The nighttime ionospheric response and occurrence of equatorial plasma irregularities during geomagnetic storms: a case study

Recent studies revealed that the long-lasting daytime ionospheric enhancements of Total Electron Content (TEC) were sometimes observed in the Asian sector during the recovery phase of geomagnetic storms (e.g., Lei (J Geophys Res Space Phys 123: 3217–3232, 2018), Li (J Geophys Res Space Phys 125: e2020JA028238, 2020). However, they focused only on the dayside ionosphere, and no dedicated studies have been performed to investigate the nighttime ionospheric behavior during such kinds of storm recovery phases. In this study, we focused on two geomagnetic storms that happened on 7–8 September 2017 and 25–26 August 2018, which showed the prominent daytime TEC enhancements in the Asian sector during their recovery phases, to explore the nighttime large-scale ionospheric responses as well as the small-scale Equatorial Plasma Irregularities (EPIs). It is found that during the September 2017 storm recovery phase, the nighttime ionosphere in the American sector is largely depressed, which is similar to the daytime ionospheric response in the same longitude sector; while in the Asian sector, only a small TEC increase is observed at nighttime, which is much weaker than the prominent daytime TEC enhancement in this longitude sector. During the recovery phase of the August 2018 storm, a slight TEC increase is observed on the night side at all longitudes, which is also weaker than the prominent daytime TEC enhancement. For the small-scale EPIs, they are enhanced and extended to higher latitudes during the main phase of both storms. However, during the recovery phases of the first storm, the EPIs are largely enhanced and suppressed in the Asian and American sectors, respectively, while no prominent nighttime EPIs are observed during the second storm recovery phase. The clear north–south asymmetry of equatorial ionization anomaly crests during the second storm should be responsible for the suppression of EPIs during this storm. In addition, our results also suggest that the dusk side ionospheric response could be affected by the daytime ionospheric plasma density/TEC variations during the recovery phase of geomagnetic storms, which further modulates the vertical plasma drift and plasma gradient. As a result, the growth rate of post-sunset EPIs will be enhanced or inhibited.

Polar tongue of ionisation during geomagnetic superstorm

During the main phase of geomagnetic storms, large positive ionospheric plasma density anomalies arise at middle and polar latitudes. A prominent example is the tongue of ionisation (TOI), which extends poleward from the dayside storm-enhanced density (SED) anomaly, often crossing the polar cap and streaming with the plasma convection flow into the nightside ionosphere. A fragmentation of the TOI anomaly contributes to the formation of polar plasma patches partially responsible for the scintillations of satellite positioning signals at high latitudes. To investigate this intense plasma anomaly, numerical simulations of plasma and neutral dynamics during the geomagnetic superstorm of 20 November 2003 are performed using the Thermosphere Ionosphere Electrodynamics Global Circulation Model (TIE-GCM) coupled with the statistical parameterisation of high-latitude plasma convection. The simulation results reproduce the TOI features consistently with observations of total electron content and with the results of ionospheric tomography, published previously by the authors. It is demonstrated that the fast plasma uplift, due to the electric plasma convection expanded to subauroral mid-latitudes, serves as a primary feeding mechanism for the TOI anomaly, while a complex interplay between electrodynamic and neutral wind transports is shown to contribute to the formation of a mid-latitude SED anomaly. This contrasts with published simulations of relatively smaller geomagnetic storms, where the impact of neutral dynamics on the TOI formation appears more pronounced. It is suggested that better representation of the high-latitude plasma convection during superstorms is needed. The results are discussed in the context of space weather modelling.

Sub-Auroral and Mid-Latitude GNSS ROTI Performance during Solar Cycle 24 Geomagnetic Disturbed Periods: Towards Storm’s Early Sensing

Geomagnetic storms—triggered by the interaction between Earth’s magnetosphere and interplanetary magnetic field, driven by solar activity—are important for many Earth-bound aspects of life. Serious events may impact the electroenergetic infrastructure, but even weaker storms generate noticeable irregularities in the density of ionospheric plasma. Ionosphere electron density gradients interact with electromagnetic radiation in the radiofrequency domain, affecting sub- and trans-ionospheric transmissions. The main objective of the manuscript is to find key features of the storm-induced plasma density behaviour irregularities in regard to the event’s magnitude and general geomagnetic conditions. We also aim to set the foundations for the mid-latitude ionospheric plasma density now-casting irregularities. In the manuscript, we calculate the GPS+GLONASS-derived rate of TEC (total electron content) index (ROTI) for the meridional sector of 10–20∘ E, covering the latitudes between 40 and 70∘ N. Such an approach reveals equatorward spread of the auroral TEC irregularities reaching down to mid-latitudes. We have assessed the ROTI performance for 57 moderate-to-severe storms that occurred during solar cycle 24 and analyzed their behaviors in regard to the geomagnetic conditions (described by Kp, Dst, AE, Sym-H and PC indices).

