Supertyphoon Hagibis action in the ionosphere on 6–13 October 2019: Results from multi-frequency multiple path sounding at oblique incidence

Abstract

The purpose of the present paper is to describe the observations of the variations in the parameters of HF radio waves propagating through the ionosphere when the action of the super typhoon Hagibis on 6–13 October 2019 occurred. The observations have been made with the Harbin Engineering University (the People's Republic of China) multi-frequency multiple path radio system involving the software-defined technology. The action of the super typhoon has been shown to be accompanied by enhanced atmospheric wave activity acting to generate wave processes with periods of 10 to 120 min. Coupling in the atmosphere–upper-atmosphere–ionosphere system has been confirmed to be carried out with atmospheric gravity waves. The ionosphere underwent the greatest impact on those days when the supertyphoon had maximum energy, on 8, 10, and especially 9 October 2019, and when it was found to be in an ∼2,500–3,000-km distance range from the propagation path midpoints. Under the action of wave processes, the height of the reflection region was observed to oscillate within the ±(30–90 km) limits. The amplitude of the quasi-periodic variations in the ionospheric F-region electron density was estimated to be 10–12% for periods of ∼20 min, and 30–60% for periods of ∼60–120 min. The joint action of the dusk terminator and the supertyphoon has been confirmed to enhance wave activity in the ionosphere. Similar effects for the dawn terminator have not been detected.