Dependence of F2- peak height on solar activity: A study with incoherent scatter measurements

Abstract

We have used about 16000 high resolution electron density profiles from Arecibo (18.4 N, 66.7 W, dip 50°) incoherent scatter radar for the years 1974-1977 and 1989-1990 to study the control of solar activity on the F2 peak height (hmF2). Although the general trend of diurnal variations in hmF2 are nearly identical (i.e. maximum around midnight and minimum around sunrise) during low as well as high solar activity, the median hmF2 increases by about 100 km from solar minimum to solar maximum. Further, there is a considerable day-to-day variability in hmF2. Comparison of measured hmF2 with the IRI (derived from numerical map of M(3000)F2) reveals that IRI generally overestimates this parameter during low solar activity and underestimates during high solar activity.