Mid-latitude ionosphere during two great geomagnetic storms

• Main Authors: L. R. Cander, I. M. Vasiljevic
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) 1996-06-01
• Series: Annals of Geophysics
• Subjects: mid-latitude ionosphere; ionospheric disturbances; modelling; forecasting; computer images
• Online Access: http://www.annalsofgeophysics.eu/index.php/annals/article/view/4014

The ionospheric disturbances observed at many European ionosonde stations in association with the severe geomagnetic storms occurring on 19-20 December 1980 and 11-12 April 1981 were investigated by using the available ionospheric and geomagnetic data. During these storms the ionospheric F region underwent major changes at all mid-latitudes. However, the variations from storm to storm were much larger at lower mid-latitudes. These results support the view that even in assessing the response of the mid-latitude ionosphere to severe geomagnetic storms it is necessary to distinguish carefully between global, regional and local behaviour.