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A Physical Mechanism of Positive Ionospheric Storms

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Aeronomy of the Earth's Atmosphere and Ionosphere

Part of the book series: IAGA Special Sopron Book Series ((IAGA,volume 2))

Abstract

A physical mechanism of the positive ionospheric storms at low and mid latitudes reported recently is reviewed, and comapred with the positive ionospheric storms observed during a super storm. In addition, the possible variations of the mechanism with the strength of the equatorward winds, intensity of prompt penetration electric field (PPEF), local time and season are discussed. According to the mechanism, the mechanical effects of the equatorward wind (1) reduce (or stop) the downward diffusion of plasma along the geomagnetic field lines, (2) raise the ionosphere to high altitudes of reduced chemical loss, and hence (3) accumulate the plasma at altitudes near and above the ionospheric peak centered at ±15°–30° magnetic latitudes. The daytime eastward PPEF, if occurs, also shifts the EIA crests to higher than normal latitudes. The positive ionospheric storms are most likely in the longitudes of morning-noon onset of the geomagnetic storms. The mechanism agrees with the positive ionospheric storms observed during the super storm of 07–08 November 2004.

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Acknowledgments

We thank NICT (Tokyo) for the Yap and Okinawa magnetometer and ionosonde data, Y. Otsuka of STEL (Nagoya University) for the GPS-TEC data, H. Liu of RISH (Kyoto University) for plotting the CHAMP data, and ACE team for the solar wind and IMF data. The CHAMP mission is supported by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in operation, and by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in data processing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Control and Systems Engineering, University of Sheffield, S1 3JD, Sheffield, UK

    Nanan Balan

  2. Department of Applied Mathematics, Sheffield University, Sheffield, UK

    Graham J. Bailey

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  1. Nanan Balan
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Correspondence to Nanan Balan .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Espaciais (INPE), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas, Av. dos Astronautas 1758, São Jose dos Campos, 12227-010, São Paulo, Brazil

    Mangalathayil Ali Abdu

  2. Geophysical Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev St., Sofia, 1113, Bulgaria

    Dora Pancheva

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Balan, N., Bailey, G.J. (2011). A Physical Mechanism of Positive Ionospheric Storms. In: Abdu, M., Pancheva, D. (eds) Aeronomy of the Earth's Atmosphere and Ionosphere. IAGA Special Sopron Book Series, vol 2. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0326-1_36

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