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.     

MHD structure of interplanetary disturbances observed near the earth during the solar-terrestrial storm of November 7–13, 2004

This paper considers the MHD structure and configuration of near-Earth interplanetary disturbances during the heliospheric extrastorm of November 2004, taking into account the effect of the IMF sector structure and using the measurements of near-Earth satellites. During three successive disturbance intervals, the Earth entered, remained and left a relative narrow positive sector with flare-active region 10696, which generated a series of shocks and an active transequatorial filament. It has been indicated that the MHD structure and configuration of near-Earth disturbances substantially and specifically (for each position) depend on the IMF sector structure and interactions between shocks and sector boundaries, filaments, and magnetic clouds in these three different positions. Specifically, this manifested itself in multiple crossings of sector boundaries and considerable deformations of magnetic clouds. It has been indicated that the models of circular clouds are applied with limitations under the considered conditions.     

Phenomena of Hysteresis in the Cutoff Rigidity of Cosmic Rays during the Superstorm of November 7–8, 2004

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - The ability of cosmic rays to penetrate the magnetosphere is characterized by the rigidity of the geomagnetic cutoff R, i.e., the stiffness below which the particle flux...     

The role of vibrationally excited oxygen and nitrogen in the ionosphere during the undisturbed and geomagnetic storm period of 6–12 April 1990

We present a comparison of the observed behavior of the F-region ionosphere over Millstone Hill during the geomagnetically quiet and storm periods of 6–12 April 1990 with numerical model calculations from the IZMIRAN time-dependent mathematical model of the Earths ionosphere and plasmasphere. The major enhancement to the IZMIRAN model developed in this study is the use of a new loss rate of O⁺(⁴S) ions as a result of new high-temperature flowing afterglow measurements of the rate coefficients K₁ and K₂ for the reactions of O⁺(⁴S) with N₂ and O₂. The deviations from the Boltzmann distribution for the first five vibrational levels of O₂(v) were calculated, and the present study suggests that these deviations are not significant. It was found that the difference between the non-Boltzmann and Boltzmann distribution assumptions of O₂(v) and the difference between ion and neutral temperature can lead to an increase of up to about 3% or a decrease of up to about 4% of the calculated NmF2 as a result of a respective increase or a decrease in K₂. The IZMIRAN model reproduces major features of the data. We found that the inclusion of vibrationally excited N₂(v > 0) and O₂(v > 0) in the calculations improves the agreement between the calculated NmF2 and the data on 6, 9, and 10 April. However, both the daytime and nighttime densities are reproduced by the IZMIRAN model without the vibrationally excited nitrogen and oxygen on 8 and 11 April better than the IZMIRAN model with N₂(v > 0) and O₂(v > 0). This could be due to possible uncertainties in model neutral temperature and densities, EUV fluxes, rate coefficients, and the flow of ionization between the ionosphere and plasmasphere, and possible horizontal divergence of the flux of ionization above the station. Our calculations show that the increase in the O⁺ + N₂ rate factor due to N₂(v > 0) produces a 5–36% decrease in the calculated daytime peak density. The increase in the O⁺ + O₂ loss rate due to vibrationally excited O₂ produces 8–46% reductions in NmF2. The effects of vibrationally excited O₂ and N₂ on N_e and T_e are most pronounced during the daytime.     

Displacement of large-scale open solar magnetic fields from the zone of active longitudes and the heliospheric storm of November 3–10, 2004: 1. The field dynamics and solar activity

The dynamics of the large-scale open field and solar activity at the second stage of the MHD process, including the origination and disappearance of the four-sector structure during the decline phase of cycle 23 (the stage when the blocking field is displaced from the main zone of active longitudes), has been considered. Extremely fast changes in the scales of one of new sectors (from an extremely small sector (“singularity”) to a usual sector that originated after the uniform expansion (“explosion”) of singularity with a “kick” into the zone of active longitudes, westward motion of the MHD disturbance front in the direction of solar rotation, and formation of an active quasi-rigidly corotating sector boundary responsible for the heliospheric storm of November 2004) have been detected in the field dynamics. It has been indicated that a very powerful group of sunspots AR 10656 (which disappeared after the explosion) with an area of up to 1540 ppmh (part per million hemisphere), a considerable deficit of the external energy release, and zero geoeffectiveness in spite of the closeness to the Earth helioprojection existed within singularity. It has been assumed that the energy escaped from this group with effort owing to the interaction between coronal ejections and narrow sector walls (singularity), and a considerable part of the energy was released in the outer layers of the convective zone, as a result of which singularity exploded and this explosion was accompanied by the above effects in the large-scale field and solar activity.     

