Validation of SSUSI-derived auroral electron densities: Comparisons to EISCAT data

TL;DR

This study validates auroral electron densities derived from SSUSI satellite data by comparing them to EISCAT ground measurements, demonstrating that SSUSI can reliably estimate ionization profiles in the auroral region.

Contribution

It introduces a validation method for SSUSI-derived electron densities using EISCAT data, enhancing the reliability of satellite-based auroral ionization measurements.

Findings

Good agreement between SSUSI and EISCAT data in the morning sector.

Optimal fit achieved with Maxwellian and Gaussian electron spectra depending on MLT.

Differences are within 20% above 105 km, with no significant statistical discrepancies.

Abstract

The coupling of the atmosphere to the space environment has become recognized as an important driver of atmospheric chemistry and dynamics. In order to quantify the effects of particle precipitation on the atmosphere, reliable global energy inputs on spatial scales commensurate with particle precipitation variations are required. To that end, we have validated auroral electron densities derived from the SSUSI data products for average electron energy and electron energy flux by comparing them to EISCAT electron density profiles. This comparison shows that SSUSI FUV observations can be used to provide ionization rate and electron density profiles throughout the auroral region. The SSUSI on board the DMSP Block 5D3 satellites provide nearly hourly, 3000 km wide, 10 km x 10 km UV snapshots of auroral emissions. Here we use the SSUSI-derived energies and fluxes as input to standard parametrizations in order to obtain electron-density profiles in the E region (90--150 km), which are then compared to EISCAT ground-based electron density measurements. We compare the data from DMSP F17 and F18 to the Troms{\o} UHF radar profiles. We find that differentiating between the magnetic local time (MLT) morning (03:00--11:00 MLT) and evening (15:00--23:00 MLT) provides the best fit to the ground-based data. The data agree well in the MLT morning sector using a Maxwellian electron spectrum, while in the evening sector using a Gaussian spectrum and accounting for backscattered electrons achieved optimum agreement with EISCAT. Depending on the satellite and MLT, the median of the differences varies between 0% and 20% above 105 km (F17) and $\pm$15% above 100 km (F18). Because of the large density gradient below those altitudes, the relative differences get larger, albeit without a substantially increasing absolute difference, with virtually no statistically significant differences at the 1-sigma level.