Qualitative estimation of magnetic storm efficiency in producing relativistic electron flux in the Earth’s outer radiation belt using geomagnetic pulsations data

It is well known that during many but not all of the geomagnetic storms enhanced fluxes of high-energy electrons are observed in the outer radiation belt. Here we examine relativistic (>2 MeV) electron fluxes measured by GOES at the synchronous orbit and on-ground observations of two types of ULF pulsations during 30 magnetic storms occurred during 1996–2000. To characterize the effectiveness of the chosen magnetic storms in producing relativistic electron fluxes, following to (Reeves, G.D., McAdams, K.L., Friedel, R.H.W., O’Brien, T.R. Acceleration and loss of relativistic electrons during geomagnetic storms. Geophys. Res. Lett. 30, doi:10.1029/2002GL016513, 2003), we calculate a ratio of the maximum daily-averaged electron flux measured during the recovery phase, to the mean pre-storm electron flux. A storm is considered an effective one if its ratio exceeds 2. We compare behavior of Pi1 and Pc5 geomagnetic pulsations during effective and non-effective storms and find a tendency for a storm efficiency to be higher when the mid-latitude Pi1 pulsations are observed for a long time during the magnetic storm main phase. We note also that the prolonged powerful Pc5 pulsation activity during the recovery phase of a magnetic storm is the necessary condition for the storm effectiveness. To interpret the found dependences, we suggest that there are two prerequisites for generating relativistic electron populations during a storm: (1) the availability of seed electrons in the magnetosphere, and Pi1 emissions are indicators of the mid-energy electron interaction with the ionosphere and (2) acceleration of the seed electrons to MeV energies, and interaction of electrons with the MHD wave activity in the Pc5 range is one of the most probable mechanisms proposed in the literature for this purpose.     

Statistical characteristics of low latitude Pc4s: Influence of solar wind and IMF parameters

Pc4 signatures for the year 2013, extracted from geomagnetic north–south and east–west components of induction coil magnetometer (LEMI 30) from low latitude station Desalpar (DSP), operated by Institute of Seismological Research (ISR), India have been investigated vis-à-vis the prevalent interplanetary parameters (IMF) as well as the geomagnetic activity indices. A clear dominance of Pc4-5 (467 events) over Pc3 (17 events) is observed. Local time variation of Pc4 shows a peak in the noon sector in both X and Y components. Our investigations show that the dominant peak frequency is 10 mHz at low latitude region. Correlations with solar wind and IMF parameters illustrate highest occurrence of Pc4 for a solar wind speed of 300–400 km/s and average IMF B field of 3–6 nT. The amplitude of Pc4s at DSP shows an increase with increasing solar wind speed, plasma density, solar wind dynamic pressure and average B field which is also reflected in the trend of frequency variation of these pulsations. We report that IMF clock angle at low latitude does not have influence on Pc4 occurrence. Based on the characteristics of these events, detected in latitudinally distributed stations from low and mid-latitudes from northern and southern hemisphere, we infer that modes were compressional, which could be driven by K-H instability or solar wind dynamic pressure, as compressional modes can propagate to low latitude with little attenuation.     

GPS derived ionospheric TEC response to geomagnetic storm on 24 August 2005 at Indian low latitude stations

Results pertaining to the response of the low latitude ionosphere to a major geomagnetic storm that occurred on 24 August 2005 are presented. The dual frequency GPS data have been analyzed to retrieve vertical total electron content at two Indian low latitude stations (IGS stations) Hyderabad (Geographic latitude 17°20′N, Geographic longitude 78°30′E, Geomagnetic latitude 8.65°N) and Bangalore (Geographic latitude 12°58′N, Geographic longitude 77°33′E, Geomagnetic latitude 4.58°N). These results show variation of GPS derived total electron content (TEC) due to geomagnetic storm effect, local low latitude electrodynamics response to penetration of high latitude convection electric field and effect of modified fountain effect on GPS–TEC in low latitude zone.     