Polar tongue of ionisation during geomagnetic superstorm

During the main phase of geomagnetic storms large positive ionospheric plasma density anomalies arise at middle and polar latitudes. A prominent example is the tongue of ionisation (TOI), which extends poleward from the dayside storm-enhanced density (SED) anomaly, often crossing the polar cap and streaming with the plasma convection flow into the nightside ionosphere. A fragmentation of the TOI anomaly contributes to the formation of polar plasma patches partially responsible for the scintillations of satellite positioning signals at high latitudes. To investigate this intense plasma anomaly, numerical simulations of plasma and neutral dynamics during the geomagnetic superstorm of 20 November 2003 are performed using the Thermosphere Ionosphere Electrodynamics Global Circulation Model (TIE-GCM) coupled with the statistical parameterisation of high-latitude plasma convection. The simulation results reproduce the TOI features consistently with observations of total electron content and with the results of ionospheric tomography, published previously by the authors. It is demonstrated that the fast plasma uplift, due to the electric plasma convection expanded to subauroral mid-latitudes, serves as a primary feeding mechanism for the TOI anomaly, while a complex interplay between electrodynamic and neutral wind transports is shown to contribute to the formation of mid-latitude SED anomaly. It is suggested that better representation of the high-latitude plasma convection is needed. The results are discussed in the context of space weather modelling.

Predictability of Ionosphere using Assimilative Empirical Model IRTAM

<p>Real-time assimilative <em>empirical </em>models based on the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) [1], a 3D quiet-time climatology model of the ionospheric plasma density, provide prompt weather specification by adjusting IRI definitions into a better match with the available measurements and geospace activity indicators [2]. The IRI-based Real-Time Assimilative Model (IRTAM) [3] is one of such Real-Time IRI operational ionospheric weather models based on the low-latency sensor inputs from the Global Ionosphere Radio Observatory (GIRO) [4].</p><p>IRTAM leverages predictive properties of the underlying IRI expansion basis formalism [5] that treats dynamics of the ionospheric plasma in terms of its harmonics, both temporal and spatial. It uses Non-linear Error Compensation Technique with Associative Restoration (NECTAR) technique [6] to first detect multi-scale inherent diurnal periodicity of the differences between GIRO measurements and the underlying IRI climatology. Then, under the assumption that variations in time at periodic, planetary-scale <em>Eigen</em> scales (diurnal, half-diurnal, 8-hour, etc.) translate to their spatial properties, it globally interpolates and extrapolates each diurnal harmonic individually. This approach allowed NECTAR to associate observed fragments of the activity at GIRO locations with the unveiling grand-scale weather processes of the matching variability scales, as the ground observatories co-rotate with the Earth.</p><p>Predictive properties of IRTAM are discussed in order to establish the baseline predictability of the ionospheric dynamics that analyzes only the latest 24-hour history of its deviation from the expected behavior. Concepts for the next generation empirical forecast models are outlined that would leverage the same principle of associative restoration to evaluate the geospace activity timeline and its subtle associations with subsequent storm-time behavior of the ionosphere.</p><p><strong>References</strong></p><p>[1] Bilitza, D. (ed.) (1990), International Reference Ionosphere 1990, 155 pages, National Space Science Data Center, NSSDC/WDC-A-R&S 90-22, Greenbelt, Maryland, November 1990.</p><p>[2] Bilitza, D., D. Altadill, V. Truhlik, V. Shubin, I. Galkin, B. Reinisch, and X. Huang (2017), International Reference Ionosphere 2016: From ionospheric climate to real-time weather predictions, Space Weather, 15, 418-429, doi:10.1002/2016SW001593.</p><p>[3] Galkin, I. A., B. W. Reinisch, X. Huang, and D. Bilitza (2012), Assimilation of GIRO Data into a Real-Time IRI, Radio Sci., 47, RS0L07, doi:10.1029/2011RS004952.</p><p>[4] Reinisch, B.W. and I.A. Galkin (2011), Global Ionospheric Radio Observatory (GIRO), Earth Planets Space, vol. 63 no. 4 pp. 377-381, doi:10.5047/eps.2011.03.001</p><p>[5] International Telecommunications Union (2009), ITU-R reference ionospheric characteristics, Recommendation P.1239-2 (10/2009). Retrieved from http://www.itu.int/rec/R-REC-P.1239/en.</p><p>[6] Galkin, I. A., B. W. Reinisch, A. Vesnin, et al., (2020) Assimilation of Sparse Continuous Near-Earth Weather Measurements by NECTAR Model Morphing, Space Weather, 18, e2020SW002463, doi:10.1029/2020SW002463.</p>

