International reference ionosphere 2000: Examples of improvements and new features

This paper describes the changes that were implemented in the new version of the COSPAR/URSI International Reference Ionosphere (IRI-2000). These changes are: (1) two new options for the electron density in the D-region, (2) a better functional description of the electron density in the E-F merging region, (3) inclusion of the F1 layer occurrence probability as a new parameter, (4) a new model for the bottomside parameters B-0 and B-1 that greatly improves the representation at low and equatorial latitudes during high solar activities, (5) inclusion of a model for foF2 storm-time updating, (6) a new option for the electron temperature in the topside ionosphere, and (7) inclusion of a model for the equatorial F region ion drift. The main purpose of this paper is to provide the IRI users with examples of the effects of these changes. (C) 2003 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.