For the first time, the climatology of intermediate descending layers (~150 km) over Brazilian equatorial and low-latitude regions during the extreme solar minimum period of 2009 was investigated. The results are interesting and innovative. For this analysis we used data of height and top frequency of intermediate layers collected from a digisonde located at São Luis and Cachoreira Paulista.

In order to validate the CSES ionospheric RO data, ionospheric peak values, peak heights and electron density profiles observed by CSES are compared with the corresponding COSMIC RO measurements obtained from 12 February 2018, to 31 March 2019. The results show the two sets are in good agreement, and CSES ionospheric RO data are available for ionosphere-related studies considering the extensive validation and application of COSMIC RO data.

Receiver and satellite differential code biases (DCBs) are one of the main error sources in estimating precise global ionosphere maps (GIMs) from Global Positioning System (GPS) data. This paper introduces a mathematical model for estimating satellite and receiver DCBs from a GPS network written in the MATLAB environment. Our code was tested and compared with Ionosphere Associated Analysis Centers (IAAC) and other researchers' code results. The results show an improvement for estimated DCBs.

The Antarctic ozone hole (AOH) directly influences the Antarctic region, where its levels can reach values below 220 DU. The temporary depletion of ozone in Antarctica generally occurs between the beginning and middle of August, during the austral spring, and extends to November, when a temporary reduction in ozone content is observed in a large region over Antarctica. However, masses of ozone-depleted air can break away from the ozone hole and reach mid-latitude regions.

We present the magnetic local time (MLT) distribution of energetic particle precipitation into the ionosphere in combination with different substorm activities. In the long term average substorms may increase the night-sector flux by factor 2–4 and eventually reduce the day-time flux. The MLT flux differences themselves may even reach 2 orders of magnitude independently of substorm activity level. Since precipitating particles impact the ozone chemistry, this may have atmospheric implications.

The density distribution of ice particles and electrons near the boundary of the polar mesosphere summer echo (PMSE) region is studied. The results show that when the radius distribution function of the condensation nucleus is a Gaussian type, for a certain range of the condensation core radius, sharp peaks with a meter scale appear in the density profiles of ice particles and electrons. These small-scale structures of electron density may be one of the causes of the PMSE phenomenon.

Winds near the top of the atmosphere are expected to be the same at all heights for a given location by assuming high viscosity in rarefied gases. However, wind measurements from satellite drag at 350–400 km altitude were found to be up to 2 times larger than optical measurements at ∼240 km. Satellites provide global measurements, and ground-based FPIs provide long-term monitoring at single sites. So we must understand this inconsistency to model and predict atmospheric behaviour correctly.

This work presents a review of dust measurements from spacecraft Cassini, STEREO, MMS, Cluster, Maven and WIND. We also consider the details of dust impacts and charge generation, and how different antenna signals can be generated. We compare observational data to laboratory experiments and simulations and discuss the consequences for dust observation with the new NASA Parker Solar Probe and ESA Solar Orbiter spacecraft.

We investigate the ionospheric response to the temporal and spatial dynamics of the solar activity using total electron content (TEC) maps and multiple solar proxies. The maximum correlation at a 16–32-d timescale is observed between the He-II, Mg-II, and F30 with respect to global mean TEC, with an effective time delay of about 1 d. The most suitable proxy to represent the solar activity at the timescales of 16–32 d and 32–64 d is He-II.

The relation between the occurrence of ionospheric irregularities and the spatial gradient of TEC derived from two closely located stations, located within the equatorial region over Ethiopia, was investigated. The relationship between σ(∆TEC/∆long) and ROTI_ave correlate linearly with correlation coefficients of C = 0.7975 and C = 0.7915 over ASAB and DEBK, respectively. In addition to latitudinal gradients, the longitudinal gradient of TEC has a significant contribution to the TEC fluctuations.

Integrated water vapor (IWV) values from ERA-Interim and MERRA-2 were compared to IWV from GNSS at 67 stations in Central and South America over a 7-year period (2007–2013). The comparison considered the geopotential height differences and the mean IWV values at each station. The discrepancies between IWV from the models and IWV GNSS rose as the geopotential height difference increased. We proposed a numerical correction that compensates for this effect, which was tested with IWV ERA-Interim.

Terrestrial ion transport and total escape are synthesized, with stress on the high-latitude polar region and the inner magnetosphere where Custer significantly improved knowledge. After estimating the outflow flux and destinations, complicated ion dynamics in the inner magnetosphere was classified and summarized, through which more than half the O⁺ is finally lost to space. Together with direct escapes, total O⁺ escape is high enough to influence the evolution of the biosphere.

The Earth's radiation belts control the space environment, often affecting the GPS signal propagation and satellite operations. Intense fluxes of energetic particles can penetrate even below the inner belt near the Equator. We analysed electron penetrations under geomagnetic quiet conditions and found in the solar wind an external driver cause. Satellite observations prove that disturbance of the inner belt was associated with impact of plasma jets formed in the solar wind nearby the Earth.