Solar Cycle-Modulated Deformation of the Earth–Ionosphere Cavity

The Earth–ionosphere cavity resonator is occupied primarily by the electromagnetic radiation of lightning below 100 Hz. The phenomenon is known as Schumann resonances (SR). SR intensity is an excellent indicator of lightning activity and its distribution on global scales. However, long-term measurements from high latitude SR stations revealed a pronounced in-phase solar cycle modulation of SR intensity seemingly contradicting optical observations of lightning from satellite, which do not show any significant solar cycle variation in the intensity and spatial distribution of lightning activity on the global scale. The solar cycle-modulated local deformation of the Earth–ionosphere cavity by the ionization of energetic electron precipitation (EEP) has been suggested as a possible phenomenon that may account for the observed long-term modulation of SR intensity. Precipitating electrons in the energy range of 1–300 keV can affect the Earth–ionosphere cavity resonator in the altitude range of about 70–110 km and modify the SR intensities. However, until now there was no direct evidence documented in the literature supporting this suggestion. In this paper we present long-term SR intensity records from eight stations, each equipped with a pair of induction coil magnetometers: five high latitude (|lat| > 60°), two mid-high latitude (50° < |lat| < 60°) and one low latitude (|lat| < 30°). These long-term, ground-based SR intensity records are compared on the annual and interannual timescales with the fluxes of precipitating 30–300 keV medium energy electrons provided by the POES NOAA-15 satellite and on the daily timescale with electron precipitation events identified using a SuperDARN radar in Antarctica. The long-term variation of the Earth–ionosphere waveguide’s effective height, as inferred from its cutoff frequency, is independently analyzed based on spectra recorded by the DEMETER satellite. It is shown that to account for all our observations one needs to consider both the effect of solar X-rays and EEP which modify the quality factor of the cavity and deform it dominantly over low- and high latitudes, respectively. Our results suggest that SR measurements should be considered as an alternative tool for collecting information about and thus monitoring changes in the ionization state of the lower ionosphere associated with EEP.

Solar Cycle

The Sun’s magnetic field drives the solar wind and produces space weather. It also acts as the prototype for an understanding of other stars and their planetary environments. Plasma motions in the solar interior provide the dynamo action that generates the solar magnetic field. At the solar surface, this is evident as an approximately 11-year cycle in the number and position of visible sunspots. This solar cycle is manifest in virtually all observable solar parameters, from the occurrence of the smallest detected magnetic features on the Sun to the size of the bubble in interstellar space that is carved out by the solar wind. Moderate to severe space-weather effects show a strong solar cycle variation. However, it is a matter of debate whether extreme space-weather follows from the 11-year cycle. Each 11-year solar cycle is actually only half of a solar magnetic “Hale” cycle, with the configuration of the Sun’s large-scale magnetic field taking approximately 22 years to repeat. At the start of a new solar cycle, sunspots emerge at mid-latitude regions with an orientation that opposes the dominant large-scale field, leading to an erosion of the polar fields. As the cycle progresses, sunspots emerge at lower latitudes. Around solar maximum, the polar field polarity reverses, but the sunspot orientation remains the same, leading to a build-up of polar field strength that peaks at the start of the next cycle. Similar magnetic cyclicity has recently been inferred at other stars.

Trends in the Airglow Temperatures in the MLT Region—Part 1: Model Simulations

Airglow intensity-weighted temperature variations induced by the CO2 increase, solar cycle variation (F10.7 as a proxy) and geomagnetic activity (Ap index as a proxy) in the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (MLT) region were simulated to quantitatively assess their influences on airglow temperatures. Two airglow models, MACD-00 and OHCD-00, were used to simulate the O(1S) greenline, O2(0,1) atmospheric band, and OH(8,3) airglow temperature variations induced by these influences to deduce the trends. Our results show that all three airglow temperatures display a linear trend of ~−0.5 K/decade, in response to the increase of CO2 gas concentration. The airglow temperatures were found to be highly correlated with Ap index, and moderately correlated with F10.7, with the OH temperature showing an anti-correlation. The F10.7 and Ap index trends were found to be ~−0.7 ± 0.28 K/100SFU and ~−0.1 ± 0.02 K/nT in the OH temperature, 4.1 ± 0.7 K/100SFU and ~0.6 ± 0.03 K/nT in the O2 temperature and ~2.0 ± 0.6 K/100SFU and ~0.4 ± 0.03 K/nT in the O1S temperature. These results indicate that geomagnetic activity can have a rather significant effect on the temperatures that had not been looked at previously.

Solar cycle variation of simple and complex active regions

<p>Solar active regions (ARs) emerge on the Sun’s photosphere and they frequently produce flares and coronal mass ejections which are among major space weather drivers. Therefore, studying ARs can improve space weather forecast.</p><p>The Mount Wilson Classification has been used since 1919 in order to group groups ARs according to their magnetic structures. In this study, we investigated the magnetic classification of 4797 ARs and their cyclic variation, using our daily approach for the period of January 1996 to December 2018.</p><p>We show that the monthly number of the simple ARs (SARs) attained their maximum during first peak of the solar cycle, whereas more complex ARs (CARs) reached their maximum roughly two years later, during the second peak of the cycle. We also demonstrate that the total abundance of CARs is very similar during a period of four years around their maximum number. We also studied the latitudinal distributions of SARs and CAR in northern and southern solar hemispheres and show that the independent of the complexity type, the distributions are the same in both hemispheres.</p><p>Furthermore, we investigated the earlier claim of increase in number of CARs due to the decrease in ARs latitudinal band. Here we show that, contrary to this claim, CARs attained their maximum number before the latitudinal band started to decrease in both northern and southern hemispheres.</p>

Impact of solar cycle variation of UV radiation in the Northern Hemisphere winter polar troposphere

<p>Solar cycle (SC) induces variations in the UV radiation. The UV variations change the ozone production rate in the middle atmosphere. Responses to the SC-induced variations occur mainly in the equatorial upper stratosphere and the lower mesosphere. It has been reported that zonal mean temperature difference is 1--2 K between solar maximum and minimum. The temperature variation in the equatorial upper stratosphere modifies the meridional temperature gradient between the equatorial region and winter polar region. Change in the temperature gradient induces difference in the strength of the stratospheric polar vortex, which accompanies change in poleward meridional mass circulations and as a result change in the horizontal distribution of the sea-level pressure (SLP) in the winter polar region. In the present study, this mechanism of SC-induced SLP variations in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) winter polar regions is examined using an idealized whole-atmosphere general circulation model. This global model covers from the ground to the lower thermosphere and includes gravity wave drag parameterization and realistic topography. This idealized model is driven by the zonally-averaged radiative equilibrium temperature, but it nevertheless simulates quite realistically atmospheric variabilities such as sudden stratospheric warmings and quasi-biennial oscillations. Perpetual January simulations for solar maximum and minimum show that this idealized model can reproduce the negative SLP anomaly in the NH polar regions in solar maximum, but the magnitude of the anomaly is weak compared with reanalysis studies. Mechanisms of this SLP anomaly are examined through planetary wave dynamics and gravity-wave processes.</p>