The solar wind control of the equatorial ionosphere dynamics during geomagnetic storms

The interplanetary magnetic field, geomagnetic variations, virtual ionosphere height h′F, and the critical frequency foF2 data during the geomagnetic storms are studied to demonstrate relationships between these phenomena. We study 5-min ionospheric variations using the first Western Pacific Ionosphere Campaign (1998–1999) observations, 5-min interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and 5-min auroral electrojets data during a moderate geomagnetic storm. These data allowed us to demonstrate that the auroral and the equatorial ionospheric phenomena are developed practically simultaneously. Hourly average of the ionospheric foF2 and h′F variations at near equatorial stations during a similar storm show the same behavior. We suppose this is due to interaction between electric fields of the auroral and the equatorial ionosphere during geomagnetic storms. It is shown that the low-latitude ionosphere dynamics during these moderate storms was defined by the southward direction of the B_z-component of the interplanetary magnetic field. A southward IMF produces the Region I and Region II field-aligned currents (FAC) and polar electrojet current systems. We assume that the short-term ionospheric variations during geomagnetic storms can be explained mainly by the electric field of the FAC. The electric fields of the field-aligned currents can penetrate throughout the mid-latitude ionosphere to the equator and may serve as a coupling agent between the auroral and the equatorial ionosphere.     

Can an impulsive variation of the solar wind plasma pressure trigger a plasma bubble? A case study based on CSES,Swarm and THEMIS data

During the August 25, 2018 geomagnetic storm, the new borne CSES-01 satellite and the Swarm A satellite detected a really large equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) in the post-midnight sector over western Africa. We investigated the features of this deep ionospheric plasma depletion using data from the Langmuir probes on-board CSES-01 and Swarm A satellites, and data from the high-precision magnetometer and the electric field detector instruments on-board CSES-01. Using also plasma and magnetic field data from THEMIS-E satellite we found that, during the passage of the magnetic cloud that drove the geomagnetic storm, an impulsive variation lasting about ten minutes characterized the solar wind (SW) pressure. The analysis of the delay time, between the occurrence of such impulsive variation and the detection of the plasma bubble, suggests a possible link between the SW pressure impulsive variation as identified by THEMIS-E and the generation of the EPB as detected by CSES-01 and Swarm A. We put forward the hypothesis that the SW pressure impulsive variation might have triggered an eastward prompt penetrating electric field that propagated from high to equatorial latitudes, overlapping in the nightside region to the zonal westward electric field, causing either a reduction or an inversion, at the base of the EPB triggering.     

The ionospheric effect of atmospheric gravity waves excited prior to strong earthquake

We have computed perturbations in the nighttime mid-latitude F2 region ionosphere that could be produced by internal atmospheric gravity waves generated before strong earthquakes through ionospheric Joule heating due to the seismogenic electric field of short duration. There is a strong anisotropy of the atmospheric gravity wave effect with respect to the imminent earthquake epicentre, the electron density changes being maximum poleward and equatorward of the epicentre and being minimum eastward and westward of it. It should be noted that the duration of the electron density perturbation in the F2 region ionosphere is much longer than the duration of the primary precursor of an earthquake – the enhancement of the vertical electric field at the Earth’s surface, which initiates the atmospheric gravity wave generation. This fact is important from the practical point of view of predicting catastrophic earthquakes.     

Variations of quasi-electrostatic fields and ionosphere potential above lightning discharge at equatorial latitudes

Lightning discharges by thunderstorms cause generation of electromagnetic pulses and of quasi-electrostatic fields (QESF) in the atmosphere above, which occur in different time-scales. QESF penetrate into the mesosphere and the lower ionosphere where they are big enough to generate considerable electric charge transfer there and, in some cases, to cause red sprites. These processes may have an important contribution to the global atmospheric electric circuit. Significant transient variations of the ionospheric potential above the thunderstorm take place as well. QESF depend on the atmospheric conductivity and in the ionosphere they are affected also by its anisotropy determined by geomagnetic field orientation. QESF after a lightning discharge are investigated theoretically in this work in the case of equatorial latitudes (by horizontal geomagnetic field), where thunderstorms are important contributors to the global circuit. Results for DC electric fields in the lower equatorial ionosphere above a thundercloud obtained by earlier models demonstrate some specific features of the spatial distribution of these fields, which appear due to geomagnetic field orientation. Thus, the electric fields can be shifted by tens or more kilometers to east of the cloud charge region; also their horizontal scale is much bigger than in the case of middle latitudes. Here, a presence of similar specific features of quasi-electrostatic field distributions and ionospheric potential variations caused by a lightning stroke is studied. A situation when no secondary ionization is generated is considered. A model based on the Maxwell equations for potential electric fields is proposed. Computations of QESF in the middle atmosphere and of the ionospheric potential variations are provided as dependent on conductivity and its anisotropy in D-region. The obtained results for the ionosphere show that the electric fields in the equatorial lower ionosphere are comparable to these formed in the case of middle latitudes. However, their horizontal scales are much bigger and depend on conductivity profiles. Similar features are valid also for the ionospheric potential variations and for their horizontal scales.     

