Relationship between variations in the characteristics of the high-latitude ionosphere and magnetic PC indices

• Published in: Geomagnetism and Aeronomy Vol. 52; no. 3; pp. 344 - 349
• Main Authors: Vovk, V. Ya, Egorova, L. V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht SP MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica 01-05-2012; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aeronomy; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Electrons; foF2; Geomagnetic activity; Geomagnetic data; Geomagnetic field; Geomagnetism; Geophysics/Geodesy; Ionosphere; Ionospheric disturbances; Magnetic fields; Pc index; Seasonal variability; Solar activity; PN, Arctic; Antarctica, East Antarctica, Vostok Stn; Ionospheric Disturbance; Solar Activity Level; Solar Activity; Interplanetary Magnetic Field; High Latitude Ionosphere
• ISSN: 0016-7932; 1555-645X; 0016-7940
• DOI: 10.1134/S0016793212020156

It is shown in a joint analysis of ionospheric vertical sounding data at the arctic Heiss Island and antarctic Vostok stations and the geomagnetic
PC
index, which characterizes the geoefficient component of the interplanetary magnetic field, that, during a disturbed geomagnetic period when
PC
> 2 in years of solar activity (SA) maxima in the winter season, positive phases of ionospheric disturbances are predominantly observed. In the nighttime hours, an increase in the critical
foF
2 frequencies by a factor of 2–3 can occur. In a disturbed geomagnetic period at the
PC
> 1.5 level in the summer season, negative phases of ionospheric disturbances are mainly observed. In years of maximum and moderate SA, the decrease in
foF
2, as compared to their median values, happens at night (∼30%). In years of low SA, the decrease value is much lower. At a substantial decrease in the
PC
index level, in the region of the geomagnetic pole at the Vostok station, in some cases, a substantial increase in the electron density level in the
F
region occurs with a delay of 0.5 h. At the same time, a significant correlation (
r
= −0.57) is observed between variations in the
PC
index and
foF
2.