Data Assimilation in the Ionosphere-Thermosphere System

Abstract

The solar forcing from above, atmospheric forcing (wave activities) from below, and various internal multiscale dynamics including the equatorial dynamo process influence the ionosphere-thermosphere (IT) system. The so-called self-consistent numerical models of the IT system depend on boundary conditions and rely on many assumptions and simplifications. Data assimilation (DA) is arguably essential for space weather forecasting due to the imprecise and incomplete modelling and sparsity of observations of the IT system. In this talk, we present some of our recent developments in assimilation of IT data into numerical models with an emphasis on the ensemble Kalman filter technique as well as tomography and DA-based calibration of empirical models.