Ionospheric TEC disturbances over China during the strong geomagnetic storm in September 2017

From September 7 to 8, 2017, a G4-level strong geomagnetic storm occurred, which seriously impacted on the Earth’s ionosphere. In this work, the global ionospheric maps released by Chinese Academy of Sciences are used to investigate the ionospheric responses over China and its adjacent regions during the strong storm. The prominent TEC enhancements, which mainly associated with the neutral wind and eastward prompt penetration electric field, are observed at equatorial ionization anomaly crests during the main phase of the storm on 8 September 2017. Compared with those on 8 September, the TEC enhancements move to lower-latitude regions during the recovery phase on 9 September. A moderate storm occurred well before the start of the strong storm causes similar middle-latitude TEC enhancements on 7 September. However, the weak TEC depletion is observed at middle and low latitude on 9–10 September, which could be associated with the prevailing westward disturbance electric field or storm-time neural composition changes. In addition, the storm-time RMS and STD values of the ionospheric TEC grids over China increase significantly due to the major geomagnetic storm. The maximum of the RMS reaches 12.0 TECU, while the maximum of the STD reaches 8.3 TECU at ~04UT on 8 September.     

Controlling factors of Region 2 field-aligned current and its relationship to the ring current: Model results

One essential component of magnetosphere and ionosphere coupling is the closure of the ring current through Region 2 field-aligned current (FAC). Using the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM), which includes magnetosphere and ionosphere coupling by solving the kinetic equation of ring current particles and the closure of the electric currents between the two regions, we have investigated the effects of high latitude potential, ionospheric conductivity, plasma sheet density and different magnetic field models on the development of Region 2 field-aligned currents, and the relationship between R2 FACs and the ring current. It is shown that an increase in high latitude potential, ionospheric conductivity or plasma sheet density generally results in an increase in Region 2 FACs’ intensity, but R2 FACs display different local time and latitudinal distributions for changes in each parameter due to the different mechanisms involved. Our simulation results show that the magnetic field configuration of the inner magnetosphere is also an important factor in the development of Region 2 field-aligned current. More numerical experiments and observational results are needed in further our understanding of the complex relationship of the two current systems.     

Response of the ionosphere to super geomagnetic storms: Observations and modeling

The relative importance of the main drivers of positive ionospheric storms at low-mid latitudes is studied using observations and modeling for the first time. In response to a rare super double geomagnetic storm during 07–11 November 2004, the low-mid latitude (17°–48°N geomag. lat.) ionosphere produced positive ionospheric storms in peak electron density (NmF2) in Japan longitudes (≈125°–145°E) on the day of main phase (MP1) onset (06:30 LT) and negative ionospheric storms in American longitudes (≈65°–120°W) on the following day of MP1 onset (13:00–16:00 LT). The relative effects of the main drivers of the positive ionospheric storms (penetrating daytime eastward electric field, and direct and indirect effects of equatorward neutral wind) are studied using the Sheffield University Plasmasphere Ionosphere Model (SUPIM). The model results show that the penetrating daytime (morning–noon) eastward electric field shifts the equatorial ionisation anomaly crests in NmF2 and TEC (total electron content) to higher than normal latitudes and reduces their values at latitudes at and within the anomaly crests while the direct effects of the equatorward wind (that reduce poleward plasma flow and raise the ionosphere to high altitudes of reduced chemical loss) combined with daytime production of ionisation increase NmF2 and TEC at latitudes poleward of the equatorial region; the later effects can be major causes of positive ionospheric storms at mid latitudes. The downwelling (indirect) effect of the wind increases NmF2 and TEC at low latitudes while its upwelling (indirect) effect reduces NmF2 and TEC at mid latitudes. The net effect of all main drivers is positive ionospheric storms at low-mid latitudes in Japan longitude, which qualitatively agrees with the observations.     

