Studying the spread <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis> effect before earthquakes

The observations of spread F during the nighttime hours (0000–0500 LT) have been statistically analyzed based on data of Tokyo, Akita, Wakkanai, and Yamagawa Japan vertical ionospheric sounding stations for the time intervals a month before and a month after an earthquake. The disturbances in the probability of spread F appearance before an earthquake are revealed against a background of the variations depending on season, solar activity cycle, geomagnetic and solar disturbances. The days with increased solar (Wolf number W > 100) and geomagnetic (ΣK > 30) activity are excluded from the analysis. The spread F effects are considered for more than a hundred earthquakes with magnitude M > 5 and epicenter depth h < 80 km at distances of R < 1000 km from epicenters to the vertical sounding station. An average decrease in the spread F occurrence probability one-two weeks before an earthquake has been revealed using the superposed epoch method (the probability was minimal approximately ten days before the event and then increased until the earthquake onset). Similar results are obtained for all four stations. The reliability of the effect has been estimated. The dependence of the detected effect on the magnitude and distance has been studied.     

Regular changes in the critical frequency of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis>2 layer of the quiet midlatitude ionosphere

A method for constructing the empirical model of the F2 layer critical frequency (foF2) under magnetically quiet conditions, aimed at analyzing disturbances of any nature, is proposed. This method has been analyzed, and typical features of regular changes in foF2 of the quiet ionosphere and day-to-day foF2 variability are analyzed using the data from Irkutsk and Slough stations as an example. In particular, it has been obtained that this model differs from the international IRI model, and this difference is mainly caused by the fact that the foF2 values in the IRI model do not correspond to quiet conditions. Therefore, this model gives a larger amplitude of the annual and semiannual variations in foF2 than the IRI model. In addition, this model more accurately reproduces the rate of foF2 annual variations at a fixed local time, especially in equinoxes, when foF2 variations can exceed 1 MHz within one month.     

Atmosphere–ionosphere response to solar eclipse over Kharkiv on March 20, 2015

The results of the observations of aperiodic and quasi-periodic disturbances in E and F1 ionospheric layers and air temperature variations in the surface atmosphere on the day of the solar eclipse and control days are presented. The ionospheric processes were monitored by vertical sounding Doppler radar. The measurements showed that, near the time of the maximum coverage of the solar disk, the greatest decrease in the density of electrons in the layers E and F1 was ～27%, which is close to the calculated value (25%). The solar eclipse was accompanied by the generation of traveling ionospheric disturbances with a period of 8–12 min and a relative amplitude of electron density variations of ～0.6–1.5%. Because of the haze in the surface atmosphere, its temperature, which was monitored at observation points at a distance of 50–60 km from each other did not exceed 1°C near the time of the maximum eclipse magnitude.     

Use of the index of TEC vertical variation disturbance in studying ionospheric effects of the Chelyabinsk meteorite

The results of an analysis of the ionospheric effects accompanying fall of the Chelyabinsk meteorite on February 15, 2013 are presented using a method of calculating the index of the disturbance of total electron content vertical variations (Wtec) according to data from the GPS receiver network. A substantial increase (by a factor of 2–3) in the Wtec index with a duration of ~1.5 h was observed in the studied region after the main height explosion accompanying the meteorite fall at 0320 UT. The ionospheric response in Wtec was most significant statistically registered at the radio rays “receiver–satellite” for the GPS located southward from the place of explosion.     

Effects of geomagnetic disturbances in power spectra of atmospheric waves in the dynamo region of the ionosphere

The dynamics of wave disturbances in the ionospheric E region in the band of periods of thermal tidal waves and waves of planetary scales (T = 48, 72, and 192 h) has been studied based on the variations in the horizontal component of the geomagnetic field, observed at Paratunka and Barrow observatories in September–October 1999. It has been found that, at midlatitudes during high geomagnetic activity, the intensity of oscillations in the power spectra with T = 24 and 12 h varies with a periodicity of 16 days different from the periodicity of changes in the ΣKp index. The maximal deviations of these periods from the values under quiet conditions coincide with the maximal changes in the ΣKp index. The variations in the 48–192 h band of periods (especially with T ～192 h) intensify simultaneously with increasing geomagnetic activity. The intensity of this harmonic is several times as high as that of the harmonic with T ～ 24 h. The periodicity of changes in the harmonics intensity within the 48–192 h band coincides with the periodicity of changes in the ΣKp index. In the polar ionosphere, the effect of high geomagnetic activity is observed as an increase in the variations with a quasi-period of T ～ 24 h and as an appearance of variations in the 48–192 h band with the periodicity coinciding with the maximums in the ΣKp index variations.     

