Space Weather Effects on the Earth’s Upper Atmosphere: Short Report on Ionospheric Storm Effects at Middle Latitudes

Ioanna Tsagouri

doi:10.3390/atmos13020346

Abstract

During geomagnetic storm events, the highly variable solar wind energy input in the magnetosphere significantly alters the structure of the Earth’s upper atmosphere through the interaction of the ionospheric plasma with atmospheric neutrals. A key element of the ionospheric storm-time response is considered to be the large-scale increases and decreases in the peak electron density that are observed globally to formulate the so-called positive and negative ionospheric storms, respectively. Mainly due to their significant impact on the reliable performance of technological systems, ionospheric storms have been extensively studied in recent decades, and cumulated knowledge and experience have been assigned to their understanding. Nevertheless, ionospheric storms constitute an important link in the complex chain of solar-terrestrial relations. In this respect, any new challenge introduced in the field by a better understanding of the geospace environment, new modeling and monitoring capabilities and/or new technologies and requirements also introduces new challenges for the interpretation of ionospheric storms. This paper attempts a brief survey of present knowledge on the fundamental aspects of large-scale ionospheric storm time response at middle latitudes. Further attention is paid to the results obtained regarding the critical role that solar wind conditions which trigger disturbances may play on the morphology and the occurrence of ionospheric storm effects.

Highlights

The Earth’s ionosphere is the ionized part of the upper atmosphere, extending from about 60 km to 1000 km altitude imbedded in the neutral atmosphere
Wang et al [42] reported that the Coupled Magnetosphere Ionosphere Thermosphere (CMIT) model was not sufficiently able to reproduce the F2 peak electron density variations observed during the corotating interaction regions (CIRs) events that occurred during the Whole Heliosphere Interval in 2008 (Day of Year 50–140)
This paper attempts to provide a brief survey of knowledge on ionospheric storms, with the emphasis on the ionospheric effects at middle latitudes and the F region

Summary

Introduction

The Earth’s ionosphere is the ionized part of the upper atmosphere, extending from about 60 km to 1000 km altitude imbedded in the neutral atmosphere. A key element of the ionospheric response to geomagnetic storm events comes in the form of disturbances in the peak electron density (NmF2) and column density (i.e., the total electron content—TEC): largescale increases and decreases in the two parameters are observed globally to formulate the so-called positive and negative ionospheric storms, respectively. Both the origin and the occurrence of the ionospheric storms have been subject to many studies during recent decades. The paper is structured as follows: materials and methods used in the analysis are presented in Section 2, while the results are provided in Section 3, and are further discussed in Section 4, together with some suggestive concluding remarks

Materials and Methods

Ionospheric Storms—Morphology and Background Mechanisms

On the Occurrence of the Ionospheric Storm Effects

Discussion and Conclusive