Physical mechanism of the vertical electric field generation over active tectonic faults

The concept of the Global Electric Circuit (GEC) provides an explanation of the existence of a vertical atmospheric electric field and coupling between the ground and ionosphere. Presently, ionospheric physics pays more attention to electric fields and coupling processes in the polar and auroral regions, whereas in other areas the potential difference between the ground and ionosphere usually is not taken into account. Regional processes exist, however, that are able to significantly affect the GEC parameters and through modification of the ionospheric potential to create plasma density irregularities of different scales within the ionosphere. One such source of ionosphere modification is air ionization in the vicinity of active tectonic faults, which takes place due to increased radon emanation. This paper considers the process of local modification of the GEC and corresponding ionospheric variability due to tectonic activity.     

强震前异常电场激发声重波对电离层的影响

震前地震孕育期地表异常增强的电场,通过大气电导率传输到电离层高度.该异常电场通过非稳态局部加热,可以在电离层高度激发声重波.基于该理论,利用一维时变中纬电离层物理模型,模拟了该扰动源对电离层电子密度的影响.结果表明,重力波引起的中性风速度扰动对电离层电子密度分布影响甚微,该机理无法解释震前电离层异常扰动现象.      

Prompt effects of solar wind variations on the inner magnetosphere and midlatitude ionosphere

It is well known that the solar wind can significantly affect high-latitude ionospheric dynamics. However, the effects of the solar wind on the middle- and low-latitude ionosphere are much less studied. In this paper, we report observations that large perturbations in the middle- and low-latitude ionosphere are well correlated with solar wind variations. In one event, a significant (20–30%) decrease of the midlatitude ionospheric electron density over a large latitudinal range was related to a sudden drop in the solar wind pressure and a northward turning of the interplanetary magnetic field, and the density decrease became larger at lower latitudes. In another event, periodic perturbations in the dayside equatorial ionospheric E × B drift and electrojet were closely associated with variations in the interplanetary electric field. Since the solar wind is always changing with time, it can be a very important and common source of ionospheric perturbations at middle- and low-latitudes. The relationship between solar wind variations and significant ionospheric perturbations has important applications in space weather.     

Geomagnetic storm effects on the occurrences of ionospheric irregularities over the African equatorial/low-latitude region

The study investigated the effects of intense geomagnetic storms of 2015 on the occurrences of large scale ionospheric irregularities over the African equatorial/low-latitude region. Four major/intense geomagnetic storms of 2015 were analyzed for this study. These storms occurred on 17th March 2015 (?229?nT), 22nd June 2015 (?204?nT), 7th October 2015 (?124?nT), and 20th December 2015 (?170?nT). Total Electron Content (TEC) data obtained from five African Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) stations, grouped into eastern and western sectors were used to derive the ionospheric irregularities proxy indices, e.g., rate of change of TEC (ROT), ROT index (ROTI) and ROTI daily average (ROTI_AVE). These indices were characterized alongside with the disturbance storm time (Dst), the Y component of the Interplanetary Electric Field (IEFy), polar cap (PC) index and the H component of the Earth’s magnetic field from ground-based magnetometers. Irregularities manifested in the form of fluctuations in TEC. Prompt penetration of electric field (PPEF) and disturbance dynamo electric field (DDEF) modulated the behaviour of irregularities during the main and recovery phases of the geomagnetic storms. The effect of electric field over both sectors depends on the local time of southward turning of IMF Bz. Consequently, westward electric field inhibited irregularities during the main phase of March and October 2015 geomagnetic storms, while for the June 2015 storm, eastward electric field triggered weak irregularities over the eastern sector. The effect of electric field on irregularities during December 2015 storm was insignificant. During the recovery phase of the storms, westward DDEF suppressed irregularities.     

