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Regional morphology features of electron concentration disturbances at the midlatitude F2-layer maximum during magnetic superstorm of July 15, 2000

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Abstract

Using data from ground-based ionospheric sounding stations, we studied the morphologic features of the disturbance pattern of the electron concentration at the midlatitude F2-layer maximum (NmF2) in the period of a magnetic superstorm, which began on July 15, 2000. In the Southern (winter) Hemisphere in the latitudinal sector, where the main storm phase began after sunrise, negative NmF disturbances were observed at quite high midlatitudes both day and night; whereas large positive NmF disturbances took place at lower midlatitudes in nighttime hours. In the Northern (summer) Hemisphere at latitudes where the main storm phase occurred in the local evening, only long-term negative disturbances were observed in daytime and nighttime hours; whereas at latitudes where the main storm phase began in the afternoon, NmF2 experienced both negative and positive disturbances. Based on analysis of data of KOMPSAT-l, ROCSAT-1, DMSP F13, F14, and F15 satellites, we present clear arguments for the viewpoint of many authors that it is just the enhancement of the eastward electric field in the evening sector that led to formation of the large-scale trough in the nighttime low-latitude upper ionosphere. This field enhancement was due to penetration of the magnetospheric electric field to low latitudes, not to the dynamo action of the disturbed neutral wind. It is also shown that, due to equatorward expansion of the magnetospheric convection system during the main storm phase, the plasmapause and the main ionospheric trough were shifted to a magnetic latitude of 40° (L ∼ 1.7).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radiowave Propagation (IZMIRAN), Russian Academy of Sciences, Troitsk, Russia

    V. P. Kim & V. V. Hegai

  2. Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejon, South Korea

    K. W. Min

  3. Korean Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), Daejon, South Korea

    J. J. Lee

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  1. V. P. Kim
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  2. K. W. Min
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  3. V. V. Hegai
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  4. J. J. Lee
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Correspondence to V. V. Hegai.

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Original Russian Text © V.P. Kim, K.W. Min, V.V. Hegai, J.J. Lee, 2011, published in Geomagnetizm i Aeronomiya, 2011, Vol. 51, No. 2, pp. 257–269.

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Kim, V.P., Min, K.W., Hegai, V.V. et al. Regional morphology features of electron concentration disturbances at the midlatitude F2-layer maximum during magnetic superstorm of July 15, 2000. Geomagn. Aeron. 51, 254–266 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0016793211020083

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