Towards Cooperative Global Mapping of the Ionosphere: Fusion Feasibility for IGS and IRI with Global Climate VTEC Maps

Recommendations of the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) Workshop 2017 in Taoyuan City, Taiwan and International GNSS Service (IGS) Workshop 2018 in Wuhan, China included establishment of an ionosphere mapping service that would fuse measurements from two independent sensor networks: IGS permanent GNSS receivers providing the vertical total electron content (VTEC) measurements and ionosondes of the Global Ionosphere Radio Observatory (GIRO) that compute the bottomside vertical profiles of the ionospheric plasma density. Using available GAMBIT software at GIRO, we introduced new VTEC products to its data roster: previously unavailable global average (climate) maps of VTEC and slab thickness based on climatological capabilities of IRI. Incorporation of the VTEC and τ maps into the GAMBIT Explorer environment provided data analysts with nearly 10-year history of the reference average VTEC records and opened access to the GAMBIT toolkit for evaluation and validation of the τ computations. This result is the first step towards establishing an infrastructure and the data workflow to provide GAMBIT users with the low latency and consistent quality and usability of the ionospheric weather-climate specifications. Combination of IGS-provided VTEC and GIRO-provided peak density of F2 layer NmF2 allows ground-based evaluation of the equivalent slab thickness τ, a derived property of the near-Earth plasma that characterizes the skewness of its vertical profile up to the GNSS spacecraft altitudes.

Low-Earth-Orbit observations for space weather and space climate

<p>Many of the modern Low-Earth-Orbiting satellites are now equipped with dual-frequency GPS receivers for Radio Occultation (RO) and Precise Orbit Determination (POD). The space-borne GPS measurements can be successfully utilized for ionospheric climatology and space weather monitoring. The combination of GPS measurements, which include RO observations and POD measurements from the upward-looking GPS antenna, provides information about electron density distribution (profile) below the satellite orbit and an integrated Total Electron Content (TEC) above the satellite representing an important data source for electron density climatology above the F2 layer peak on a global scale. We demonstrate the advantages of using space-borne LEO GPS measurements, both RO and upward-looking, for Space Weather activity monitoring including specification of ionospheric plasma density structures at different altitudinal domains of the ionosphere in quiet and disturbed conditions. After the great success of the COSMIC-1 (Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate) mission operating since 2006, the six COSMIC-2 satellites were launched into a 24 deg inclination orbit in June 2019. The COSMIC-2 scientific payloads with the advanced Tri-GNSS Radio-Occultation Receiver System provide multiple observation types including multi-GNSS TEC (limb and overhead), RO electron density profiles, amplitude/phase scintillation indices, in-situ ion densities and velocities. The COSMIC-2 advanced instruments allow detection of ionospheric plasma density structures of various scales, and the monitoring of high-rate amplitude and phase scintillations both above and below a satellite orbit. The COSMIC-2 multi-instrumental observations will contribute to a better understanding of the equatorial ionosphere morphology and future forecasting of ionospheric irregularities and radio wave scintillations that harmfully affect satellite-to-Earth communication and navigation systems. We present results of post-event analyses for severe space weather events demonstrating a great potential and contribution of the COSMIC-1/2 missions in combination with the ground-based GNSS receivers and other LEO missions like C/NOFS, DMSP, MetOp, TerraSAR-X, and Swarm for monitoring the space weather effects in the Earth’s ionosphere.</p>

Global distribution of persistence of total electron content anomaly

<p>Solar activities can disturb the ionosphere globally and induce ionospheric weather phenomena that transit rapidly through a large area. By contrast, sometimes the ionospheric plasma density can remain high or low over a certain location for a few days, which are difficult to be attributed to solar activities. This study shows the location preference of the positive and negative total electron content (TEC) anomalies persisting continuously longer than 24 hours (cross the two terminators) at middle and low latitudes (within ±60ºN geomagnetic latitudes). The TEC is obtained from the global ionospheric map (GIM) of the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) (ftp://cddis.gsfc.nasa.gov/pub/gps/products/ionex) under the geomagnetic quiet condition of Kp ≤ 3o during the period of 2005–2018. There are a few (less than 4%) TEC anomalies that can persist over 24 hours. The persistence of the positive TEC anomaly along the ring of fire on the western edge of the Pacific Ocean. The high persistence of the TEC anomalies at midlatitudes suggests that thermospheric neutral wind contributes to the anomaly formation. The temporal and spatial anomalies of the ionospheric electric field, atmospheric electric field (flash), atmospheric gravity wave, and neutral wind over the ring of fire should be further examined for explaining whether the persistence of the TEC anomalies associates with lithospheric activities.</p>