Equatorial anomaly according to the Interkosmos-19 data and IRI model: A comparison

The comparison of the IRI model with the foF2 distribution in the equatorial anomaly region obtained by topside sounding onboard the Interkosmos-19 satellite has been carried out. The global distribution of foF2 in terms of LT-maps was constructed by averaging Intercosmos-19 data for summer, winter, and equinox. These maps, in fact, represent an empirical model of the equatorial anomaly for high solar activity F10.7 ~ 200. The comparison is carried out for the latitudinal foF2 profiles in the characteristic longitudinal sectors of 30, 90, 210, 270, and 330°, as well as for the longitudinal variations in foF2 over the equator. The largest difference between the models (up to 60%) for any season was found in the Pacific longitudinal sector of 210°, where there are a few ground-based sounding stations. Considerable discrepancies, however, are sometimes observed in the longitudinal sectors, where there are many ground-based stations, for example, in the European or Indian sector. The discrepancies reach their maximum at 00 LT, since a decay of the equatorial anomaly begins before midnight in the IRI model and after midnight according to the Interkosmos-19 data. The discrepancies are also large in the morning at 06 LT, since in the IRI model, the foF2 growth begins long before sunrise. In the longitudinal variations in foF2 over the equator at noon, according to the satellite data, four harmonics are distinguished in the June solstice and at the equinox, and three harmonics in the December solstice, while in the IRI model only two and one harmonics respectively are revealed. In diurnal variations in foF2 and, accordingly, in the equatorial anomaly intensity, the IRI model does not adequately reproduce even the main, evening extremum.     

The high-latitude ionosphere structure on 22 March, 1979 magnetic storm from multi-satellite and ground-based observation

Variations in the high-latitude ionosphere structure during March 22, 1979 geomagnetic storm are examined. Electron density Ne and temperature Te from the Cosmos-900 satellite, NmF2, Ne and He⁺ from the ISS-b satellite, precipitation of soft electrons from the Intercosmos-19 satellite, and the global picture of the auroral electron precipitation from the DMSP, TIROS and P78 satellites are used. These multi-satellite databases allow us to investigate the storm-time variations in the locations of the following ionospheric structures: the day-time cusp, the equatorial boundary of the diffuse auroral precipitation (DPB), the main ionospheric trough (MIT), the day-time trough, the ring ionospheric trough (RIT) and the light ions trough (LIT). The variations in NmF2, Ne, He⁺ and Te in the high-latitude ionosphere for the different local time sectors are analyzed also. The features of the high-latitude ionospheric response to a strong magnetic storm are described.     

Longitudinal variations of the ionospheric trough position

For the first time a comprehensive pattern of the longitudinal effect of the ionospheric trough position was obtained. We present new results with longitudinal variations of the winter trough position as a function of geomagnetic latitude for both hemispheres and conditions of high and low solar activity and all local time hours. We used a large observational data set obtained onboard the Kosmos-900, Interkosmos-19 and CHAMP satellites for quiet geomagnetic conditions. We found that a magnitude of the trough position longitudinal effect averaged for a fixed local time is greater in the daytime (6–8°) than in the nighttime (3–5°). The longitudinal effect magnitude reaches its maximum (16°) in the morning (at 08 LT) in the Southern hemisphere at high solar activity. But on certain days at any solar activity the longitudinal effect magnitude can reach 9–10° even at night. The shape of the longitudinal effect was found to differ significantly in two hemispheres. In the Northern hemisphere the trough is usually closest to the pole in the eastern (American) longitudinal sector, and in the Southern hemisphere the trough is closest in the western (Eurasian) longitudinal sector. The magnitude and shape of the longitudinal effect is also different during low and high solar activity. The Global Self-consistent Model of the Thermosphere, Ionosphere, and Protonosphere (GSM TIP) simulations demonstrate that during low solar activity, the longitudinal variations of the daytime trough position is mainly determined by longitudinal variations of the ionization function, formed due to the longitudinal variations in the solar zenith angle and the atomic oxygen density distribution. The longitudinal variations of the nighttime trough position is formed by the longitudinal variations in ionization of precipitating auroral particles, neutral atmosphere composition, and electric field.