Quantification of Errors in the Planetary Atmospheric Profiles Derived From Radio Occultation Measurements

Abstract Radio occultation (RO) measurement is an established technique for profiling planetary atmosphere/ionosphere. The accuracy of the derived physical parameters (atmospheric temperature, pressure, and density in the lower atmosphere, and electron density in the ionosphere) however depends on u...

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Main Authors: Keshav R. Tripathi, R. K. Choudhary
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2022-06-01
Series:Earth and Space Science
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EA002326
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author Keshav R. Tripathi
R. K. Choudhary
author_facet Keshav R. Tripathi
R. K. Choudhary
author_sort Keshav R. Tripathi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Radio occultation (RO) measurement is an established technique for profiling planetary atmosphere/ionosphere. The accuracy of the derived physical parameters (atmospheric temperature, pressure, and density in the lower atmosphere, and electron density in the ionosphere) however depends on uncertainty in the observed frequency and robustness of the retrieval algorithm. The objective of this paper is to identify all possible sources of errors in RO experiments and their propagation to the retrieved atmospheric profiles. Quantification of errors due to assumptions used in the retrieval algorithm has also been attempted. We used the data from one‐way downlink single‐frequency (X‐band) radio signals, transmitted from the radio science payload onboard Akatsuki spacecraft orbiting Venus and received at Indian Deep Space Network, Bengaluru, India for this study. We followed the standard signal processing technique to analyze the raw data. Atmospheric profiles were retrieved using the basic concept of geometrical optics. Possible sources of errors in RO experiments are identified and their magnitude range has been quantified. The propagation of errors in obtained atmospheric profiles is also discussed. These results would be useful while devising RO experiments for future planetary explorations.
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spelling doaj.art-e6e9780e0ad24fe494421c89c31dee962022-12-22T03:33:18ZengAmerican Geophysical Union (AGU)Earth and Space Science2333-50842022-06-0196n/an/a10.1029/2022EA002326Quantification of Errors in the Planetary Atmospheric Profiles Derived From Radio Occultation MeasurementsKeshav R. Tripathi0R. K. Choudhary1Space Physics Laboratory (SPL) VSSC Trivandrum IndiaSpace Physics Laboratory (SPL) VSSC Trivandrum IndiaAbstract Radio occultation (RO) measurement is an established technique for profiling planetary atmosphere/ionosphere. The accuracy of the derived physical parameters (atmospheric temperature, pressure, and density in the lower atmosphere, and electron density in the ionosphere) however depends on uncertainty in the observed frequency and robustness of the retrieval algorithm. The objective of this paper is to identify all possible sources of errors in RO experiments and their propagation to the retrieved atmospheric profiles. Quantification of errors due to assumptions used in the retrieval algorithm has also been attempted. We used the data from one‐way downlink single‐frequency (X‐band) radio signals, transmitted from the radio science payload onboard Akatsuki spacecraft orbiting Venus and received at Indian Deep Space Network, Bengaluru, India for this study. We followed the standard signal processing technique to analyze the raw data. Atmospheric profiles were retrieved using the basic concept of geometrical optics. Possible sources of errors in RO experiments are identified and their magnitude range has been quantified. The propagation of errors in obtained atmospheric profiles is also discussed. These results would be useful while devising RO experiments for future planetary explorations.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EA002326
spellingShingle Keshav R. Tripathi
R. K. Choudhary
Quantification of Errors in the Planetary Atmospheric Profiles Derived From Radio Occultation Measurements
Earth and Space Science
title Quantification of Errors in the Planetary Atmospheric Profiles Derived From Radio Occultation Measurements
title_full Quantification of Errors in the Planetary Atmospheric Profiles Derived From Radio Occultation Measurements
title_fullStr Quantification of Errors in the Planetary Atmospheric Profiles Derived From Radio Occultation Measurements
title_full_unstemmed Quantification of Errors in the Planetary Atmospheric Profiles Derived From Radio Occultation Measurements
title_short Quantification of Errors in the Planetary Atmospheric Profiles Derived From Radio Occultation Measurements
title_sort quantification of errors in the planetary atmospheric profiles derived from radio occultation measurements
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EA002326
work_keys_str_mv AT keshavrtripathi quantificationoferrorsintheplanetaryatmosphericprofilesderivedfromradiooccultationmeasurements
AT rkchoudhary quantificationoferrorsintheplanetaryatmosphericprofilesderivedfromradiooccultationmeasurements