Ionospheric TEC Response to Geomagnetic Storms Occurred on 15-20 March 2013 and 2015 over the Eastern Africa Region

Emmanuel Daudi Sulungu; Christian Uiso

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16

| Peer-Reviewed

Ionospheric TEC Response to Geomagnetic Storms Occurred on 15-20 March 2013 and 2015 over the Eastern Africa Region

Emmanuel Daudi Sulungu, Christian Uiso

Published in American Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering (Volume 3, Issue 4)

Received: 12 April 2019 Accepted: 29 May 2019 Published: 13 December 2019

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

In this paper we present characteristics of the ionosphere over eastern Africa region in response to two geomagnetic storms of March 2013 and March 2015 that occurred at the same date and time but with different intensities. Ionospheric TEC has been derived from the IGS network of ground based dual-frequency GPS receivers from four stations, namely Eldoret (0.29°N, 35.29°E), Dodoma (6.19°S, 35.75°E), Malindi (2.99°S, 40.19°E) and Mtwara (10.26°S, 40.17°E) within the Eastern Africa region. The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz and corresponding Dst index, solar wind speed (Vsw) and density (Np) were used to represent the evolution of the storm events. Our results showed that, the behavior of the ionosphere over eastern Africa region during the two geomagnetic storms was similar. During both storms the main phases occurred on 17th of March. However, the main phase of the storm in 2015 had more intensity than that of 2013 but the same duration, and they were followed by a long-duration slow recovery with values that did not return to levels prior to the onset of the storm. The enhancement and reduction of TECv were observed at almost all stations at different times. The results from both storms also show that, there was a pre-reversal enhancement especially at stations that lie close to the equatorial region compared to the stations far from the equatorial region.

Published in	American Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering (Volume 3, Issue 4)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16
Page(s)	103-111
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2019. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Geomagnetic Storm, Total Electron Content (TEC), Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF), Solar Wind

References

[1]	Jain A, Tiwari S, Jain S and Gwal A K, TEC response during severe geomagnetic storms near the crest of equatorial ionization anomaly, Indian J Radio Space Phys, 39 (2010) 11-24.
[2]	Habarulema J B, A contribution to TEC modeling over Southern Africa using GPS data, (Thesis, University of Rhodes, SA), 2010, 65.
[3]	Rathore B S, Gupta C and Parashar K K, Relation between Solar Wind Parameter and Geomagnetic Storm Condition during Cycle-23, Int J Geosc (USA), 5 (2014) 1602.
[4]	D’ujanga F M, Baki P, Olwendo J O and Twinamasiko B F, Total Electron Content of the ionosphere at two stations in East Africa during the 24–25 October 2011 Geomagnetic storm, Adv Space Res (UK), 51 (2013) 712–721.
[5]	Basu S, Basu Su, Rich F J, Groves K M, MacKenzie E, Coker C, Sahai Y, Fagundes P R and Becker-Guedes F, Response of the equatorial ionosphere at dusk to penetration electric fields during intense magnetic storms, J Geophys Res (USA), 112 (2007) A08308.
[6]	Zhao B, Weixing W, Libo L and Tian M, Morphology in the total electron content under geomagnetic disturbed conditions: results from global ionosphere maps. Ann Geophys (France), 25 (2009) 1555–1568.
[7]	Rao P V S R, Krishna S G, Prasad J V, Prasad S N V S, Prasad S V D and Niranjan K, Geomagnetic storm effects on GPS based navigation, Ann Geophys (France), 27 (2009) 2101–2110.
[8]	Ngwira C M, McKinnell L, Cilliers P J and Coster A J, Ionospheric observations during the geomagnetic storm events on 24–27 July 2004: Long-duration positive storm effects, J Geophys Res (USA), 117 (2012) A00L02.
[9]	Simi K G, Manju G, Haridas M K M, Nayar S R P, Pant T K and Alex S, Ionospheric response to a geomagnetic storm during November 8–10, 2004, Earth, Planet Space (Japan), 65 (2013) 343–350.
[10]	Kumar S and Singh A K, GPS derived ionospheric TEC response to geomagnetic storm on 24 August 2005 at Indian low latitude stations, Adv Space Res (UK), 47 (2011) 710–717.
[11]	Maruyama N, Sazykin S, Spiro R W, Anderson D, Anghel A, Wolf R A, Toffoletto F R, Fuller-Rowell T J, Codrescu M V, Richmon A D and Millward G H, Modeling storm-time electrodynamics of the low-latitude ionosphere–thermosphere system: Can long lasting disturbance electric fields be accounted for? J Atmos Sol-Terr Phys (UK), 69 (2007) 1197.
[12]	Adewale A O, Oyeyemi E O, Adeloye A B, Ngwira C M and Athieno R, Responses of equatorial F region to different geomagnetic storms observed by GPS in the African sector, J Geophys Res (USA), 116 (2011) A12319.
[13]	Olwendo J O, Yamazak Y, Cilliers P, Baki P, Ngwira C M and Mito C, A study on the response of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly over the East Africa sector during the geomagnetic storm of November 13, 2012, Adv Space Res (UK), 55 (12) (2015) 2863 -2872.
[14]	Shim J S, Analysis of Total Electron Content (TEC) variations in the low and middle latitude ionosphere, (PhD Thesis, Department of Physics, Utah State University, USA), 2009, 9.
[15]	Zhao B, Wan W, Liu L and Ren Z, Characteristics of the ionospheric total electron content of the equatorial ionization anomaly in the Asian-Australian region during 1996–2004, Ann Geophys (France), 27 (2007) 3861–3873.
[16]	de Siqueira P M, de Paula E R, Muella M T A H, Rezende L F C, Abdu M A and Gonzalez W D, Storm-time total electron content and its response to penetration electric fields over South America, Ann Geophys (France), 29 (2011) 1769.
[17]	Joshua B W, Adeniyi J O, Adimula I A, Oladipo O A, Olawepo O A and Adebiyi S J, Ionospheric response to the storm-time disturbance of 29 May, 2010, Adv Space Res (UK), 53 (2014b) 223.
[18]	Bounsanto M J, Ionospheric storms – a review, Space Sci Rev (Netherlands), 88 (1999) 567.
[19]	Bagiya M S, Joshi H P, Lyer K N, Aggarwal M, Ravindra S and Pathan B M, TEC variations during low solar activity period (2005-2007) near the equatorial ionospheric anomaly crest region in India, Ann Geophys (France), 27 (2009) 1047.
[20]	Jimoh O E, Yesufu T K and Ariyibi E A, Investigation of Ionospheric Response to Geomagnetic Storms over a Low Latitude Station, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, Acta Geophys (Poland), 64 (3) (2016) 772-795.
[21]	Huang C S, Foster J C, Goncharenko L P, Erickson P J, Rideout W and Coster A J, A strong positive phase of ionospheric storms observed by the Millstone Hill incoherent scatter radar and global GPS network, J Geophys Res (USA), 110 (2005) A06303.
[22]	http://seemala.blogspot.com.
[23]	http://wdc.kugi.kyoto-u.ac.jp/.
[24]	http://wdc.kugi.kyoto-u.ac.jp/qddays/index.html.
[25]	http://www.spaceweather.com.
[26]	http://www.srl.caltech.edu/ACE/ASC/level2.
[27]	http://www.unavco.org/.

