Spatial and Temporal Response of Equatorial Ionization Anomaly to the 17 March 2015 Storm from Global Ionosphere Map

Abstract

The responses of Equatorial Ionosphere Anomaly (EIA) to the storm occurred on 17 March 2015 were studied using Global Ionosphere Map (GIM). The variations of Total Electron Content (TEC), latitudinal TEC gradients and the rate of latitudinal TEC gradients in EIA regions were investigated in 75°E, 110°E and -60°E longitudinal sectors. The results from the GIM data showed that the distributions of the latitudinal gradient of TEC became monotonous in three longitudes on 18 March (the first day of the recovery phase), but the variations were different. On 18 March, the magnitudes of latitudinal gradients decreased in spatial and temporal in 75°E and 110°E, which means the EIA was suppressed during the recovery phase of the storm, especially in 110°E. The magnitudes of latitudinal TEC gradients showed an obvious increase in spatial and temporal in -60°E. The SAMI2 reproduced the suppression of EIA with a disturbance dynamo electric field, which indicated that the physical process controlled the behaviors of the plasma during the recovery phase of the storm.