A Study of Es Layer Characteristics over Cyprus

摘要

In this study, manually scaled digital ionosonde ionograms obtained in Cyprus (coordinates: 35°N, 33°E geographic) have been analysed to study the diurnal and seasonal occurrence of Es layer during a low solar activity period (January 2009 to August 2010). Processing of ionograms and scaling of Es (Es) parameters was carried out in accordance with the URSI Handbook of Ionogram Interpretation and Reduction [10]. Statistics of Es layer parameters, which include the critical (f_0Es), the layer height (h_0Es) as well as Es layer classification types are also analysed in an effort to identify systematic seasonal and diurnal patterns. The Es diurnal occurrence pattern is generally high during morning hours (starting around 0700 LT) with a strong blanketing character, around noon, diminishes in the afternoon and then reappears again during evening hours, sometimes persisting through the night. Regarding Es classification the most typical types observed over Cyprus are the f, c, and l types.