Night-time F-region and daytime E-region ionospheric drifts measured at Udaipur during solar flares

• Main Authors: B. M. Vyas, R. Pandey
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Copernicus Publications 2002-11-01
• Series: Annales Geophysicae
• Online Access: https://www.ann-geophys.net/20/1837/2002/angeo-20-1837-2002.pdf

Ionospheric drifts measured at a low latitude station, Udaipur (Geomag. Lat. 14.5° N), in the night-time F-region and daytime E-region during solar flares have been studied. The night-time observations, which correspond to the F-region drifts, were carried out on five different nights. The daytime observation corresponding to the E-region drifts is only for one day. It is found that the apparent drift during the solar flare period is reduced considerably, in the daytime E-region as well as in the night-time F-region. The East-West and North-South components of the apparent drift speed are also similarly affected. For the daytime E-region drifts during a flare, increased ionization and subsequent reduction of reflection height is proposed to be the cause of reduced drift speeds. For the night-time F-region drifts, a reduced electric field at the F-region heights resulting from coupling of sunlit and dark hemispheres has been proposed to be the possible cause.<br><br><b>Key words. </b>Ionosphere (electric fields and currents; ionospheric disturbances)