THE RESPONSE OF THE IONOSPHERE OVER ILORIN TO SOME GEOMAGNETIC STORMS

Benjamin Wisdom Joshua1, Jacob Olusegun Adeniyi2, Bodo W Reinisch3, Isaac Adimula2 and Shola Adebiyi4, (1)Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Physics, Aliero, Nigeria, (2)University of Ilorin, Physics, Ilorin, Nigeria, (3)Lowell Digisonde International, Lowell, MA, United States, (4)Landmark University, Industrial Physics, Omu-Aran, Nigeria

Contact First Author: Benjamin Wisdom Joshua; benjaminjoshua7@dlinksolutions.com

Previously Published Material: The paper has been published with the Journal of Advances in space research, but has not been presented in any Scientific meeting. the details are as follows: Joshua, B.W., J.O. Adeniyi, I.A. B.W. Reinisch Adimula, O.A. Oladipo, O.A. Olawepo, S.J. Adebiyi, The response of the ionosphere over Ilorin to some geomagnetic storms. Advances in Space Research, 2014 COSPAR. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2014.08.027. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Abstract ID#: 33324

 

English Abstract:
The effects of some geomagnetic storms on the F2 layer peak parameters over Ilorin, Nigeria (Lat. 8:53°N, Long. 4.5°E, dip angle, -2.96°) have been investigated. Our results showed that the highest intensity of the noon bite-out occurred during the March equinox and lowest during the June Solstice on quiet days. Quiet day NmF2 disturbances which appeared as a pre-storm enhancement, but not related to the magnetic storm event that followed were observed at this station. These enhancements were attributed to the modification of the equatorial electric field as a result of injection of the Auroral electric field to the low and equatorial Ionosphere. For disturbed conditions, the morphology of the NmF2 on quiet days is altered. Daytime and nighttime NmF2 and hmF2 enhancements were recorded at this station. Decreases in NmF2 were also observed during the recovery periods, most of which appeared during the post-noon period, except the storm event of May 28-29. On the average, enhancements in NmF2 (i.e. Positive phases) are the prominent features of this station. Observations from this study also indicate that Dst, Ap and Kp which have been the most widely used indices in academic research in describing the behavior of geomagnetic storms, are not sufficient for storm time analysis in the equatorial and low latitude Ionosphere.
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