The resolving power of radio sounding methods for ionospheric parameter reconstruction

The r.m.s. errors in ionospheric parameters studied by the vertical HF-sounding method were determined for a monotonic height distribution of the electron density. Numerical estimates were obtained for errors in real heights, in vertical velocities of plasma motion and in effective electron collision frequencies deduced from experimental measurements of virtual heights, Doppler frequency shift and radio wave absorption respectively. Their dependencies on signal polarisation, working frequency range and geo-magnetic latitude of the observation point were determined.