Features of Correction of the IRI Model for the Lower Ionosphere from Vertical Sounding Data

Abstract

A new method for the correction of the height dependences of electron plasma frequency in the IRI-2016 model according to the virtual heights data of signal reflections in the E region of the ionosphere is proposed. It is shown that the corrected dependences give satisfactory estimates of HF radio wave absorption in the D and E regions and are in good agreement with the results of rocket measurements. The method can be recommended for practical use at mid-latitude ionospheric stations in the processing of vertical sounding data.