Earthquake induced dynamics at the ionosphere in presence of magnetic storm

The modifications induced in the dynamics of the ionosphere by the major Japan earthquake (EQ) of March 11, 2011 (epicenter at 38.322°N, 142.369°E, M = 8.9) in presence of a magnetic storm are examined by mapping latitudinal variations of F-layer ionization density (NmF2) from 22 stations covering the epicenter zone. The changes forced into the Total Electron Content (TEC) by the major EQ in the magnetic storm ambiance are also examined from the GPS data collected at Guwahati (26° 10′ N, 91° 45’ E), situated in the major fault system of East Asia. The contributions of pre-seismic electric field as well as of magnetic storm time electric field in the observed density variations are brought into the ambit of discussion. The influence of lower atmosphere in shaping TEC features during the study case is highlighted. The effects of solar activity on density variations during such complex ambiances are also addressed.     

Latitudinal variation of F2-region response to geomagnetic disturbance

The effect of geomagnetic storms on the F2 region was studied by calculating the deviation, ΔfoF2, of foF2 during 40 magnetic storms, ranging from moderate (Dst < −50 nT) to very intense (Dst < −200 nT) of the 21st solar cycle. In order to study the variation of storm-time foF2 with latitude, season and storm strength, ionosonde data were obtained from eight stations spanning a latitudinal range of +60–−60°. The stations chosen lay in a narrow longitudinal range of 140–151°, so that local time difference between the stations is practically negligible. The features exhibited by positive and negative phases were essentially different. The storm time ΔfoF2 clearly exhibited a latitudinal variation and this variation were found to be coupled with the seasonal variation. As for the variation with storm intensity, though ΔfoF2 was found to vary even between two storms of almost equal intensity, the amplitude of a positive or negative phase, |ΔfoF2max| showed a distinct upper limit for each intensity category of storms.     

Azimuthal propagation of Pc5 geomagnetic field pulsations in the southern polar cap

A statistical analysis of low frequency geomagnetic fluctuations at the two Antarctic stations Mario Zucchelli Station (geographic coordinates: 74.7°S, 164.1°E; corrected geomagnetic coordinates: 80.0°S, 306.8°E) and Dumont D’Urville (geographic coordinates: 66.7°S, 140.0°E; corrected geomagnetic coordinates: 80.4°S, 236.0°E) is shown. The analysis focuses on power spectra, coherence and phase difference between the stations, which are both located in the polar cap, with a 5-h magnetic local time displacement along a geomagnetic parallel; in this situation, the phase difference between geomagnetic fluctuations indicates the direction of their azimuthal propagation. Coherent fluctuations have been found to occur preferably when both stations are on the same side (dawnward or duskward) with respect to the polar cusp; moreover, around local magnetic midnight, they occur essentially during open magnetospheric conditions. The phase difference for coherent fluctuations indicates a propagation direction away from local geomagnetic noon and midnight. Also the analysis of three individual pulsation events, occurring at different times during the day, is shown; they are characterized at the two stations by simultaneous, coherent fluctuations, whose phase difference finds correspondence with the statistical behaviour.     

中低纬度Pc3-4地磁脉动特性研究——子午工程数据分析初步结果

利用新建成的子午工程地磁台站数据,对比分析了地磁平静期间(2011年3月20-27日)和磁暴期间(2011年9月25日至10月1日)Pc3-4地磁脉动的时空分布特征及其对行星际条件的响应.数据分析结果表明,中低纬度(1.3<L<2.3,L为磁壳参数)的Pc3-4地磁脉动在这两个时期内的分布存在明显的晨昏不对称性,在昼侧前出现明显的Pc3-4地磁脉动并与行星际上游波动密切相关,其振幅增强可能与太阳风动压脉冲相关,高速太阳风更易导致Pc3-4地磁脉动;而对于近赤道低纬(L<1.3)区域,无论是在地磁平静期还是磁暴期均未能观测到Pc3-4地磁脉动,Pc3-4地磁脉动存在明显的纬度效应.      

Magnetospheric disturbances associated with the 13 December 2006 solar flare and their ionospheric effects over North-East Asia