Behavior of Parameters of Enhancements in the Nighttime Electron Concentration in the Ionospheric <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis>2 Layer

We have analyzed the behavior of the F2 layer parameters during nighttime periods of enhanced electron concentration by the results of vertical sounding of the ionosphere carried out with five-minute periodicity in Almaty (76°55′ E, 43°15′ N) in 2001–2012. The results are obtained within the frameworks of the unified concept of different types of ionospheric plasma disturbances manifested as variations in the height and half-thickness of the layer accompanied by an increase and decrease of N _m F2 at the moments of maximum compression and expansion of the layer. A good correlation is found between height h _Am , which corresponds to the maximum increase, and layer peak height h _m F, while h _Am is always less than h _m F. The difference between h _Am and h _m F linearly increases with increasing h _m F. Whereas the difference is ~38 km for h _m F = 280 km, it is ~54 km for h _m F = 380 km. Additionally, the correlation is good between the increase in the electron concentration in the layer maximum ΔN _m and the maximum enhancement at the fixed height ΔN; the electron concentration enhancement in the layer maximum is about two to three times lower than its maximum enhancement at the fixed height.     

Geomagnetic Storm Effects at <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis>1 Layer Altitudes in Various Periods of Solar Activity (Irkutsk Station)

The influence of geomagnetic disturbances on electron density Ne at F1 layer altitudes in different conditions of solar activity during the autumnal and vernal seasons of 2003–2015, according to the data from the Irkutsk digital ionospheric station (52° N, 104° Е) is examined. Variations of Ne at heights of 150–190 km during the periods of twenty medium-scale and strong geomagnetic storms have been analyzed. At these specified heights, a vernal–autumn asymmetry of geomagnetic storm effects is discovered in all periods of solar activity of 2003–2015: a considerable Ne decrease at a height of 190 km and a weaker effect at lower levels during the autumnal storms. During vernal storms, no significant Ne decrease as compared with quiet conditions was registered over the entire analyzed interval of 150?190 km.     

Position variations of the polarization jet and injection boundary of energetic ions during substorms

The comparison of selected cases of polarization jet observation at ground stations and measurements of energetic ions at the AMPTE/CCE satellite shows that these phenomena occur simultaneously and on the same L shells. Polarization jet observations at DMSP satellites make it possible to statistically determine the dependence of its equatorial boundary position on the AE-index value. It is also shown that, in the case of isolated magnetic disturbances, the position of the inner boundary of injection of energetic ions measured at the AMPTE/CCE satellite depends on the AE index. It was found that the dependences of both boundaries on the AE index match over a wide range of AE variations. This is evidence that the equatorial boundary polarization jet band and the inner boundary of the injection of energetic ions are physically interconnected and are formed on the same L shells during substorms.     

The effect of baric disturbances in the atmosphere on microseismic processes in the crust

The effect of baric variations of different origins on characteristics of seismic noise is analyzed in the frequency range 0.03–20 Hz. Long period variations in atmospheric pressure caused by cyclones, whose period T ranges from half a day to a few days, are shown to increase the microseismic background amplitude by two to four times in the frequency range 0.03–1 Hz (the coefficient of linear correlation between time variations in the amplitude and atmospheric pressure is K = 0.65 at a significance level of r = 0.95). Short-period baric variations with T ～ 5–30 min associated with the passage of cold fronts lead to a tenfold increase in the microseismic background amplitude in the frequency range 4–8 Hz (K = 0.67 at r = 0.95). In this case, disturbances of seismic background are recorded for 20–60 min after the passage of an atmospheric front and display an exponential drop in the amplitude. In distinction to cyclones, an atmospheric front increases the number of impulsive microseismic events of the resonance type.     

