Comparison of topside electron density profiles in the subauroral ionosphere with IRI and SMI-85 models

Abstract Observed topside electron density profiles are compared with the IRI /1/ and SMI-85 /2/ ionospheric models. Good agreement is usually found in the height range near the F2 peak but significant errors, increasing with height and solar activity, are found above about 500 km. In particular the slopes of the model profiles need to be increased for IRI and decreased for SMI-5.