A TIEGCM-based inversion model for ionosphere-thermosphere parameters driven by three-dimensional electron density
A challenge in Earth and space sciences is the capability to continuously monitor the key parameters of space systems that frequently experience complex, multiscale dynamics. The ionosphere-thermosphere (I-T) system is a region where the direct measurement of essential quantities such as electric fields, neutral winds, and temperatures remain largely inaccessible. Here, we present a generalizable inverse modeling framework that bridges sparse observations with physics-based simulation to recover these hidden state variables. By leveraging high-resolution, data-driven reconstructions of electron density in combination with the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIEGCM), our approach enables end-to-end inference of latent I-T parameters without relying on explicit forward models. Through supervised neural networks trained on large-scale simulation data, the system autonomously learns the intrinsic couplings among I-T variables, enabling fast, robust, and physically informed parameter estimation. This fusion of physical modeling and machine learning transcends traditional retrieval methods, offering a scalable pathway toward real-time geospace monitoring and improved representation of upper-atmosphere dynamics in Earth system models.
Authors
- Jialiang Zhang
- Zhou Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3271-2515)
- Yan Guo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5987-201X)
- Jingsong Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2943-6812)
- Jianxiang Zhang
- Cunqun Fan
- Yiwan Deng
Institutions
- China Meteorological Administration (CN)
- Nanchang University (CN)
- Nanchang Institute of Science & Technology (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Science Advances
- Published
- 2026-04-17
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aea2406
- Primary Topic
- Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Key Research and Development Program of China