Responses of equatorial plasma bubbles during geomagnetic storm of October 2016 observed by Beidou GEO TEC observations

Abstract

The development and evolution of equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) have complex behavior during geomagnetic storms. In this study, the Beidou GEO TEC observations from the both low-and-middle latitudinal and equatorial longitudinal GNSS chains were utilized to reveal the responses of EPB in East Hemisphere during the geomagnetic storm of October 2016. The EPBs underwent different variations between the period of quiet and disturbed geomagnetic activity. The generation of EPBs had been enhanced at the main phase of geomagnetic storm when EPBs were induced around sunrise. However, during the geomagnetic recovery phase, the EPBs were totally suppressed, no EPBs were found during those period. Furthermore, the observations from SWARM and ionosnode were used to examine the development and evolution EPBs during the major geomagnetic storm of October 2016. The similar and differences between those observations were analyzed, and the responses of EPBs for geomagnetic storm were discussed.