Combining Swarm Langmuir probe observations, LEO-POD-based and ground-based GNSS receivers and ionosondes for prompt detection of ionospheric earthquake and tsunami signatures: case study of 2015 Chile-Illapel event.

The study investigates ionospheric electric field responses to the earthquake (EQ) of magnitude 8.3, and to the related seismic activity and tsunami triggered by the mainshock in Chile-Illapel region, at 22:54 UTC, in the evening of 16.09.2015. The work is a wider review of available ground and satellite data and techniques available in detection of seismically induced traveling ionospheric disturbances (TID) and irregularities of smaller scale. The data used in the experiment includes several types of ground and satellite observations from low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The number of techniques applied here is also extended and includes spectral analysis of LEO along-track data and composed analysis of ground GNSS data. The timeframe of the analyses is focused on 16.09 and 17.09.2015, but also extended to several adjacent days, where an enhanced seismic activity has been recorded. Several examples of seismically triggered TIDs are shown, as detected by combined observations from more than one source and with the application of different methods, including spectral analysis. These disturbances occur before the mainshock, just after, or in time following this large EQ, and can be found in close neighborhood of Chile-Illapel or far away from the epicenter. The objective of the work was to demonstrate increasing number of available data and techniques, which can be limited when applied alone, but their combination can provide many advantages in the analysis of seismically disturbed ionosphere. The combination of LEO satellite data reaching all regions of the globe with local, but dense ground-based GNSS data and ionospheric HF sounders looks promising, especially in view of nearby availability of CubeSat constellations equipped with instruments for ionosphere sounding. An important conclusion coming from the study is a need for spectral analysis techniques in the processing of LEO along-track data and requirement of the validation of LEO observations with separate LEO data or ground-based data. A general, but key finding refers to the complementarities of different observations of ionospheric electric field, which is critically important in case of analyzing ionospheric irregularities in the extended and composed ionosphere, especially if not every sounding direction can successfully find it.

Longitudinal variations of noontime thermospheric winds in response to IMF Bz temporal oscillations: broken mean circulation and standing feature

By using the coupled magnetosphere-thermosphere-ionosphere model, we explore the longitudinal/UT dependences of the dayside neutral wind in response to the 60 min periodic oscillation of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz. The southward propagation of the traveling atmospheric disturbances (TADs) in meridional wind stands at about 20º MLat, which is related to the geomagnetic field configuration, neutral temperature, and electron density changes. The meridional wind travels continuously from high to low latitude in the western southern hemisphere, with several sudden changes in the wave phase along the propagation direction. The broken mean circulation that is induced by the interaction between TADs and simultaneous responses of the meridional winds driven by oscillating solar wind conditions is induced by the stronger roles of the ion drag than the pressure gradient. Note here that the mean circulation is the background meridional winds in the base case with the IMF Bz setting to zero in the CMIT model. The ion drag shows obvious longitudinal differences associated with the penetration of the ionospheric electric field during the oscillation of IMF Bz.

Longitudinal variations of noontime thermospheric winds in response to IMF Bz temporal oscillations: broken mean circulation and standing feature

By using the coupled magnetosphere-thermosphere-ionosphere model, we explore the longitudinal/UT differences of the dayside neutral wind in response to the 60 min periodic oscillation of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz. The southward propagation of the traveling atmospheric disturbances (TADs) in meridional wind stands at about 20º MLat, which is related to the geomagnetic field configuration, neutral temperature, and electron density changes. The meridional wind travels continuously from high to low latitude in the western southern hemisphere, while they are broken into pieces in the eastern southern hemisphere. The broken mean circulation that is a combined effect of TADs and simultaneous responses of the meridional winds driven by oscillating solar wind conditions is induced by the stronger roles of the ion drag than the pressure gradient. Note here that the mean circulation is the background meridional winds in the base case. The ion drag shows obvious longitudinal differences associated with the penetration of the ionospheric electric field during the oscillation of IMF Bz.

Longitudinal variations of noontime thermospheric winds in response to IMF Bz temporal oscillations: broken mean circulation and standing feature

By using coupled magnetosphere-thermosphere-ionosphere model, we explore the longitudinal/UT differences of the dayside neutral wind in response to the 60 min periodic oscillation of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz. The southward propagation of the travelling atmospheric disturbances (TADs) in meridional wind stands at about 20º MLat, which is related to the geomagnetic field configuration, neutral temperature and electron density changes. The meridional wind travels continuously from high to low latitude in the western southern hemisphere, while they are broken into pieces in the eastern southern hemisphere. The broken mean circulation that is a combined effect of TADs and simultaneous responses of the meridional winds driven by oscillating solar wind conditions is induced by the stronger roles of the ion drag than the pressure gradient. Note here that the mean circulation is the background meridional winds in the base case. The ion drag shows obvious longitudinal differences associated with the penetration of the ionospheric electric field during the oscillation of IMF Bz.

Longitudinal Variations of Noontime Thermospheric Winds in Response to IMF Bz Temporal Oscillations: Broken Mean Circulation and Standing Feature

By using coupled magnetosphere-thermosphere-ionosphere model, we explore the longitudinal/UT differences of the dayside neutral wind in response to the 60 min periodic oscillation of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz. The southward propagation of the travelling atmospheric disturbances (TADs) in meridional wind stands at about 20º MLat, which is related to the geomagnetic field configuration, neutral temperature and electron density changes. The meridional wind travels continuously from high to low latitude in the western southern hemisphere, while they are broken into pieces in the eastern southern hemisphere. The broken mean circulation is induced by the stronger roles of the ion drag than the pressure gradient. The ion drag shows obvious longitudinal differences associated with the penetration of the ionospheric electric field during the oscillation of IMF Bz.