Abstract
Abstract. A severe meteorological storm system on the frontal border of cyclone Fabienne passing above central Europe was observed on 23–24 September 2018. Large meteorological systems are considered to be important sources of the wave-like variability visible/detectable through the atmosphere and even up to ionospheric heights. Significant departures from regular courses of atmospheric and ionospheric parameters were detected in all analyzed datasets through atmospheric heights. Above Europe, stratospheric temperature and wind significantly changed in coincidence with fast frontal transition (100–110 km h−1). Zonal wind at 1 and 0.1 hPa changes from the usual westward before the storm to eastward after the storm. With this change are connected changes in temperature where at 1 hPa the analyzed area is colder and at 0.1 hPa warmer. Within ionospheric parameters, we have detected significant wave-like activity occurring shortly after the cold front crossed the observational point. During the storm event, both by Digisonde DPS-4D and continuous Doppler sounding equipment, we have observed strong horizontal plasma flow shears and time-limited increase plasma flow in both the northern and western components of ionospheric drift. The vertical component of plasma flow during the storm event is smaller with respect to the corresponding values on preceding days. The analyzed event of an exceptionally fast cold front of cyclone Fabienne fell into the recovery phase of a minor–moderate geomagnetic storm observed as a negative ionospheric storm at European mid-latitudes. Hence, ionospheric observations consist both of disturbances induced by moderate geomagnetic storms and effects originating in convective activity in the troposphere. Nevertheless, taking into account a significant change in the global circulation pattern in the stratosphere, we conclude that most of the observed wave-like oscillations in the ionosphere during the night of 23–24 September can be directly attributed to the propagation of atmospheric waves launched on the frontal border (cold front) of cyclone Fabienne. The frontal system acted as an effective source of atmospheric waves propagating upward up to the ionosphere.
Highlights
The ionosphere is a highly variable system that is influenced by solar and geomagnetic activity from above and lower-laying atmospheric phenomena from below
Ionospheric variability is observed on a wide-scale range from minutes, or even shorter, up to scales of the solar cycle and secular variations of solar energy input
This paper focuses on a wide range of ionospheric forcing and corresponding ionospheric variability detected in principle within total electron content (TEC) and F2-layer critical frequency foF2
Summary
The ionosphere is a highly variable system that is influenced by solar and geomagnetic activity from above and lower-laying atmospheric phenomena from below. Within COSMIC GPS data, Yang and Liu (2016) found a significant peak in radio occultation scintillation events during the passage of tropical cyclone Tembin in 2012 during quiet geomagnetic or solar activity and attributed the observed effect to the gravity waves generated in the lower atmosphere by the cyclone. The importance of involvement of the lower atmosphere in ionospheric variability studies in order to accurately capture smaller-scale features of the upper atmosphere response even to the geomagnetic storms is demonstrated by Pedatella and Liu (2018). The evidence of lower atmosphere forcing is clearly demonstrated in the day-to-day ionospheric variability (known as an ionospheric anomaly) during low and stable solar and geomagnetic activity during subsequent days. Ionospheric parameters (e.g., electron concentration or height of ionospheric layers) on such scales are influenced by a combination of meteorologic activity and solar/geomagnetic forcing. The data used for interpretation of the Fabienne event and related disturbances in stratospheric and ionospheric heights cover the time interval 20–27 September 2018
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