[1] Changes in equatorial D-region electron density are studied using subionospherically propagating VLF signal at 18.2 kHz over a distance of 2200 km during the total solar eclipse of 22 July 2009. There are very few studies about the eclipse's effects on the equatorial lower ionosphere in the scientific literature. In the light of that, the objective of the present work is to study the effects of the eclipse on the dynamics of the equatorial lower ionosphere during ionospheric sunrise transition period. In the present case, great circle path between VLF transmitter and receiver falls totally in partial eclipse zone, having a maximum solar obscuration of 90% and an average obscuration of 74%. Results show an average decrease of 3.2 dB in signal strength compared to control days during peak solar obscuration over the path. A comparison with previous studies shows an increase both in lower ionosphere virtual reflection height (H′) and Wait inverse scale height parameter , respectively. During maximum eclipse over the path, the model profile shows an average 80% drop in electron density at a height of 71 km at equatorial lower ionosphere. A nonlinear variation of lower ionosphere electron density with solar radiation is found as opposed to the model study proposed by previous workers.Citation: Guha, A., B. K. De, R. Roy, and A. Choudhury (2010), Response of the equatorial lower ionosphere to the total solar eclipse of 22 July 2009 during sunrise transition period studied using VLF signal,

Effects of solar eclipses on the propagation characteristics of worldwide VLF sferics from lightning activity require more investigation. An attempt was made on the occasion of two solar eclipses during 22nd July, 2009 and 15th January, 2010 to study the effects of the two eclipses on the propagation characteristics of VLF sferics in the Earth‐ionosphere waveguide. Identical experimental setups were used to study the VLF sferics during the two eclipse events. The spectral character of VLF sferics propagating inside the waveguide is studied at a fixed receiver location (23.75°N, 91.25°E) at six discrete frequencies in between 3 and 20 kHz. During both the eclipse events, it is observed that VLF sferics at all the six discrete frequencies is increased from the mean normal average ambient level. The increment peaks around 10–12 kHz with an overall increment of 6.4 dB with respect to its ambient level. The VLF spectral character of enhancement of sferics show similar characters in two eclipses. The percentage decrease in electron density using standard modeling equations is found to be 90% at the height of 71 km for both the eclipses, supporting linear variation of electron density with solar radiation at the D‐region of the ionosphere. The results are explained qualitatively on the basis of a decrease in electron density at the lower ionosphere modifying the reflection coefficient which affected the propagation of VLF sferics in Earth‐ionosphere waveguide during eclipsed condition.

No abstract

The present work investigates the effects of long-duration geomagnetic storms on VLF signal during ionospheric sunrise time, commonly known as D Layer Preparation Time (DLPT) depth. The VLF signal at 19.8 kHz transmitted from Northwest Cape, Australia, and received at a low-latitude station, Tripura, India, is used for the present analysis. The data for the analysis are selected from November 2008 to October 2011. In the active period of the geomagnetic storms, the average DLPT depth is found to have a negative correlation coefficient of 0.91 with geomagnetic Ap index. It is also found that with each 10 unit increase of Ap index, the DLPT depth (the day and night asymmetry level) changes by 1.25 dB. The results are supported with modeled International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) electron density data and DLPT depth at 71 km height for the three positions, namely, receiver position, signal hop position, and the transmitter position along the total Great Circle Path. It is found that the receiver position electron density is the main controlling factor for DLPT depth. The correlation between IRI electron density and DLPT depth increases from À0.13 at transmitter position to À0.33 at the first hop position, to À0.46 at the receiver position, respectively. The percentage change of post storm electron density, at 71 km height, is found to increase by more than 100% at the receiver position. The results are discussed on the basis of the electron density changes over the signal propagation path, mainly caused by the geomagnetic storms.

This study presents the characteristics of aerosol black carbon (BC) from a rural continental site, Agartala, located in the North-Eastern part of India using two year measurements from September 2010 to September 2012. Diurnal and seasonal variations are examined in relation to the unique geographical location, changeable meteorological conditions and distinct source characteristics. Winter season is characterized by extremely high BC concentration (17.8 ± 9.2 µg/m 3 ) comparable to those seen in urban environments of India, dropping off to much lower values during the monsoon (2.8 ± 1.7 µg/m 3 ). Even this lowest seasonal mean is rather high, given the rural nature of Tripura. Examination of the spectral dependence of aerosol absorption coefficients indicates that the main source of aerosol to total BC burden at Agartala is the fossil fuel combustions. Concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) analysis indicate that the characteristic high BC during winter is mostly associated with the advection from the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP), while the air mass pattern is constricted to the oceanic region during monsoon making BC aloft due to local pollution only.