Goals and status of the International Reference Ionosphere

Abstract

Under the supervision of an international steering committee, basic data for establishing ionospheric profiles were gathered, critically reviewed, and used for establishing vertical profiles of the most important parameters of the ionosphere, namely, electron density, electron and ion temperature, and (positive) ion composition. The data sources used are described in detail, their reliability and coverage is discussed, and remaining problems are reviewed. The International Reference Ionosphere (1978) is to be published soon by URSI in the form of computer programs.