 degrees N; 60.7 degrees W; dip lat. 11.4 degrees; mag. declination -13.1 degrees), Cachimbo (9.5 degrees S; 54.8 degrees W; dip lat. -1.8 degrees; mag. declination -15.5 degrees), and Campo Grande (20.4 degrees S; 54.6 degrees W; dip lat. -11.1 degrees; mag. declination -14.0 degrees) have been used in this work. foF2 calculated by PARIM show good agreement with the observations, except during morning over Boa Vista and midnight-morning over Campo Grande. Some discrepancies were also found for the F-region peak height (hmF2) near the geomagnetic equator during times of F-3 layer occurrences. IRI has underestimated both foF2 and hmF2 over equatorial and low latitude sectors during evening-nighttimes, except for Jicamarca where foF2 values were overestimated. (C) 2012 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)