Transverse resonance in the high-latitude section of the Earth–ionosphere waveguide during the solar eclipse of March 20, 2015

The spectra of radio atmospheric signals (spherics) recorded simultaneously at two observatories of the Polar Geophysical Institute, Lovozero (67.97° N, 35.08° E) and Barentsburg (78.08° N, 14.22° E), during the solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 are presented. The peculiarities of the behavior of the first critical frequency of the Earth-ionosphere waveguide during the eclipse are described. The effective altitude of the reflective layer of ionosphere is assessed.     

Solar sources of interplanetary shocks on November 7–11, 2004

In a methodically independent manner compared to earlier works, an adjustment is performed to a series of solar sources, including six interplanetary shocks observed on November 7–11, 2004, during a very large solar-terrestrial storm. The results of different researchers are compared with one another and with this publication.     

Dynamics of solar protons in the Earth’s magnetosphere during magnetic storms in November 2004–January 2005

The processes of penetration, trapping, and acceleration of solar protons in the Earth’s magneto-sphere during magnetic storms in November 2004 and January 2005 are studied based on the energetic particle measurements on the CORONAS-F and SERVIS-1 satellites. Acceleration of protons by 1–2 orders of magnitude was observed after trapping of solar protons with an energy of 1–15 MeV during the recovery phase of the magnetic storm of November 7–8, 2004. This acceleration was accompanied by an earthward shift of the particle flux maximum for several days, during which the series of magnetic storms continued. The process of relativistic electron acceleration proceeded simultaneously and according to a similar scenario including acceleration of protons. At the end of this period, the intensification was terminated by the process of precipitation, and a new proton belt split with the formation of two maximums at L ～ 2 and 3. In the January 2005 series of moderate storms, solar protons were trapped at L = 3.7 during the storm of January 17–18. However, during the magnetic storm of January 21, these particles fell in the zone of quasi-trapping, or precipitated into the atmosphere, or died in the magnetosheath. At the same time, the belts that were formed in November at L ～ 2 and 3 remained unchanged. Transformations of the proton (and electron) belts during strong magnetic storms change the intensity and structure of belts for a long time. Thus, the consequences of changes during the July 2004 storm did not disappear until November disturbances.     

Beach recovery from extreme storm activity during the 2013–14 winter along the Atlantic coast of Europe

The storm sequence of the 2013–14 winter left many beaches along the Atlantic coast of Europe in their most eroded state for decades. Understanding how beaches recover from such extreme events is essential for coastal managers, especially in light of potential regional increases in storminess due to climate change. Here we analyse a unique dataset of decadal beach morphological changes along the west coast of Europe to investigate the post-2013–14 winter recovery. We show that the recovery signature is site specific and multi-annual, with one studied beach fully recovered after 2 years, and the others only partially recovered after 4 years. During the recovery phase, winter waves primarily control the timescales of beach recovery, as energetic winter conditions stall the recovery process whereas moderate winter conditions accelerate it. This inter-annual variability is well correlated with climate indices. On exposed beaches, an equilibrium model showed significant skill in reproducing the post-storm recovery and thus can be used to investigate the recovery process in more detail. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High-latitude ionosphere during magnetic storms of October 26, 2003–November 1, 2003: Tomographic reconstructions and numerical modeling

The height-latitude distributions of the electron density in the European Arctic sector of the subauroral and high-latitude ionosphere have been reconstructed based on the data of satellite radio tomography. The reconstructions have been compared with the results of the numerical modeling obtained using the UAM global numerical model and the IRI-2001 empirical ionospheric model. The goal of the paper was to find the degree of adequacy of these models to the observational data during geomagnetic disturbances. The UAM theoretical model adequately reproduces the dynamics of the main ionospheric trough, in particular, the position of its equatorward wall, and to a certain degree better describes the behavior of the high-latitude ion-osphere than the IRI empirical model. The discrepancies are observed in the regions of increased electron density poleward of the trough. To eliminate such disagreements, it was proposed to correct the model input distributions of precipitating high-energy electron fluxes with an energy of about 0.5 keV; i.e., the inverse problem of determining these distributions has been solved for extremely strong geomagnetic disturbances.     

