Real-time total electron content estimates using the international reference ionosphere Original Research Article

The total electron content (TEC) along a vertical ray path through the ionosphere was estimated using real-time spatial maps of the peak electron density in the F2 region. The calculation makes use of the IRI electron density profile up to 1000 km. This process proves to be reasonably reliable during high solar activity, and during daytime, geomagnetically undisturbed or quiet, low solar activity periods. The estimates agree with TEC observed using Global Positioning Satellites (GPS).