Study on the Thermospheric Density Distribution Pattern during Geomagnetic Activity

Abstract

The atmospheric density of the thermosphere is a fundamental parameter for spacecraft launch and orbit control. Under magnetic storm conditions, the thermospheric atmospheric density experiences significant fluctuations, which have a negative impact on spacecraft control. Exploring thermospheric density during geomagnetic storms can help to mitigate the effects of such events. Research on the inversion of accelerometer measurements for different satellites and the variations of atmospheric density under extreme conditions is still in its infancy. In this paper, the distribution of atmospheric density during three geomagnetic storms is investigated from the inversion results of the Swarm-C accelerometer. Three major geomagnetic storms and their recovery phases are selected as case studies. The thermospheric density obtained by Swarm-C is separated into day and night regions. The empirical orthogonal function analysis method is used to study the spatiotemporal distribution of thermospheric density during geomagnetic storms. The results indicate that storms have a more significant impact on nighttime thermospheric density. The impact of magnetic storms on the temporal distribution of thermospheric density is considerable. The first-order empirical orthogonal function (EOF) time coefficient value on the day after the storm is the largest, reaching 2–3 times that before the magnetic storm. The impact of magnetic storms on atmospheric density is mainly reflected in the time distribution. The spatial distribution of atmospheric density is less affected by magnetic storms and is relatively stable in the short term. The impact of magnetic storms on the spatial distribution of nighttime thermospheric density is more significant than that of daytime regions, and the response of daytime regions to magnetic storms is slower.