The ionospheric effects in D-layer and solar proton precipitation zones during the 16 February 1984 event

Abstract

The results of the geophysical and VLF (10–16 kHz) radio propagation measurements on the net of observatories during the solar proton event on 16 February 1984 are analysed. It is shown that the abnormal ionization region caused by solar protons consisted of two parts. One of them was the direct access zone in the middle and morning side of the polar cap, the other was the precipitation region of the quasi-trapped particles in the mid-day and evening sectors of the auroral zone. The probable profiles of the lower ionosphere electron density are determined from the VLF and satellite data of the energetic spectra at the maximum penetration. It is shown that the effective electron concentration at the height ∼45 km was close to ∼10 3 cm −3.