Large-scale travelling atmospheric disturbances in the night ionosphere during the solar–terrestrial event of 23 May 2002

This paper examines the night of 23 May 2002 as observed by a large number of Australian ionosondes (19) as well as others situated in New Guinea, Indonesia and China. The arrival of a solar Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) and subsequent negative Bz turnings in the solar wind resulted in a magnetic storm with two bursts of energy inputs into the auroral zones. The energy depositions produced two successive rise and falls in ionospheric height over a 300 km height range within the period 12.30–21.00 UT. The two events were seen in the night-side hemisphere by all ionosondes at Southeast Asian longitudes in the southern hemisphere, as well as in the northern hemisphere. In this paper, the simultaneity and spatial variability of these events is investigated. The first event, after an initial expansion towards the equator, ended with a retreat in the area of height rise back towards the auroral zone. The second event was of greater complexity and did not show such a steady variation in rise and fall times with latitude. Such events are often described as large-scale travelling atmospheric/ionospheric disturbances (LTADs or LTIDs). In the southern hemisphere, the front of the initial height rise was found to move at a speed up to 1300 m/s as was also measured by Tsugawa et al. [2006. Geomagnetic conjugate observations of large-scale travelling ionospheric disturbances using GPS networks in Japan and Australia. Journal of Geophysical Research 111, A02302] from small changes in GPS TEC. The front was uniform across the widest longitudinal range of observation (52° or 5360 km).The relationship between the subsequent fall in ionospheric height and an associated temporary increase in foF2 was found to be consistent with previous observations. Ionospheric drivers that move ionization up and down magnetic field lines are suggested as the common cause of the relationship between foF2 and height.     

Effect of auroral electrojets and solar wind parameters on variations in the intensity of low-latitude geomagnetic disturbances and Dst during the extremely large magnetic storm of November 20–21, 2003

The effect of auroral electrojets on the variations in the low-latitude geomagnetic disturbances and Dst during a strong magnetic storm of November 20–21, 2003, with Dst ≈ ?472 nT has been studied based on the global magnetic observations. It has been indicated that the magnetospheric storm expansive phase with Δt ≈ 1–2 h results in positive low-latitude disturbances (ΔH) of the same duration and with an amplitude of ～ 1–2 h results in positive low-latitude disturbances (ΔH) of the same duration and with an amplitude of ～ 30–100 nT in the premidnight-dawn sector. A growth of negative low-latitude ΔH values and Dst is mainly caused by regular convection electrojets with Δt ≥ 10 h, the centers of which shift to latitudes of ～ 50°–55° during the storm development. It has been established that the maximal low-latitude values of the field ΔH component at 1800–2400 MLT are observed when the auroral luminosity equatorward boundary shifts maximally southward during an increase in the negative values of the IMF B _z component. It has been assumed that, during this storm, a magnetic field depression at low latitudes was mainly caused by an enhancement of the partially-ring current which closes through field-aligned currents into the ionosphere at the equatorward boundary of the auroral luminosity zone.     