We present an observational study of magnetospheric and ionospheric disturbances during the December 2006 intense magnetic storm associated with the 4В/Х3.4 class solar flare. To perform the study we utilize the ground data from North–East Asian ionospheric and magnetic observatories (60–72°N, 88–152°E) and in situ measurements from LANL, GOES, Geotail and ACE satellites. The comparative analysis of ionospheric, magnetospheric and heliospheric disturbances shows that the interaction of the magnetosphere with heavily compressed solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field caused the initial phase of the magnetic storm. It was accompanied by the intense sporadic E and F2 layers and the total black-out in the nocturnal subauroral ionosphere. During the storm main phase, LANL-97A, LANL 1994_084, LANL 1989-046 and GOES_11 satellites registered a compression of the dayside magnetosphere up to their orbits. In the morning–noon sector the compression was accompanied by an absence of reflections from ionosphere over subauroral ionospheric station Zhigansk (66.8°N, 123.3°E), and a drastic decrease in the F2 layer critical frequency (foF2) up to 54% of the quite one over subauroral Yakutsk station (62°N, 129.7°E). At the end of the main phase, these stations registered a sharp foF2 increase in the afternoon sector. At Yakutsk the peak foF2 was 1.9 time higher than the undisturbed one. The mentioned ionospheric disturbances occurred simultaneously with changes in the temperature, density and temperature anisotropy of particles at geosynchronous orbit, registered by the LANL-97A satellite nearby the meridian of ionospheric and magnetic measurements. The whole complex of disturbances may be caused by radial displacement of the main magnetospheric domains (magnetopause, cusp/cleft, plasma sheet) with respect to the observation points, caused by changes in the solar wind dynamic pressure, the field of magnetospheric convection, and rotation of the Earth.     

Effects observed in the equatorial and low latitude ionospheric F-region in the Brazilian sector during low solar activity geomagnetic storms and comparison with the COSMIC measurements

The main objective of the present investigation has been to compare the ionospheric parameters (NmF2 and hmF2) observed by two ground-based ionospheric sounders (one at PALMAS- located near the magnetic equator and the other at Sao Jose dos Campos-located in the low-latitude region) in the Brazilian sector with that by the satellite FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC radio occultation (RO) measurements during two geomagnetic storms which occurred in December 2006 and July 2009. It should be pointed out that in spite of increasing the latitude (to 10°) and longitude (to 20°) around the stations; we had very few common observations. It has been observed that both the peak electron density (NmF2) and peak height (hmF2) observed by two different techniques (space-borne COSMIC and ground-based ionosondes) during both the geomagnetic storm events compares fairly well (with high correlation coefficients) at the two stations in the Brazilian sector. It should be pointed out that due to equatorial spread F (ESF) in the first storm (December 2006) and no-reflections from the ionosphere during nighttime in the second storm (July 2009), we had virtually daytime data from the two ionosondes.     

地磁暴期间中国中低纬电离层的CIT研究

利用电离层层析成像技术(Computerized Ionospheric Tomography, CIT)处理115°E子午圈附近6个台站的GPS观测数据, 分析了2004年11月地磁暴期间中国中低纬电离层的响应情况. 结果表明, 电离层呈正相扰动, 且不同高度上的响应不同, 800 km以下电子密度有不同程度的增加, 且在峰值高度附近增幅最大, 800 km以上地磁暴的影响并不显著; 伴随地磁能量的注入, 赤道异常峰极向扩展; 随磁扰强度的降低, 电子密度也逐渐恢复至平静水平. 这些结果与以往的理论和观测结果一致, 初步估计扰动是由热层暴环流引起的, 并受到赤道异常峰移动的影响.      

Ionospheric response of equatorial and low latitude F-region during the intense geomagnetic storm on 24–25 August 2005

In this investigation, we present and discuss the response of the ionospheric F-region in the South American and East Asian sectors during an intense geomagnetic storm in August 2005. The geomagnetic storm studied reached a minimum Dst of −216 nT at 12:00 UT on 24 August. In this work ionospheric sounding data obtained of 24, 25, and 26 August 2005 at Palmas (PAL; 10.2° S, 48.2° W; dip latitude 6.6° S), São José dos Campos (SJC, 23.2° S, 45.9° W; dip latitude 17.6° S), Brazil, Ho Chi Minh City, (HCM; 10.5° N, 106.3° E; dip latitude 2.9° N), Vietnam, Okinawa (OKI; 26.3° N, 127.8° E; dip latitude 21.2° N), Japan, are presented. Also, the GPS observations obtained at different stations in the equatorial and low-latitude regions in the Brazilian sector are presented. On the night of 24–25 August 2005, the h′F variations show traveling ionospheric disturbances associated with Joule heating in the auroral zone from SJC to PAL. The foF2 variations show a positive storm phase on the night of 24–25 August at PAL and SJC during the recovery phase. Also, the GPS-VTEC observations at several stations in the Brazilian sector show a fairly similar positive storm phase on 24 August. During the fast decrease of Dst (between 10:00 and 11:00 UT) on 24 August, there is a prompt penetration of electric field of magnetospheric origin that result in abrupt increase (∼12:00 UT) in foF2 at PAL, SJC (Brazil) and OKI (Japan) and in VTEC at IMPZ, BOMJ, PARA and SMAR (Brazil). OKI showed strong oscillations of the F-region on the night 24 August resulted to the propagation of traveling atmospheric disturbances (TADs) by Joule heating in the auroral region. These effects result a strong positive observed at OKI station. During the daytime on 25 August, in the recovery phase, the foF2 observations showed positive ionospheric storm at HCM station. Some differences in the latitudinal response of the F-region is also observed in the South American and East Asian sectors.     