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Emmanuel Daudi Sulungu, Christian Uiso. (2019). Ionospheric TEC Response to Geomagnetic Storms Occurred on 15-20 March 2013 and 2015 over the Eastern Africa Region. American Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering, 3(4), 103-111. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Emmanuel Daudi Sulungu; Christian Uiso. Ionospheric TEC Response to Geomagnetic Storms Occurred on 15-20 March 2013 and 2015 over the Eastern Africa Region. Am. J. Environ. Sci. Eng. 2019, 3(4), 103-111. doi: 10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Emmanuel Daudi Sulungu, Christian Uiso. Ionospheric TEC Response to Geomagnetic Storms Occurred on 15-20 March 2013 and 2015 over the Eastern Africa Region. Am J Environ Sci Eng. 2019;3(4):103-111. doi: 10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16,
  author = {Emmanuel Daudi Sulungu and Christian Uiso},
  title = {Ionospheric TEC Response to Geomagnetic Storms Occurred on 15-20 March 2013 and 2015 over the Eastern Africa Region},
  journal = {American Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering},
  volume = {3},
  number = {4},
  pages = {103-111},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajese.20190304.16},
  abstract = {In this paper we present characteristics of the ionosphere over eastern Africa region in response to two geomagnetic storms of March 2013 and March 2015 that occurred at the same date and time but with different intensities. Ionospheric TEC has been derived from the IGS network of ground based dual-frequency GPS receivers from four stations, namely Eldoret (0.29°N, 35.29°E), Dodoma (6.19°S, 35.75°E), Malindi (2.99°S, 40.19°E) and Mtwara (10.26°S, 40.17°E) within the Eastern Africa region. The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz and corresponding Dst index, solar wind speed (Vsw) and density (Np) were used to represent the evolution of the storm events. Our results showed that, the behavior of the ionosphere over eastern Africa region during the two geomagnetic storms was similar. During both storms the main phases occurred on 17th of March. However, the main phase of the storm in 2015 had more intensity than that of 2013 but the same duration, and they were followed by a long-duration slow recovery with values that did not return to levels prior to the onset of the storm. The enhancement and reduction of TECv were observed at almost all stations at different times. The results from both storms also show that, there was a pre-reversal enhancement especially at stations that lie close to the equatorial region compared to the stations far from the equatorial region.},
 year = {2019}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Ionospheric TEC Response to Geomagnetic Storms Occurred on 15-20 March 2013 and 2015 over the Eastern Africa Region
AU  - Emmanuel Daudi Sulungu
AU  - Christian Uiso
Y1  - 2019/12/13
PY  - 2019
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16
T2  - American Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering
JF  - American Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering
JO  - American Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering
SP  - 103
EP  - 111
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2578-7993
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16
AB  - In this paper we present characteristics of the ionosphere over eastern Africa region in response to two geomagnetic storms of March 2013 and March 2015 that occurred at the same date and time but with different intensities. Ionospheric TEC has been derived from the IGS network of ground based dual-frequency GPS receivers from four stations, namely Eldoret (0.29°N, 35.29°E), Dodoma (6.19°S, 35.75°E), Malindi (2.99°S, 40.19°E) and Mtwara (10.26°S, 40.17°E) within the Eastern Africa region. The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz and corresponding Dst index, solar wind speed (Vsw) and density (Np) were used to represent the evolution of the storm events. Our results showed that, the behavior of the ionosphere over eastern Africa region during the two geomagnetic storms was similar. During both storms the main phases occurred on 17th of March. However, the main phase of the storm in 2015 had more intensity than that of 2013 but the same duration, and they were followed by a long-duration slow recovery with values that did not return to levels prior to the onset of the storm. The enhancement and reduction of TECv were observed at almost all stations at different times. The results from both storms also show that, there was a pre-reversal enhancement especially at stations that lie close to the equatorial region compared to the stations far from the equatorial region.
VL  - 3
IS  - 4
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Emmanuel Daudi Sulungu

