Behavior of the Total Electron Content at the Arctic and Antarctic sectors during some intense geomagnetic storms

MANSILLA GUSTAVO ADOLFO

Geodesy and Geodynamics

KeAi Communications Co. Ltd.

Año: 2019 vol. 10 p. 26 - 36

1674-9847

In this paper, the behavior of TEC at three stations located in the Arctic and Antarctic sectors during some intense geomagnetic storms occurred in the period 2012-2016 is analyzed. The results show in general opposite storm effects in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Both the positive and negative disturbances in TEC that occurred over the Arctic stations presented more fluctuations than over the Antarctic station. Moreover, the positive disturbances in TEC were more significant in winter. The negative disturbances were generally long lasting sometimes interrupted by short-duration positive disturbances. Overall, the increases and decreases in TEC can be mainly attributed to changes in the thermospheric composition (i.e., increase and decreases in the O/N2 ratio respectively) but prompt penetration electric field could be responsible for the initial disturbances in TEC. The thermospheric circulation and the disturbance dynamo, which are maintained due to prolonged high-energy input at high latitudes, can also play important roles during the end of main phase and recovery phase.