Determination of the electron density in the plasmasphere using data from the GPS satellites

It would be fine to have the full correspondence between two methods of determination of the total electron content (TEC): (1) measurements, (2) integration of the model N(h)- profile. Both methods possess enough big level of uncertainty. One of the reasons of TEC uncertainty is determination of biases, one of the reasons of uncertainty of determination of N(h)-profile is the profile shape in the topside ionosphere and the plasmasphere. In present paper, comparison of values is fulfilled: (1) TEC of global maps and the values obtained by the grid-based method, (2) TEC obtained by integration of the N(h)-profile of the IRI-Plas model adapted for plasma frequencies of two satellites, flying at different heights. For this profile, factor K(PL) is introduced, modifying electron density Ne in the plasmasphere with which help the full correspondence with the experimental values of TEC is reached. On an example of the data for three months of 2001 for the Kokubunji station, it is obtained that values of K(PL), the closest to 1, correspond TEC of the grid-based method. Usage of this method and appropriate coefficients K(PL) allows us to obtain more exact values of Ne in the plasmasphere.