Effects of space weather on the ionosphere and LEO satellites’ orbital trajectory in equatorial,low and middle latitude

We study the effects of space weather on the ionosphere and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites’ orbital trajectory in equatorial, low- and mid-latitude (EQL, LLT and MLT) regions during (and around) the notable storms of October/November, 2003. We briefly review space weather effects on the thermosphere and ionosphere to demonstrate that such effects are also latitude-dependent and well established. Following the review we simulate the trend in variation of satellite’s orbital radius (r), mean height (h) and orbit decay rate (ODR) during 15 October–14 November 2003 in EQL, LLT and MLT. Nominal atmospheric drag on LEO satellite is usually enhanced by space weather or solar-induced variations in thermospheric temperature and density profile. To separate nominal orbit decay from solar-induced accelerated orbit decay, we compute $r\text{,}h$ and ODR in three regimes viz. (i) excluding solar indices (or effect), where $r=r_0\text{,}h=h_0$ and $\mathit{ODR}={\mathit{ODR}}_0$ (ii) with mean value of solar indices for the interval, where $r=r_m\text{,}h=h_m$ and $\mathit{ODR}={\mathit{ODR}}_m$ and (iii) with actual daily values of solar indices for the interval ($r\text{,}h$ and ODR). For a typical LEO satellite at h?=?450?km, we show that the total decay in r during the period is about 4.20?km, 3.90?km and 3.20?km in EQL, LLT and MLT respectively; the respective nominal decay ($r_0$) is 0.40?km, 0.34?km and 0.22?km, while solar-induced orbital decay ($r_m$) is about 3.80?km, 3.55?km and 2.95?km. h also varied in like manner. The respective nominal ${\mathit{ODR}}_0$ is about 13.5?m/day, 11.2?m/day and 7.2?m/day, while solar-induced ${\mathit{ODR}}_m$ is about 124.3?m/day, 116.9?m/day and 97.3?m/day. We also show that severe geomagnetic storms can increase ODR by up to 117% (from daily mean value). However, the extent of space weather effects on LEO Satellite’s trajectory significantly depends on the ballistic co-efficient and orbit of the satellite, and phase of solar cycles, intensity and duration of driving (or influencing) solar event.     

Seismo ionospheric anomalies in Turkey associated with Mw ≥ 6.0 earthquakes detected by GPS stations and GIM TEC

Earthquake (EQ) anomalies in the form of enhancement and depletion in ionospheric Total Electron Content (TEC) from Global Positioning System (GPS) may considerably alarm about short and long term precursors of the impending main shock. In this paper, TEC anomalies are investigated from permanent GPS ground-stations in Turkey associated to M_w ≥ 6.0 EQs occurred in 2011–2012. Temporal and spatial analyses of TEC at 2 h sampling have shown significant evidences about EQ induced ionospheric anomalies during 10–14 h of UT (Universal Time) within 5 days before M_w 6.0 Greece, and M_w 7.1, Turkish EQ. Spatial analyses have manifested arrival of TEC anomalies at UT = 10 h to epicenter of both EQs, which linger above epicenter during UT = 12–14 h and left seismogenic zone after UT = 14 h before every EQ during K_p < 3 and Dst = 0 nT. Meanwhile, a geomagnetic storm (Dst < -100 nT) induce perturbation two days after the M_w 7.1 Turkish EQ, showing no relation with epicenter during spatial analysis. It also shows that TEC can be useful to distinguish geomagnetic storm variations to successfully detect EQ precursors. These anomalies during quiet storm (K_p < 3; Dst = 0 nT) conditions may be effective to link the lithosphere and ionosphere in severe seismic zones to detect EQ precursors before future EQs. Interpretation of TEC anomalies and it enhancements over EQ epicenters during UT = 12–14 h for both EQs have shown that EQs anomalies only occurred in particular time. Whereas, geomagnetic storm effect occurred during whole abnormal day over the Earth.     

Vertical plasma transport in the ionosphere over Irkutsk during St. Patrick’s Day geomagnetic storm: Observations and modeling

The St. Patrick’s Day storm being the strongest geomagnetic storm of Solar Cycle 24 caused strong changes in ionospheric and thermospheric dynamics. The paper presents a study of vertical plasma transport in the ionosphere during the St. Patrick’s Day storm with using both observations and modeling. The observations give the ionospheric peak height obtained with the chirp vertical sounding ionosonde and the neutral wind velocities obtained with the Fabry-Perot interferometer. The ionospheric peak height is an indicator of the total vertical plasma transport, while meridional wind and electromagnetic drift are the two main drivers of the vertical plasma transport. The Global Self-consistent Model of the Thermosphere, Ionosphere, and Protonosphere used in this study gives the total set of ionospheric and thermospheric parameters including F2-layer peak height, neutral wind velocities, electric field, and neutral composition. The model/data comparison allows us to obtain two main results. The first one is an estimation of the model prediction possibilities under storm conditions. The second result is an indirect assessment of the neutral wind and electric field contribution into the changes in the ionospheric peak height in the case of the St. Patrick’s Day geomagnetic storm.     