Department of Physics, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, The University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania
Christian Uiso

Department of Physics, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Dares Salaam, Dares salaam, Tanzania

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Emmanuel Daudi Sulungu, Christian Uiso. (2019). Ionospheric TEC Response to Geomagnetic Storms Occurred on 15-20 March 2013 and 2015 over the Eastern Africa Region. American Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering, 3(4), 103-111. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Emmanuel Daudi Sulungu; Christian Uiso. Ionospheric TEC Response to Geomagnetic Storms Occurred on 15-20 March 2013 and 2015 over the Eastern Africa Region. Am. J. Environ. Sci. Eng. 2019, 3(4), 103-111. doi: 10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Emmanuel Daudi Sulungu, Christian Uiso. Ionospheric TEC Response to Geomagnetic Storms Occurred on 15-20 March 2013 and 2015 over the Eastern Africa Region. Am J Environ Sci Eng. 2019;3(4):103-111. doi: 10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16,
  author = {Emmanuel Daudi Sulungu and Christian Uiso},
  title = {Ionospheric TEC Response to Geomagnetic Storms Occurred on 15-20 March 2013 and 2015 over the Eastern Africa Region},
  journal = {American Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering},
  volume = {3},
  number = {4},
  pages = {103-111},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajese.20190304.16},
  abstract = {In this paper we present characteristics of the ionosphere over eastern Africa region in response to two geomagnetic storms of March 2013 and March 2015 that occurred at the same date and time but with different intensities. Ionospheric TEC has been derived from the IGS network of ground based dual-frequency GPS receivers from four stations, namely Eldoret (0.29°N, 35.29°E), Dodoma (6.19°S, 35.75°E), Malindi (2.99°S, 40.19°E) and Mtwara (10.26°S, 40.17°E) within the Eastern Africa region. The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz and corresponding Dst index, solar wind speed (Vsw) and density (Np) were used to represent the evolution of the storm events. Our results showed that, the behavior of the ionosphere over eastern Africa region during the two geomagnetic storms was similar. During both storms the main phases occurred on 17th of March. However, the main phase of the storm in 2015 had more intensity than that of 2013 but the same duration, and they were followed by a long-duration slow recovery with values that did not return to levels prior to the onset of the storm. The enhancement and reduction of TECv were observed at almost all stations at different times. The results from both storms also show that, there was a pre-reversal enhancement especially at stations that lie close to the equatorial region compared to the stations far from the equatorial region.},
 year = {2019}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Ionospheric TEC Response to Geomagnetic Storms Occurred on 15-20 March 2013 and 2015 over the Eastern Africa Region
AU  - Emmanuel Daudi Sulungu
AU  - Christian Uiso
Y1  - 2019/12/13
PY  - 2019
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16
T2  - American Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering
JF  - American Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering
JO  - American Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering
SP  - 103
EP  - 111
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2578-7993
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajese.20190304.16
AB  - In this paper we present characteristics of the ionosphere over eastern Africa region in response to two geomagnetic storms of March 2013 and March 2015 that occurred at the same date and time but with different intensities. Ionospheric TEC has been derived from the IGS network of ground based dual-frequency GPS receivers from four stations, namely Eldoret (0.29°N, 35.29°E), Dodoma (6.19°S, 35.75°E), Malindi (2.99°S, 40.19°E) and Mtwara (10.26°S, 40.17°E) within the Eastern Africa region. The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz and corresponding Dst index, solar wind speed (Vsw) and density (Np) were used to represent the evolution of the storm events. Our results showed that, the behavior of the ionosphere over eastern Africa region during the two geomagnetic storms was similar. During both storms the main phases occurred on 17th of March. However, the main phase of the storm in 2015 had more intensity than that of 2013 but the same duration, and they were followed by a long-duration slow recovery with values that did not return to levels prior to the onset of the storm. The enhancement and reduction of TECv were observed at almost all stations at different times. The results from both storms also show that, there was a pre-reversal enhancement especially at stations that lie close to the equatorial region compared to the stations far from the equatorial region.
VL  - 3
IS  - 4
ER  -

Copy | Download