Spatial inhomogeneity of variations in the <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript> layer critical frequencies under the conditions of winter 1995

The daily samples of the hourly measurements of the foF2 critical frequency, obtained on January 5–21, 1995, at the midlatitude and high-latitude automated ionospheric stations (geographic latitude higher than 60°), are considered. The {fo} sets are transformed into the {δfoF2} sets of relative variations, for which asymmetry (A) and excess (E) are calculated. The selected stations are grouped into 20 pairs of automated ionospheric stations (AISs) located at distances of 200–10 000 km from one another. Sign estimates of the cross-correlation coefficients between the sets of 16 A and E values for different pairs of stations are used. Two types of structures of the statistical invariant spatial distribution are established: the structures with a scale of about 300 km, invariant with respect to latitude, and with a scale of about 6000 km (for only high latitudes).     

Peculiarities of the outer radiation belt dynamics during the strong magnetic storm of May 15, 2005

The dynamics of energetic electrons (E _e =0.17–8 MeV) and protons (E _p =1 MeV) of the outer radiation belt during the magnetic storm of May 15, 2005, at high (GOES-10 and LANL-84 geosynchronous satellites) and low (Meteor-3M polar satellite) altitudes is analyzed. The data have been compared to the density, plasma velocity, solar wind, and magnetic field measurements on the ACE satellite and geomagnetic disturbances. During the magnetic storm main phase, the nighttime boundary of the region of trapped radiation and the center of westward electrojet shifted to L ～ 3. Enhancements of only low-energy electrons were observed on May 15, 2005. The belt of relativistic electrons with a maximum at L ～ 4 was formed during the substorm, the amplitude of which reached its maximum at ～0630 UT on May 16. The results are in good agreement with the regularity relating the position of a maximum of the new relativistic electron belt, boundaries of the trapped radiation region, and extreme low-latitude position of westward electrojet center to the Dst variation amplitude.     

Ionospheric disturbances during the severe magnetic storm of November 7–10, 2004

Results of the study of the behavior of the F ₂ region and topside ionosphere during the magnetic storm on November 7–10, 2004, which was a superposition of two sequent Severe magnetic disturbances (Kp = 9–) are presented. The observations were conducted by the incoherent scatter radar at Kharkov. Considerable effects of a negative ionospheric disturbance are registered, including a decrease in the electron density in the F ₂-layer maximum by a factor of 6–7 and of the total electron content up to a height of 1000 km by a factor of 2, a lifting up of the ionospheric F ₂ layer by 300 km at night and by 150–180 km in the daytime, unusual nighttime heating of the plasma with an increase of the ion and electron temperatures up to 2000 and 3000 K, respectively, and a decrease in the relative density of hydrogen ions N(H⁺)/N _e by a factor of up to 3.5 because of the emptying of the magnetic flux tube passing over Kharkov. The effects usually observed in the high-latitude ionosphere, including the coherent echoes, are detected during the main phase of the storm. The results obtained manifest a shift of the large-scale structures of the high-latitude ionosphere (the auroral oval, main ionospheric trough, hot zone, etc.) down to latitudes close to the latitude of the Kharkov radar.     

Characteristics of Pc4–5 pulsations obtained using the method of bistatic backscatter of HF radio waves,the EISCAT HF heating facility,and ground-based magnetometers

The results of studying the Pc4–5 pulsation parameters based on the method of bistatic backscatter of radio waves, using the EISCAT/Heating HF facility (Tromsø, Norway) and IMAGE ground-based magnetometers (Scandinavia), are presented. The observations were performed during the morning hours on October 3, 2006, when a substorm developed on the nightside. An analysis of the observational data obtained from 1000 to 1020 UT indicated that wave-like disturbances with periods corresponding to Pc4–5 pulsations (80–240 s) existed at that time. The variations in the full vector of the ionospheric irregularity motion and the electric field strength in an artificially disturbed high-latitude ionospheric F region has been reconstructed based on simultaneous Doppler observations on two paths. A general conformity is observed among the time variations in Pc4–5 pulsations in the magnetic and ionospheric data: between the velocity amplitude (|V|) and the X component of the Earth’s magnetic field and between the irregularity motion azimuth and the Y component. Large-scale waves, corresponding to the natural resonances of magnetic field lines (small values of the azimuthal number |m| ～ 2–4), and small-scale waves (large values |m| ～ 17–20) were simultaneously registered during the experiment based on magnetic data. It has been indicated that the periods of wave-like processes registered using the method of bistatic backscatter and ground-based magnetometers were in agreement with one another. The formation of wave-like processes is explained by the nonstationary impact of the solar wind and IMF on the Earth’s magnetosphere. The variations in the IMF, according to the ACE satellite measurements, were characterized by a sharp increase in the solar wind plasma dynamic pressure that occurred at about 09 UT on October 3, 2006, and was accompanied by rapid polarity reversals of the north-ward-southward (B _z) and transverse (B _y) IMF components.     

