Multiple phase screen modeling of ionospheric scintillation along radio occultation raypaths

We present the Radio Occultation Scintillation Simulator (ROSS), which uses the multiple phase screen method (MPS) to simulate the forward scatter of radio waves by irregularities in the equatorial ionosphere during radio occultation experiments. ROSS simulates propagation through equatorial plasma bubbles which are modeled as homogeneous electron density fluctuations modulated by a Chapman profile in altitude and a Gaussian window in the magnetic east-west direction. We adjust the parameters of the density model using electron density profiles derived from the ALTAIR incoherent scatter radar (9.4°N, 167.5°E, 4.3° north dip), and space-to-ground observations of scintillation using VHF and GPS receivers that are colocated with the radar. We compare the simulated occultation scintillation to observations of scintillation from the CORISS instrument onboard the C/NOFS satellite during a radio occultation occurring near ALTAIR on 21 April 2009. The ratio of MPS predicted S4 to CORISS observed S4 throughout the F region altitudes of 240–350 km ranged between 0.86 and 1.14.