Comparison of GPS-TEC measurements with NeQuick2 and IRI model predictions in the low latitude East African region during varying solar activity period (1998 and 2008–2015)

This paper examines the performances of NeQuick2, the latest available IRI-2016, IRI-2012 and IRI-2007 models in describing the monthly and seasonal mean total electron content (TEC) over the East African region. This is to gain insight into the success of the various model types and versions at characterizing the ionosphere within the equatorial ionization anomaly. TEC derived from five Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers installed at Addis Ababa (ADD, 5.33°N, 111.99°E Geog.), Asab (ASAB, 8.67°N, 116.44°E Geog.), Ambo (ABOO, 5.43°N, 111.05°E Geog.), Nairobi (RCMN, ?4.48°N, 108.46°E Geog.) and Nazret (NAZR, 4.78°N, 112.43°E Geog.), are compared with the corresponding values computed using those models during varying solar activity period (1998 and 2008–2015). We found that different models describe the equatorial and anomaly region ionosphere best depending on solar cycle, season and geomagnetic activity levels. Our results show that IRI-2016 is the best model (compared to others in terms of discrepancy range) in estimating the monthly mean GPS-TEC at NAZR, ADD and RCMN stations except at ADD during 2008 and 2012. It is also found that IRI-2012 is the best model in estimating the monthly mean TEC at ABOO station in 2014. IRI show better agreement with observations during June solstice for all the years studied at ADD except in 2012 where NeQuick2 better performs. At NAZR, NeQuick2 better performs in estimating seasonal mean GPS-TEC during 2011, while IRI models are best during 2008–2009. Both NeQuick2 and IRI models underestimate measured TEC for all the seasons at ADD in 2010 but overestimate at NAZR in 2009 and RCMN in 2008. The periodic variations of experimental and modeled TEC have been compared with solar and geomagnetic indices at ABOO and ASAB in 2014 and results indicate that the F10.7 and sunspot number as indices of solar activity seriously affects the TEC variations with periods of 16–32?days followed by the geomagnetic activity on shorter timescales (roughly periods of less than 16?days). In this case, NeQuick2 derived TEC shows better agreement with a long term period variations of GPS-TEC, while IRI-2016 and IRI-2007 show better agreement with observations during short term periodic variations. This indicates that the dependence of NeQuick2 derived TEC on F10.7 is seasonal. Hence, we suggest that representation of geomagnetic activity indices is required for better performance over the low latitude region.     

Case study of inclined sporadic E layers in the Earth’s ionosphere observed by CHAMP/GPS radio occultations: Coupling between the tilted plasma layers and internal waves

We have used the radio occultation (RO) satellite data CHAMP/GPS (Challenging Minisatellite Payload/Global Positioning System) for studying the ionosphere of the Earth. A method for deriving the parameters of ionospheric structures is based upon an analysis of the RO signal variations in the phase path and intensity. This method allows one to estimate the spatial displacement of a plasma layer with respect to the ray perigee, and to determine the layer inclination and height correction values. In this paper, we focus on the case study of inclined sporadic E (E_s) layers in the high-latitude ionosphere based on available CHAMP RO data. Assuming that the internal gravity waves (IGWs) with the phase-fronts parallel to the ionization layer surfaces are responsible for the tilt angles of sporadic plasma layers, we have developed a new technique for determining the parameters of IGWs linked with the inclined E_s structures. A small-scale internal wave may be modulating initially horizontal E_s layer in height and causing a direction of the plasma density gradient to be rotated and aligned with that of the wave propagation vector k. The results of determination of the intrinsic wave frequency and period, vertical and horizontal wavelengths, intrinsic vertical and horizontal phase speeds, and other characteristics of IGWs under study are presented and discussed.     

ISEE-1 and -2 observations of magnetotail flux ropes: FTEs in the plasma sheet?

ISEE-1 and 2 observations from about 20 Re down the near-Earth magnetotail indicate the presence of magnetic flux ropes in the neutral sheet. Magnetic and electric field and fast plasma data show that these structures convect across the spacecraft at speeds of 200–600-km/s, and have scale sizes of roughly 3–5-Re. The rope axis orientation is approximately cross-tail. Their magnetic structure is similar to Venus ionospheric flux ropes, and to flux transfer events at the dayside magnetopause. These structures may arise from patchy reconnection or tearing mode reconnection within the plasma sheet.