The seismic wave absorption in the crust and upper mantle in the vicinity of the Kislovodsk seismic station

The Q-factor estimates of the Earth’s crust and upper mantle as the functions of frequency (Q(f)) are obtained for the seismic S-waves at frequencies up to ~35 Hz. The estimates are based on the data for ~40 earthquakes recorded by the Kislovodsk seismic station since 2000. The magnitudes of these events are M_W > 3.8, the sources are located in the depth interval from 1 to 165 km, and the epicentral distances range from ~100 to 300 km. The Q-factor estimates are obtained by the methods developed by Aki and Rautian et al., which employ the suppression of the effects of the source radiation spectrum and local site responses in the S-wave spectra by the coda waves measured at a fixed lapse time (time from the first arrival). The radiation pattern effects are cancelled by averaging over many events whose sources are distributed in a wide azimuthal sector centered at the receiving site. The geometrical spreading was specified in the form of a piecewise-continuous function of distance which behaves as 1/R at the distances from 1 to 50 km from the source, has a plateau at 1/50 in the interval from 50–70 km to 130–150 km, and decays as \({\raise0.7ex\hbox{$1$} \!\mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 {\sqrt R }}}\right.\kern-\nulldelimiterspace} \!\lower0.7ex\hbox{${\sqrt R }$}}\) beyond 130–150 km. For this geometrical spreading model and some of its modifications, the following Q-factor estimates are obtained: Q(f) ~ 85f^0.9 at the frequencies ranging from ~1 to 20 Hz and Q(f) ~ 75f^1.0 at the frequencies ranging from ~1 to 35 Hz.     

Large Magnetic Storm on September 7–8, 2017: High-Latitude Geomagnetic Variations and Geomagnetic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pc</Emphasis>5 Pulsations

The features of daytime high-latitude geomagnetic variations and geomagnetic pulsations in the Рс5 range during the recent, large, two-stage magnetic storm of September 7–8, 2017 are studied. The discussed disturbances were observed at the recovery phase of the first stage of the storm after the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) turned northward. It is shown that the large sign-alternating variations in Ву and Bz components of the IMF caused intense geomagnetic disturbances up to 300–400 nT with a quasi-period of ~20 min in the daytime sector of polar latitudes, probably in the region of the daytime polar cusp. These disturbances may have reflected quasi-period motions of the daytime magnetopause and may have resulted from nonlinear transformation of the variations in the interplanaterary magnetic field in the magnetosheath or in the magnetospheric entry layers. The appearance of high-latitude long-period variations was accompanied by the excitation of bursts (wave packets) of geomagnetic Pc5 pulsations. The onset of Pc5 pulsation bursts often coincided with a sudden northward turn of the IMF. It was discovered for the first time that the development of a “daytime polar substorm,” i.e., a negative magnetic bay in the daytime sector of polar latitudes, led to a sudden termination of the generation of geomagnetic Pc5 pulsations over the entire latitude range in which these oscillations were recorded before the appearance of the daytime bay.     

