Measurements of the electron content of the ionosphere during some magnetically disturbed periods in winter

Abstract

The ways in which the ionospheric total electron content and equivalent slab thickness are likely to be affected by magnetic disturbances are discussed. Data from lunar radar observations are presented which show that magnetic activity produces a significant decrease of the integrated electron production rate just after dawn, and that certain levels of activity are associated with increased equivalent slab thicknesses during the night. No evidence of any significant change in the integrated loss rate at night is found. Some unusual long period oscillatory variations of the electron content have been observed during the main phase of a disturbance.