Inter-hemispheric imaging of the ionosphere with the upgraded IRI-Plas model during the space weather storms

International Reference Ionosphere extended to the plasmasphere (IRI-Plas) is upgraded analytically for assimilative mode of operation using GPS-derived Total Electron Content (TEC) for reconstruction of instantaneous ionospheric critical frequency and topside scale height at magnetic conjugate hemisphere. The performance of IRI-Plas code is examined with TEC_gps retrieved from Global Ionospheric Maps compared with the F₂-layer critical frequency at eight ionosonde locations in East Asia region on both hemispheres during the space weather storms at solar maximum (2000) and solar minimum (2006). Missing ionosonde data are completed by cloning of critical frequency. Decomposition of TEC_gps in electron density profile with IRI-Plas code reveals the opposite relative changes of critical frequency and the topside scale height depending on solar activity. The ionospheric weather W index is computed for the desired locations in conjugate hemispheres and consistent results are obtained indicating the departure of instantaneous values of ionospheric parameters from their respective median varying from quiet state to intense storm.