Comparison of two IRI electron-density plasmasphere extensions with GPS-TEC observations

Comparisons of two model results with Global Positioning System, GPS-TEC, measurements have been carried out for different latitudinal, solar activity, magnetic activity, diurnal, and seasonal conditions. The models evaluated are the Global Core Plasma Model (GCPM-2000) and the IRI extension (IRI∗) with the Russian plasmasphere model. Data from 23 observatories providing GPS-TEC and ionosonde data have been used. It is shown that the IRI∗ plasmasphere electron densities are greater than the GCPM results by an order of magnitude at 6370 km altitude (one Earth radius), becoming two to three orders of magnitude larger at the GPS satellite orbital altitude of 20,200 km. Another source of model and GPS-TEC differences is the selection of the ionospheric F2 layer peak parameters driving the models, either with ITU-R (former CCIR) maps or ionosonde observations. The plasmasphere model extension of IRI improves the accuracy of the TEC model predictions taking into account the plasmasphere contribution to the total electron content which could vary from 10% during daytime under quiet magnetic conditions to more than 50% during the night under storm-time conditions.