Nighttime thermospheric meridional neutral winds inferred from ionospheric h′F and hpF2 data

Nighttime thermospheric meridional winds aligned to the magnetic meridian have been inferred using h′F and hpF2 ionosonde data taken from two equatorial stations, Manaus (2.9°S, 60.0°W, dip latitude 6.0°N) and Palmas (10.17°S, 48.2°W, dip latitude 6.2°S), and one low-latitude station, Sao Jose dos Campos (23.21°S, 45.86°W, dip latitude 17.26°S), during geomagnetic quiet days of August and September, 2002. Using an extension of the ionospheric servo model and a simple formulation of the diffusive vertical drift velocity, the magnetic meridional component of the thermospheric neutral winds is inferred, respectively, at the peak (hpF2) and at the base (h′F) heights of the F region over Sao Jose dos Campos. An approach has been included in the models to derive the effects of the electrodynamic drift over Sao Jose dos Campos from the time derivative of hpF2 and h′F observed at the equatorial stations. The magnetic meridional winds inferred from the two methods, for the months of August and September, are compared with winds calculated using the HWM-90 model and with measurements from Fabry–Perot technique. The results show varying agreements and disagreements. Meridional winds calculated from hpF2 ionospheric data (servo model) may produce errors of about 59 m/s, whereas the method calculated from the F-region base height (h′F) ionospheric data gives errors of about 69 m/s during the occurrence of equatorial spread-F.     

Pc5 Oscillation Analysis by the Satellite and Ground-Based Data

Large amplitude Pc5 event was observed in the space and on ground on August 3, 2001, about three hours after contact of the strong discontinuity in the solar wind with the magnetosphere according to data from ACE and Wind satellites. The Pc5 amplitude was as high as 15 nT in the tail of magnetosphere and about 5 nT at the ground based stations. In the magnetosphere Pc5 waves were observed by Cluster and Polar satellites, which occupied positions in the morning part of the near tail at the close field lines but were parted by distance of 11.5 Re, mainly along the x-axis of the GSM coordinate system. Both compressional and transverse components of the Pc5 wave activity were observed in the space, with the transverse component having the larger amplitude. Time delay between the Cluster and Polar satellites was about 8 minutes, which could be interpreted as a wave propagation from the geomagnetic tail to the Earth with the 150 km/s group velocity. The ground-based Pc5 activity was analysed by using data from the Image magnetometer network. Doubtless demonstrations of a field line resonant structure were found in variations of amplitude and polarization with latitude. Finnish chain of search coil magnetometers observed modulated Pc1 emission simultaneously with the Pc5 wave train. A possibility of non-linear impact of Pc5 wave energy on the plasma and waves in the magnetosphere is discussed.     

F2 layer response to geomagnetic disturbances in Eastern Asia under the low solar activity

In this paper, the peculiarities of ionospheric response to geomagnetic disturbances observed at the decay and minimum of solar activity (SA) in the period 2004–2007 are investigated with respect to different geomagnetic conditions. Data from ionospheric stations and results of total electron content (TEC) measurements made at the network of GPS ground-based receivers located within the latitude–longitude sector (20–70°N, 90–160°Е) are used in this study. Three groups of anomalous ionospheric response to geomagnetic disturbances have been observed during low solar activity. At daytime, the large-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (LSTIDs) could generally be related to the main phase of magnetic storm. Quasi-two-days wavelike disturbances (WLDs) have been also observed in the main phase independent of the geomagnetic storm intensity. Sharp electron density oscillations of short duration (OSD) occurred in the response to the onset of both main and recovery phases of the magnetic storm in the daytime at middle latitudes. A numerical model for ionosphere–plasmasphere coupling was used to interpret the occurrence of LS TIDs. Results showed that the LSTIDs might be associated with the unexpected lifting of F2 layer to the region with the lower recombination rate by reinforced meridional winds that produces the increase of the electron density in the F2 layer maximum.     

