Study of Ionospheric Total Electron Content over Thailand Using BeiDou Satellites

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the Total Electron Content (TEC) in the ionosphere over Thailand using BeiDou satellite signals received by BG2s receivers, providing an alternative to the traditional use of GPS satellites for investigating TEC variations. Data were collected from January to March 2025 from six monitoring stations: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chumphon, Nong Bua Lam Phu, Phuket, and Ubon Ratchathani, respectively, covering the entire region of Thailand. The analysis revealed that Nong Bua Lamphu recorded the highest average at 77.94 TECU, followed by Chiang Mai with 73.55 TECU. Ubon Ratchathani had an average of 65.81 TECU, while Phuket recorded 59.54 TECU, closely followed by Bangkok with 59.22 TECU. Chumphon had the lowest average maximum value at 45.00 TECU, respectively. Additionally, training sessions were conducted for 20 participants of the Meteorological Department on using BG2s receivers to measure TEC from BeiDou satellites. The pre-training assessment showed that 6 participants, accounting for 30%, achieved scores above 80%. After the training, all participants, representing 100%, surpassed the 80% threshold. The results indicate an improvement in participants’ knowledge from 30% to 100%, reflecting the success of the training program and demonstrating the potential for applying the BeiDou satellite system in future ionospheric TEC studies.