Midlatitude F region peak height changes in response to interplanetary magnetic field conditions and modeling results

The response of the electron density peak height of the F2 region, hmF2, to geomagnetic storms has been investigated and a characteristic behavior of the peak height disturbance in relation to local-time, season and conditions of the interplanetary magnetic field has been obtained. The experimental...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Blanch Llosa, Estefania, Altadill, David
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2012
País:España
Institución:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:20.500.14342/2493
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/2493
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2012JA018009
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Geomagnetic storms
Ionospheric forecasting
Ionospheric disturbances
Ionosphere
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Descripción
Sumario:The response of the electron density peak height of the F2 region, hmF2, to geomagnetic storms has been investigated and a characteristic behavior of the peak height disturbance in relation to local-time, season and conditions of the interplanetary magnetic field has been obtained. The experimental results support the storm scenario which the change in the thermospheric wind is the main physical mechanism raising the ionospheric peak height. A real-time forecasting tool modeling the hmF2 disturbance, ΔhmF2, by analytical time-dependent functions has been developed. The empirical model predicts ΔhmF2 for latitudes of the Iberian Peninsula with an 86% of success and without false alarms. The behavior of the model fits to the experimental observations at other latitudes and longitudes within Europe which would allow extending its usefulness at wider latitudinal ranges.