磁暴期间中低纬电离层暴形态和物理机制分析

本文利用东亚地区１２个低纬电离层台站的测高仪观测数据，对１９７８年８月２７日发生的一次曲型磁暴期间电离层峰值高度和密度的变化进行了分析。采用滑动平均区分开电离层中不同时间尺度的扰动，分析了影响中低纬度电离层暴的几种扰动形态特征，并对其物理机制进行了讨论。结果表明：伴随磁暴急始的磁层压缩，电离层中表现出峰值密度增加和峰值高度下降；磁暴主相期间热层大气暴环流及其所引起的中性大气成分变化控制着电离层的大     

Response of the ionospheric F-region in the Brazilian sector during the super geomagnetic storm in April 2000 observed by GPS

The response of the ionospheric F-region in the equatorial and low latitude regions in the Brazilian sector during the super geomagnetic storm on 06–07 April 2000 has been studied in the present investigation. The geomagnetic storm reached a minimum D_st of −288 nT at 0100 UT on 07 April. In this paper, we present vertical total electron content (VTEC) and phase fluctuations (in TECU/min) from GPS observations obtained at Imperatriz (5.5°S, 47.5°W; IMPZ), Brasília (15.9°S, 47.9°W; BRAZ), Presidente Prudente (22.12°S, 51.4°W; UEPP), and Porto Alegre (30.1°S, 51.1°W; POAL) during the period 05–08 April. Also, several GPS-based TEC maps are presented from the global GPS network, showing widespread and drastic TEC changes during the different phases of the geomagnetic storm. In addition, ion density measurements on-board the satellite Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F15 orbiting at an altitude of 840 km and the first Republic of China satellite (ROCSAT-1) orbiting at an altitude of 600 km are presented. The observations indicate that one of the orbits of the DMSP satellite is fairly close to the 4 GPS stations and both the DMSP F15 ion-density plots and the phase fluctuations from GPS observations show no ionospheric irregularities in the Brazilian sector before 2358 UT on the night of 06–07 April 2000. During the fast decrease of D_st on 06 April, there is a prompt penetration of electric field of magnetospheric origin resulting in decrease of VTEC at IMPZ, an equatorial station and large increase in VTEC at POAL, a low latitude station. This resulted in strong phase fluctuations on the night of 06–07 April, up to POAL. During the daytime on 07 April during the recovery phase, the VTEC observations show positive ionospheric storm at all the GPS stations, from IMPZ to POAL, and the effect increasing from IMPZ to POAL. This is possibly linked to the equatorward directed meridional wind. During the daytime on 08 April (the recovery phase continues), the VTEC observations show very small negative ionospheric storm at IMPZ but the positive ionospheric storm effect is observed from BRAZ to POAL possibly linked to enhancement of the equatorial ionospheric anomaly.     

磁暴期间中国中低纬电离层不规则体与扰动分析

2017年9月8日发生了一次强磁暴，Kp指数最大值达到8.利用区域电离层格网模型（Regional Ionosphere Map，RIM）和区域ROTI（Rate of TEC Index）地图，分析了磁暴期间中国及其周边地区电离层TEC扰动特征和低纬地区电离层不规则体的产生与发展情况，同时利用不同纬度IGS（International GNSS Service）测站BJFS（39.6°N，115.9°E），JFNG（30.5°N，114.5°E）和HKWS（22.4°N，114.3°E）的GPS双频观测值，获取各测站的ROTI和DROT（Standard Deviation of Differential ROT）指数变化趋势.结果表明:此次磁暴发生期间电离层扰动先以正相扰动为主，主要发生在中低纬区域，dTEC（differential TEC）最大值达到14.9TECU，随后电离层正相扰动逐渐衰减，在低纬区域发生电离层负相扰动，dTEC最小值达到-7.2TECU；在12:30UT-13:30UT时段，中国南部低纬地区发生明显的电离层不规则体事件；相比BJFS和JFNG两个测站，位于低纬的HKWS测站的ROTI和DROT指数变化更为剧烈，这表明电离层不规则体结构存在纬度差异.      

