Determination of Charged Particle Environment in Near-Earth Space with ICON

The Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) measures aspects of ionospheric behavior from LEO to identify the daytime and nighttime characteristics of the ionosphere, much of it related to ion density and velocity. However, comparatively less work has been done to cross-reference ICON’s instruments’ datasets to determine their consistency and where they may disagree, and where such apparent discrepancies may yield new science. Here, we use the Michelson Interferometer for Global High-resolution Thermospheric Imaging (MIGHTI) to derive ion density measurements for comparison with measurements from ICON’s Far Ultraviolet (FUV) instrument and the Ion Velocity Meter (IVM). These instruments make measurements simultaneously in different locations, so comparisons are done on climatologies, and a particular focus is given to identifying cases which deviate from typical seasonal patterns.