Semi-empirical model of the maximum electron concentration in the ionosphere: Comparison with data from Toluca (México)

A simple semi-empirical model to determine the maximum electron concentration in the ionosphere (NmF2NmF2) for South American locations is used to calculate NmF2NmF2 for a northern hemisphere station in the same longitude sector. NmF2NmF2 is determined as the sum of two terms, one related to photochemical and diffusive processes and the other one to transport mechanisms. The model gives diurnal variations of NmF2NmF2 representative for winter, summer and equinox conditions, during intervals of high and low solar activity. Model NmF2NmF2 results are compared with ionosonde observations made at Toluca-México (19.3°N; 260°E). Differences between model results and observations are similar to those corresponding to comparisons with South American observations. It seems that further improvement of the model could be made by refining the latitude dependencies of coefficients used for the transport term.