Spatial and time variations in critical frequencies of the ionospheric <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis> region above the zone of equatorial earthquake preparation

Spatial and time variations in the critical frequencies foF2 before the strong earthquake of August 15, 1963, with the magnitude M = 7.75 are analyzed. The epicenter of the earthquake was located in the vicinity of the magnetic equator in the American longitudinal sector. The data of the topside ionosonde on board Alouette-1 and of the series of ground-based ionosondes has been used for this purpose. The ground-based ionosondes made it possible to detect an insignificant anomalous decrease in foF2 within the zone of earthquake preparation a few days prior to the earthquake. This result confirms the conclusion drawn earlier on the basis of the satellite data. The modification of the ionosphere at the F-region level is more evident in the satellite than in the ground-based data. It is also noted that the character of the time variations in foF2 a day before the earthquake is similar to the so called “quiet time” Q-disturbances in the ionosphere, when the electron concentration at the F region maximum differs from the median values by more than 20% under undisturbed geophysical conditions.     

Variations of Geomagnetic Cosmic Ray Thresholds and Their Latitudinal Behavior in the Period of Solar Disturbance in September 2005

The period of interplanetary, geomagnetic and solar disturbances of September 7–15, 2005, is characterized by two sharp increases of solar wind velocity to 1000 km/s and great Dst variation of the geomagnetic field (~140 nT). The time variations of theoretical and experimental geomagnetic thresholds observed during this strong geomagnetic storm, their connection with solar wind parameters and the Dst index, and the features of latitudinal behavior of geomagnetic thresholds at particular times of the storm were studied. The theoretical geomagnetic thresholds were calculated with cosmic ray particle tracing in the magnetic field of the disturbed magnetosphere described by Ts01 model. The experimental geomagnetic thresholds were specified by spectrographic global survey according to the data of cosmic ray registration by the global station network.     

Variations in the fractal dimension of fluctuations of the ionospheric <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis>2 layer critical frequency

The 40-year period of observations of short-term variations (with characteristic times of up to 1–2 days) in the critical frequency of the ionospheric F2 layer (foF2) is analyzed. The continuous (with a step of 1 h) series of fluctuations (F) of the foF2 critical frequency (with eliminated daily variations) has been calculated using the hourly variations in foF2 at Moscow stations. The fractal dimension (FRH) of the fluctuations, characterizing short-term variations in foF2, has been determined and analyzed on a 30-day interval, using the Higuchi method. It has been established that FRH estimates substantially change in time. The 11-year cycle, which is in antiphase with the solar cycle, and the total annual and semiannual variations, similar to the variations observed in the normalized critical frequency of the E region and in the electron density of the D region, are clearly defined in these changes. Thus, the parameters of fast variations in the ionospheric F2 layer are affected by the phase of the 11-year solar cycle and by the position of the Earth in the orbit or seasonal variations in the atmosphere.     

Effect of the IMF azimuthal component on the longitudinal position of the westward electrojet intensity maximum during strong geomagnetic storms

The distribution of the ionospheric currents during the geomagnetic storms of November 20–21, 2003, November 7–8, 2004, and November 9–10, 2004, depending on the IMF B _y component, has been studied based on the data from the global network of magnetic stations. It has been indicated that, during geomagnetic disturbances, the westward electrojet intensity maximum is localized in the evening sector at IMF B _y < 0 and in the morning sector at IMF B _y > 0. The region of the westward electrojet intensity maximum shifts to morning hours with increasing positive B _y values. Thus, the IMF azimuthal component forms not only the magnetospheric convection pattern during magnetic storms but is also responsible for the longitudinal position of ionospheric structures.     

Comparative analysis of atmospheric and ionospheric variability by measurements of temperature in the mesopause region and peak electron density <Emphasis Type="Italic">NmF</Emphasis>2

The results of studying the atmospheric and ionospheric variability in the region of Eastern Siberia are presented. The analysis involved data on the atmosphere temperature at mesopause heights (Tm) and vertical sounding data on the peak electron density (NmF2). The data on temperature were obtained by spectrometric observations of the hydroxyl molecule emission (band ОН (6-2), 834.0 nm, maximum emission height ~87 km). The analysis covers the period from 2008 to 2015. Seasonal and year-to-year variations in the variability of Tm and NmF2 were studied and compared in different time periods: day-to-day variations (T > 24 h), tidal variations (8 h ≤ T ≤ 24 h), and variations with periods of internal gravity waves (T < 8 h). Both common features and distinctions in the behavior of the analyzed parameters have been found, and their possible physical causes are analyzed.