电离层周日变化对解算GPS硬件延迟稳定性的影响

针对电离层周日变化特征分析了其可能对SCORE方法估算的硬件延迟稳定性的影响. 利用BJFS以及XIAM台站的GPS观测数据, 解算了位于太阳活动高年(2001年)和太阳活动低年(2009年)的卫星硬件延迟并分析了估算的硬件延迟的稳定性. 研究发现, 电离层周日变化对估算的硬件延迟稳定性具有一定影响, 但是利用不同台站所得到的卫星硬件延迟稳定性在昼夜不同时间上的解算结果存在一定差异. 电离层周日变化对利用 BJFS台站数据解算的硬件延迟稳定性日夜差异较为明显, 在太阳活动高年利用XIAM 台站数据解算的硬件延迟日夜稳定性差异不很明显, 由于XIAM台站处于电离层赤道异常峰附近, 夜间电离层变化很大, 因此对比中纬度地区, 电离层周日变化对赤道异常峰附近地区硬件延迟稳定性解算结果的影响相对较小, 但在太阳活动低年, 其影响仍较为显著.      

雷暴云准静电场和夜间低电离层的电离

用点电荷模型计算雷暴云突然放电后形成的准静电后形成的准静电场随高度的分布，以E/N（E的电场大小，N为大气密度）为输入参量，在一定条件下，对Boltzmann方程数值求解，计算电离层电子数密度的扰动。计算结果表明，在约70-90km之间，在约放电后的10ms内，准静电场大于中性大气的击穿电场，将引起大气的雪崩电离，从而引起夜间低电离层电子密度的显著增加，但这种电子密度的增加是暂的，在很短的时期内就恢复到平静时的水平，恢复时间随高度的变化而不同。     

Diagnostics of equatorial and low latitude ionosphere by TEC mapping over Brazil

The total electron content (TEC) in the equatorial and low-latitude ionosphere over Brazil was monitored in two dimensions by using 2011 data from the ground-based global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver network operated by the Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics. It was possible to monitor the spatial and temporal variations in TEC over Brazil continuously during both day and night with a temporal interval of 10 min and a spatial resolution of about 400 km. The daytime equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) and post-sunset plasma enhancement (PS-EIA) were monitored over an area corresponding to a longitudinal extension of 4000 km in South America. Considerable day-to-day variation was observed in EIA and PS-EIA. A large latitudinal and longitudinal gradient of TEC indicated a significant ionospheric range error in application of the GNSS positioning system. Large-scale plasma bubbles after sunset were also mapped over a wide range. Depletions with longitudinally separated by more than 800 km were observed. They were extended by more than 2000 km along the magnetic field lines and drifted eastward. It is expected that 2-dimensional TEC mapping can serve as a useful tool for diagnosing ionospheric weather, such as temporal and spatial variation in the equatorial plasma trough and crest, and particularly for monitoring the dynamics of plasma bubbles.     

由电离层电位所建立的大气电状态

本文在已知电离层电位分布下, 解析地计算了大气电位, 电场和电流强度的全球分布.结果表明, 在大气导电率随高度呈指数增加的情况下, 100km高度上的电离层电位, 几乎无衰减地扫到25km以下.大气电场较强的区域主要在20km以下的低层大气区, 其垂直分量比水平分量大4个数量级.而中高层大气电场较弱, 且两分量量级相当.本文还提出了一种考虑地面形状对大气电场影响的解析方法.      

On high-altitude electric fields in the auroral downward current region and their coupling to ionospheric electric fields

The downward field-aligned current region plays an active role in magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling processes associated with aurora. A quasi-static electric field structure with a downward parallel electric field forms at altitudes between 800 km and 5000 km, accelerating ionospheric electrons upward, away from the auroral ionosphere. Other phenomena including energetic ion conics, electron solitary waves, low-frequency wave activity, and plasma density cavities occur in this region, which also acts as a source region for VLF saucers. Results are presented from high-altitude Cluster observations with particular emphasis on the characteristics and dynamics of quasi-static electric field structures. These, extending up to altitudes of at least 4–5 Earth radii, appear commonly as monopolar or bipolar electric fields. The former occur at sharp boundaries, such as the polar cap boundary whereas the bipolar fields occur at softer boundaries within the plasma sheet. The temporal evolution of quasi-static electric field structures, as captured by the pearls-on-a-string configuration of the Cluster spacecraft, indicates that the formation of electric field structures and of ionospheric plasma density cavities are closely coupled processes. A related feature of the downward current is a broadening of the current sheet with time, possibly related to the depletion process. Preliminary studies of the coupling of electric fields in the downward current region, show that small-scale structures are typically decoupled from the ionosphere, similar to what has been found for the upward current region. However, exceptions are also found where small-scale electric fields couple perfectly between the ionosphere and Cluster altitudes. Recent FAST results indicate that the degree of coupling differs between sheet-like and curved structures, and that it is typically partial. The electric field coupling further depends on the current–voltage relationship, which is highly non-linear in the downward current region, and still unrevealed, as to its specific form.     