Variations in the quasi-static electric field in the near-Earth’s atmosphere during geomagnetic storms in November 2004

The effects of the geomagnetic storms of November 8 and 10, 2004, in variations in the strength and power spectra of the electric field in the near-Earth’s atmosphere in Kamchatka were studied, together with the meteorological and geophysical phenomena observed simultaneously. A sequence of strong solar flares was shown to cause an anomalous increase in air temperature and humidity. This resulted in the excitation of anomalously strong thunderstorm processes in the atmosphere during the storm of November 8 and made it impossible to distinguish the effects associated with cosmic rays on this background. During the storm of November 10, on the background of weak variations in meteorological parameters, an increase in the strength and intensity of power spectra of the electric field on the day before the storm of November 10 was detected; it was followed by an attenuation of these parameters on the date of the storm. These effects were supposed to be associated with the action of cosmic rays on currents of the global electric circuit. It was shown that the influence of the Forbush effect of galactic cosmic rays in the power spectrum of the electric field first of all shows as the amplification of the component with the period T ～ 48 h; in variations in humidity, the effect shows as the amplification of the component with T ～ 24 h. Cause-and-effect relationships between variations in the electric field strength and the horizontal component of the geomagnetic field were shown to be absent both under the conditions of “fair weather” and during the storm of November 10. A diurnal negative-difference atmospheric pressure was detected on the second day after the geomagnetic storms of November 8 and 10.     

Role of magma mixing in the petrogenesis of tephra erupted during the 1990–98 explosive activity of Nevado Sabancaya,southern Peru

The Nevado Sabancaya in southern Peru has exhibited a persistent eruptive activity over eight years following a violent eruption in May–June 1990. The explosive activity consisted of alternated vulcanian and phreatomagmatic events, followed by declining phreatic activity since late 1997. The mean production rate of magma has remained low (10⁶–10⁷ m³ per year).The 1990–1998 eruptive episode produced andesitic and dacitic magmas. The juvenile tephra span a narrow range of compositions (60–64 wt% SiO₂). While SiO₂ contents do vary slightly, they do not show any systematic variation with time. Phenocryst assemblages in the juvenile rocks consist of mainly plagioclase, associated with high-Ca pyroxene, hornblende, biotite, and iron-titanium oxides. Rare fine-grained magmatic enclaves, with angular to subrounded shapes, are contained within some of the juvenile lava blocks, which were expelled since 1992. They have a homogeneous andesitic composition (57 wt% SiO₂) and show randomly oriented interlocking columnar or acicular crystals (plagioclase and amphibole), with interstitial glass and a few voids, which define a quench-textured groundmass.Textural, mineralogical and chemical evidence suggests that the 1990–1998 eruptions have mainly erupted hybrid andesites, except for the 1990 dacite. The hybrid andesites contain a mixed population of plagioclase phenocrysts: Ca-rich clear plagioclase (An_40–60), Na-rich clear plagioclase (An_25–35), and inversely zoned dusty-rimmed plagioclase with a sodic core (An_25–40) surrounded by a Ca-rich mantle (An_45–65). Melt-inclusions, wavy dissolution surfaces and stepped zoning within the dusty-rimmed plagioclases are compatible with resorption induced by magma recharge events. Chemical and isotopic lines of evidence also show that andesites are hybrids resulting from magma mixing processes. Repeated magma recharge, incomplete homogenisation and different degrees of crustal assimilation may explain the extended range of isotopic signatures.Our study leads to propose an evolution model for the magmatic system at Nevado Sabancaya. The main magma body consisted of dacitic magmas differentiating through extensive open-system crystallization (AFC). Repeated recharge of more mafic magmas induced magma mixing, leading to the formation of hybrid andesites. A partially crystalline boundary layer formed at the interface between the andesites and the recharge magma. The magmatic enclaves were produced by the disruption and dispersion of this andesitic layer as a result of new magma injection and/or sustained tectonic activity.Periodic magma recharge and interactions with groundwater are two processes that have enabled the explosive regime to remain persistent over an 8-year-long period. What precise mechanism triggers the eruptive activity remains speculative, but it may be related either to new magma injection, or to the sustained tectonic activity that occurred at that time in the vicinity of the volcano, or a combination of both.     

