Space Weather Today and Related Phenomena
RUSSIAN HELIOGEOPHYSICAL MONITORING CENTER (RHMC)

The role of the ionosphere as the medium of propagation of radio signals, with its heterogeneity and unsteadiness are very high, because acting on the signal, it causes the variation of the amplitude-phase characteristics (focus, attenuation, refraction, polarization plane rotation, etc.) and thereby affects the accuracy, reliability and efficiency of radio systems for various purposes (communication, navigation, direction finding, radar). To reduce (compensate) this negative impact, the geophysical support of the electronic means (including GLONASS) was implemented. It includes the use of complex measures and methods for determining the parameters of the ionosphere and their relationship to characteristics of the signal.
Reference models describe the average state of the ionosphere and built mainly on the data of midlatitude stations of vertical sounding. This means that the inevitable errors in the polar and equatorial regions of the ionosphere, which (including at mid-latitudes) strongly increase in extreme periods of solar activity.
Ionosphere tomography Network created by Roshydromet (Institute of Applied Geophysics) is the supplier of information about the real distribution of electron concentration irregularities, including high latitudes.
Network imaging provides a real-time mapping of inhomogeneities of the electron concentration: according to the VORT of the three-dimensional and two-dimensional according to NORT (Leo radiotomography).
Maps of the electron concentration in the layers are laid in the basis of derivative products: real maps of critical frequencies, analysis of motion of the inhomogeneities of the plasma.
More detailed information about the method of radiotomography of the ionosphere can be found in scientific publications

High-orbit ionosphere radiotomography system (Russian transcription “VORT”)
• Multi-frequency multi-system receivers GLONASS/GPS were used as the instrumental basis of observations (“everyday” receivers are unsuitable for measurements by reason of single-frequency reception channels).
• As a development result, many stations are working on the dedicated lines of a corporate network the MECOM, independent of the availability of the Internet. The system itself is independent of external sources and import data (including the ephemeris files). Following instruments are developed: remote graphical and automatic stationscontrol, hardware inventoryweb interfaces with stationshistory logs, 100% automation to web product on the website, derivative products and interactive tools for statistical processing, programmable stations objects in the PowerShell environment filling from the Inventory SQL Table with properties and methods applicable to stations.

• Station locations of the VORT network


• Example of separate layer TEC distribution over Russiain internal service web-interface


• VORT station appearance major release 2014 (receiver, computer, DC UPS, common power supply unit, a modem for data transmission in 3G network over VPN IPG).

Some basic and derived information products using the network of Roshydrometradiotomography:
1.Three-dimensional maps of the spatial distribution of the electron concentration of the ionosphere over the territory of the Russian Federation (Russian transcription “VORT”)
2.Two-dimensional maps of the spatial distribution of total electron content (TEC) over the territory of the Russian Federation (low-orbit ionosphere radiotomography, Russian transcription is “NORT”)
3.Two-dimensional high-altitude-latitudinal, altitude-longitude, latitude-longitude for fixed height cross-sections of three-dimensional spatial distribution of the electron concentration of the ionosphere over the territory of the Russian Federation
4.Two-dimensional maps of the spatial distribution of critical frequencies of F2 layer over the territory of the Russian Federation
5.Two-dimensional maps of the spatial distribution of altitudes of maximum of the F2 layer from over the territory of the Russian Federation
6.Index of scintillations at selected stations
7.Identification of parameters of wave disturbances in the ionosphere through the use of technologies GLONASS/GPS interferometry

The VORT system maintaining staff is working on improving the system close to the consumers, and collaborates with industry, helping to improve end-users infrastructure. To send suggestions for improvement and new products research in technology applied, you may use email: vort@ipg.geospace.ru. Each message is treated.