Sodankylä Ion Chemistry Model

Esa Turunen, Helena Matveinen and Thomas Ulich

Geophysical Observatory, FIN-99600 Sodankylä, Finland

Abstract
Sodankylä Ion Chemistry (SIC) model is a detailed ion-chemical scheme of the D region, in a conceptually simple model. It was originally built to be a tool for interpretation of D-region incoherent scatter experiments and cosmic radio noise absorption measurements, both of which form the basis of D-region research done at Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory. The number of different ions in the current version is 55, of which 36 are positive and 19 are negative. The model solves for ion and electron concentrations in the ionospheric D and lower E regions either as a steady state model or a time dependent model assuming a predescribed neutral atmosphere. Applications of the model have been case studies to determine NO concentration, neutral temperature, and negative ion properties in incoherent scatter and heating experiments. The model was also used to invert measured electron density profiles to parameters of the precipitating electron spectra.

For further information, please go to our new SIC Model homepage.