Nighttime ionosphere–thermosphere coupling observed during an intense geomagnetic storm

The electrodynamics of the ionosphere in the tropical region presents various scientific aspects, which remain subject of intensive investigations and debates by the scientific community. During the year 2002, in a joint project between the Universidade do Vale do Paraíba (UNIVAP) and Universidade Luterana do Brasil (ULBRA), a chain of three Canadian Advanced Digital Ionosondes (CADIs) was established nearly along the geomagnetic meridian direction, for tropical ionospheric studies, such as, changes and response due to geomagnetic disturbances and thermosphere–ionosphere coupling and the generation and dynamics of ionospheric irregularities, in the Brazilian sector. The locations of the three ionosondes stations are São José dos Campos (23.2°S, 45.9°W, dip latitude 17.6°S – under the southern crest of equatorial ionospheric anomaly), Palmas (10.2°S, 48.2°W, dip latitude 5.5°S – near the magnetic equator) and Manaus (2.9°S, 60.0°W, dip latitude 6.4°N – between the geographic and geomagnetic dip equators). It should be pointed out that Palmas and Manaus are located on the opposite sides of the magnetic equator but both are south of the geographic equator. The three CADIs work in time-synchronized mode and obtain ionograms every 5 min. This configuration of the ionospheric sounding stations allowed us to study the F-region dynamics during geomagnetically disturbed period in the meridional direction. Just after the installation and testing of the three CADIs, on September 05, 2002 a coronal mass ejection (CME) left the Sun and about 2 days after the CME left the Sun, it reached the Earth’s magnetosphere and complex and multi step events took place during the period September 07–09. In the study we note that the equatorial stations located north (Manaus, dip latitude 6.4°N) and south (Palmas, dip latitude 5.5°S) of the dip equator presented significant F-layer height asymmetries during the storm main phase. In addition, the low-latitude station SJC (dip latitude 17.6°S) presented decrease in the F-layer densities (negative phase), whereas Palmas presented increase in the F-layer densities (positive phase) during the main phase. This was followed by positive phase at both the stations. During the first night of the recovery phase a strong formation and evolution of large-scale ionospheric irregularities (equatorial spread-F (ESF)) was observed, but on the second night of the recovery phase, there was strong and almost simultaneous sporadic E (Es) formation at all three stations. During the presence of Es, spread-F formation is not observed, indicating the suppression of spread-F, possibly by sporadic E.     

1998年5月空间天气大事件的地磁场响应

地磁场与1998年5月空间大事件相对应的是5月1日至16日发生的大磁暴（k=8)。磁暴主相开始的几个小时伴随有丰富的Pc型地磁脉动，包括P c2,Pc3,Pc4等。在增暴的恢复相，甚至还有Pc5巨型脉动，在行星标磁场Bz由北向转向南向时，磁暴主相开始；南向分量达到最大值后大约2小时，地磁H分量达到最小值，恢复相开始，并且，这次磁暴与太阳风电场也存在一定的对应关系。     

Some ionospheric storm effects at equatorial and low latitudes

In this paper, the response of the equatorial and low latitude ionosphere to three intense geomagnetic storms occurred in 2002 and 2003 is reported. For that, critical frequency of F2-layer foF2 and the peak height hmF2 hmF2 for the stations Jicamarca (11.9°S), Ascension Is (7.92°S) and Tucuman (26.9°S) are used. The results show a “smoothing” of the Equatorial Anomaly structure during the development of the storms. Noticeable features are the increases in foF2 before the storm sudden commencement (SC) at equatorial latitudes and the southern crest of the Equatorial Anomaly. In some cases nearly simultaneous increases in foF2 are observed in response to the storm, which are attributed to the prompt electric field. Also, positive effects observed at equatorial and low latitudes during the development of the storm seem to be caused by the disturbance dynamo electric field due to the storm-time circulation. Increases in foF2 above the equator and simultaneous decreases in foF2 at the south crest near to the end of a long-duration main phase are attributed to equatorward-directed meridional winds. Decreases in foF2 observed during the recovery phase of storms are believed to be caused by composition changes. The results indicate that the prompt penetration electric field on the EA is important but their effect is of short lived. More significant ionospheric effects are the produced by the disturbance dynamo electric field. The role of storm-time winds is important because they modify the “fountain effect” and transport the composition changes toward low latitudes.