火星磁场产生的原因及其分布

构建了一个可以得到火星赤道面上磁场分布的模型. 模型根据卫星观测数据, 提出了火星电离层、磁层顶和磁尾电流片上都各自通有电流的假设. 由电流的连续性条件可知, 这三种背景条件下的电流之间满足一定关系, 即火星磁层顶上的总电流是电离层上的总电流与磁尾电流片上的总电流之和. 这些电流产生的磁场与太阳风磁场共同构成了火星赤道面上磁场分布. 通过计算发现, 采用这种磁场模型得到的结果与目前卫星所观测的结果以及与采用其他方法得到的结果符合得较好.      

Ionospheric precursors observed at low latitudes around the time of koyna earthquake

On December 11, 1967 at 05:21 LT, an immense earthquake of magnitude 6.7 struck Koyna, the Indian province of Maharashtra. Its epicenter was located at geographic latitude 17.37°N and longitude 73.75°E with depth of about 3 km. Ground based measurements show variation in the critical frequency of ionospheric F2 layer (foF2) before and after the shock. In the present study the behavior of F2-region of ionosphere has been examined over the equatorial and low latitudinal region ionosphere during the month of December 1967 around the time of Koyna earthquake. For this purpose, the ionospheric data collected with the help of ground-based ionosondes installed at Hyderabad (located close to the earthquake epicenter) Ahmedabad, Trichirapulli, Kodaikanal and Trivendrum have been utilized. The upper and lower bound of Interquartile range (IRQ) are constructed to monitor the variations in foF2 other than day-to-day and diurnal pattern for finding the seismo-ionospheric precursors. Some anomalous electron density variations are observed between post midnight hours to local pre-noon hours at each station. These anomalies are strongly time dependent and appeared a couple of days before the main shock. The period considered in this study comes under the quiet geomagnetic conditions. Hence, the observed anomalies (which are more than the usual day-to-day variability) over all stations are likely to be associated with this imminent earthquake. The possible mechanism to explain these anomalies is the effect of seismogenic electric field generated just above the surface of earth within the earthquake preparation zone well before the earthquake due to emission of radioactive particles and then propagated upward, which perturbs the F-region ionosphere.     

Possible DC electric field in the ionosphere related to seismicity

This paper presents the method for calculation of DC electric field in the atmosphere and the ionosphere generated by model distribution of external electric current in the lower atmosphere. Appearance of such current is associated with enhancement of seismic activity that is accompanied by emanation of soil gases into the atmosphere. These gases transfer positive and negative charged aerosols. Atmospheric convection of charged aerosols forms external electric current, which works as a source of conductivity current in the atmosphere–ionosphere electric circuit. It is shown that DC electric field generated in the ionosphere by this current reaches up to 10 mV/m, while the long-term vertical electric field disturbances excited near the Earth surface do not exceed 100 V/m. Such limitation of the near-ground field is caused by the formation of potential barrier for charged particles at the Earth surface in a process of their transport from soil to atmosphere.     

赤道低纬电离层瑞利-泰勒不稳定性初始扰动波数的临界值

在文献[1]推导的基础上将不稳定判据扩展到±30°磁纬之间的低纬地区.为研究初始扰动波数对等离子体泡的影响，分析了λ_min随初始扰动波数的变化规律，选择二分法计算λ_min=1时的临界波数α_c，并分析α_c随经纬度、太阳活动、季节、地方时以及水平东向电场强度的变化.主要结论如下:α_c随经纬度、季节、太阳活动以及地方时的变化规律和等离子体泡及闪烁活动的规律基本一致，α_c越小，等离子体泡越容易产生；水平东向电场增强有利于等离子体泡形成.α_c的值对人工影响电离层时选择最优扰动条件具有一定的指导意义.