Impact of seasonal variations on low and mid-latitudes ionospheric electric field satellite measurements

Ionospheric electric field measurements are provided by the Langmuir probe onboard the DEMETER satellite. Because there are four probes, various combinations of them form double probes that yield measurements. However, only the combination of probe antennas (E3) and (E4) enables possible measurements of the ambient (natural) ionospheric electric field. For other combinations, the measured field is almost identical to the induced field resulting from satellite motion. On the basis of this, we conducted comparative studies of the measured and induced electric fields during different seasons (summer, autumn, winter, and spring) to determine the best period for ionospheric electric field measurements. Multiple orbits were selected during different periods when the satellite was exposed to solar radiation. In all seasons except winter, the profiles of the induced and measured ionospheric electric field are similar. This masking effect leads to an underestimation of the ambient electric field. However, the highest accuracy for the ambient field can be obtained during winter, when solar flux radiation is weaker than that during other seasons. The probe position and orbital altitude also play important roles in the behavior of the induced electric field.