Modeling the Total Electronic Content of the F2 sub-layer of the ionosphere at the Ouagadougou ionosonde station with IRI-2016

Abstract

The effect of the ionospheric refraction on the signals emitted by radio wave transmitting stations depends on the Total Electron Content (TEC), so the free electron concentration depends mainly on the solar activity intercepted by the ionosphere.
The work, carried out at the Ouagadougou station (Lat: 12.4°N; Long: 358.5°E), consists in studying the temporal variability of the TEC of the F2 layer, during the quietest days of the four seasons of the minimum and maximum of the solar cycle 22. IRI 2016 has captured the TEC data. Processing of the data allowed us to establish the TEC’seasonal variabilities. From this study, it is found that the TEC profile is dependent on season, timing, and solar activity. The study reveals time slots during which the electronic production is important and conducive to an optimum calibration of the radio wave transmission stations. It highlights the phenomenon of the winter anomaly. The study of the variability of the TEC with IRI 2016 gave results that are consistent with those obtained with IRI 2012.