Dynamics of radiation belt relativistic electrons in November 2004–January 2005

The radiation belt dynamics during the extreme solar events in November 2004 and January 2005 is studied based on the measurements of relativistic electrons (with energies of 0.8–8 MeV) on the Express-A2 geostationary satellite and Meteor-3M polar satellite. New radiation belts of relativistic electrons in the space (L ～ 3) between the stationary outer and inner belts were formed as a result of either superstorm (|Dst|_max = 373 and 289 nT). The position of the maximums of these belts (L _max = 2.9 and 3.1) coincides with the known dependence of L _max on the magnetic storm Dst variation amplitude: |Dst|_max = 2.75 × 10⁴/L _max ⁴ . In November–December the new belt very slowly (ΔL ～ 0.1 per month) shifted toward the Earth. During the series of moderate (～100 nT) magnetic storms that developed as a result of the extreme solar events in January 2005, the belt in the space shifted toward deeper L shells (L ～ 2.5). The moderate January storms produced new belts with L _max ≥ 4.     

Displacement of large-scale open solar magnetic fields from the zone of active longitudes and the heliospheric storm of November 3–10, 2004: 2. “Explosion” of singularity and dynamics of sunspot formation and energy release

A more detailed scenario of one stage (August–November 2004) of the quasibiennial MHD process “Origination ... and dissipation of the four-sector structure of the solar magnetic field” during the decline phase of cycle 23 has been constructed. It has been indicated that the following working hypothesis on the propagation of an MHD disturbance westward (in the direction of solar rotation) and eastward (toward the zone of active longitudes) with the displacement of the large-scale open solar magnetic field (LOSMF) from this zone can be constructed based on LOSMF model representations and data on sunspot formation, flares, active filaments, and coronal ejections as well as on the estimated contribution of sporadic energy release to the flare luminosity and kinetic energy of ejections: (1) The “explosion” of the LOSMF singularity and the formation in the explosion zone of an anemone active region (AR), which produced the satellite sunspot formation that continued west and east of the “anemone,” represented a powerful and energy-intensive source of MHD processes at this stage. (2) This resulted in the origination of two “governing” large-scale MHD processes, which regulated various usual manifestations of solar activity: the fast LOSMF along the neutral line in the solar atmosphere, strongly affecting the zone of active longitudes, and the slow LOSMF in the outer layers of the convection zone. The fronts of these processes were identified by powerful (about 10³¹ erg) coronal ejections. (3) The collision of a wave reflected from the zone of active longitudes with the eastern front of the hydromagnetic impulse of the convection zone resulted in an increase in LOSMF magnetic fluxes, origination of an active sector boundary in the zone of active longitudes, shear-convergent motions, and generation and destabilization of the flare-productive AR 10696 responsible for the heliospheric storm of November 3–10, 2004.     

Effects of molecular ions on the Rayleigh–Taylor instability in the night-time equatorial ionosphere

In view of composition measurements in the night-time equatorial ionosphere, the role of molecular ions on the collisional Rayleigh–Taylor instability is examined using a linear perturbation analysis and a growth rate expression in the presence of double-ion species is obtained. The expression reveals that the growth rate depends on the number densities of both the ion species. This is in contrast to a single ionic constituent wherein the growth rate is independent of number density. The numerical calculation under realistic conditions reveals that the growth rate of the instability reduces with the introduction of the second dominant ion species and never exceeds the growth rate corresponding to a single ionic constituent. Further, the growth of the plasma instability is feasible even when the scale length of the second dominant ion is negative.     

Low-frequency current variability observed at the shelfbreak in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico: November 2004–May 2005

Fourteen acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) were deployed on the shelf and slope for 1 year just west of the DeSoto Canyon in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) as part of its Slope to Shelf Energetics and Exchange Dynamics (SEED) project. The winter and spring observations are discussed here in regards to the low-frequency current variability and its relation to wind and eddy forcing. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analyses showed that two modes described most of the current variability. Wind-forced variability of the along-shelf flow was the main contributor in Mode 1 while eddies contributed much of the variability in Mode 2. Wind-stress controlled currents on the shelf and slope at time scales of about a week. On longer time scales, variations in the currents on both the outer shelf and slope appear to be related to seasonal variations in the time-cumulated wind stress curl. Winds were dominant in driving the along-shelf transports, particularly along the slope. However, the effective wind stress component was found to be aligned with the west Florida shelf direction rather than the local shelf direction. Eddy intrusions, which were more numerous in winter and spring than in summer and fall, and winds were found to contribute significantly to cross-shelf exchange processes.