Slant total electron content (STEC) data measured by the Global Positioning System receiver at Ilorin, Nigeria, with geographical coordinates 8.47°N, 4.68°E for the year 2009 (a low‐activity year) was used to study the diurnal, monthly standard deviation and monthly median value of total electron content (TEC). The vertical total electron content (VTEC) values are estimated from the STEC data. The thin shell approximation with an ionospheric shell height of 350 km was used for the analysis. The diurnal variation of VTEC (DTEC) and its corresponding monthly median variation (MTEC) shows a minimum at presunrise between the hours of 05:00 and 06:00 LT. The DTEC values show a maximum variation range from ∼24 to ∼34 total electron content unit (TECU). The daytime maximum TEC values observed in all the months were broad with a slight daytime depression in May, June, July, and November. The maximum variation of MTEC after slight daytime depression is greater than its variation before the slight daytime depression in the months affected with the month of July as exception. The slight daytime depression was lowest in the month of May and has a value of 0.99 TECU. A postsunset decrease at 20:00 LT with corresponding enhancement 2 h later was observed in the month of March. This post sunset decrease and enhancement in the month of March could be a strong indicator of the abrupt onset of scintillations, plasma bubbles, and spread F phenomenon. The monthly standard deviation depicts summary behavior of all the diurnal variations in each month. Annual and seasonal variations were also investigated.

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The first regional total electron content (TEC) model over the entire African region (known as AfriTEC model) using empirical observations is developed and presented. Artificial neural networks were used to train TEC observations obtained from Global Positioning System receivers, both on ground and onboard the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate satellites for the African region from years 2000 to 2017. The neural network training was implemented using inputs that enabled the networks to learn diurnal variations, seasonal variations, spatial variations, and variations that are connected with the level of solar activity, for quiet geomagnetic conditions (−20 nT ≤ Dst ≤ 20 nT). The effectiveness of three solar activity indices (sunspot number, solar radio flux at 10.7-cm wavelength [F10.7], and solar ultraviolet [UV] flux at 1 AU) for the neural network trainings was tested. The F10.7 and UV were more effective, and the F10.7 was used as it gave the least errors on the validation data set used. Equatorial anomaly simulations show a reduced occurrence during the June solstice season. The distance of separation between the anomaly crests is typically in the range from about 11.5 ± 1.0°to 16.0 ± 1.0°. The separation is observed to widen as solar activity levels increase. During the December solstice, the anomaly region shifts southwards of the equinox locations; in year 2012, the trough shifted by about 1.5°and the southern crest shifted by over 2.5°. Key Points:• The first regional TEC model over the entire African region using empirical observations is developed • The model offers opportunities to conduct high spatial resolution investigations over the African region • EIA occurrence is reduced during the June solstice, and the anomaly region shifts southwards during December solstice Data used in this work include GPS data, indices for solar and geomagnetic activities, and data from ionospheric models used to comparatively verify/validate the model developed. Figure 7. RMSE variations for predictions of the AfriTEC model using the test data set under conditions of varying (a) latitudes, (b) F10.7 values, (c) local times, and (d) days of the years.Figure 11. (a) Sample TEC profile for longitude 20°E illustrating the determination of anomaly crest and trough locations. The illustrated profile is for the March equinox day of year 2012. (b) to (d) are spatial simulations of TEC from the AfriTEC model for 13:00 UT of day number 79 of years 2009, 2012, and 2014, respectively. The F10.7 values are respectively 68, 101, and 150.

On the dayside of August 25–26, 2018 (main phase, MP of the storm), we unveiled the storm time effects on the latitudinal distribution of ionospheric total electron content (TEC). We used 17 and 19 Global Positioning System receivers in American and Asian‐Australian sectors, respectively. Also, we employed a pair of magnetometers in each sector to unveil storm time effects on vertical E × B upward directed inferred drift velocity in the F region ionosphere. Also used is NASA Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics satellite airglow instrument to investigate storm time changes in neutral composition, O/N2 ratio. In this investigation, we corrected the latitudinal offset found in the works of Younas et al. (2020, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JA027981). Interestingly, we observed that a double‐humped increase (DHI) seen at a middle latitude station (MGUE, ∼22°S) after the MP on the dayside in American sector (Younas et al., 2020, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JA027981) did straddle ∼23.58°N and ∼22°S. On August 25, 2018, storm commencement was evident in Sym‐H (∼−8 nT) around 18:00 UT. It later became intensified (∼−174 nT) on August 26 around 08:00 UT. During storm's MP (after the MP), fountain effect operation was significantly enhanced (inhibited) in Asian‐Australian (American) sector. Middle latitude TEC during MP got reduced in American sector (13:00 LT–15:40 LT) compared to those seen in Asian‐Australian sector (13:00 LT–15:40 LT). The northern equatorial peak (∼25 TECU) seen at IHYO (14:00 LT) after MP in the American sector is higher when compared with that (∼21 TECU) seen at PPPC (11:40 LT) during MP in Asian‐Australian sector.

In this short letter, we recall the differences between the counter electrojet (CEJ), which is a phenomenon observed on the magnetically quiet days and the disturbance dynamo (Ddyn), which can be observed during and after a geomagnetic storm. The CEJ is well known to occur near the geomagnetic dip equator. It can be identified by a reversal in the horizontal component (H) of the geomagnetic field daily regular variations. In contrast to equatorial electrojet (EEJ) that flows eastward in the daytime, the CEJ is considered to flow westward. The magnetic signatures of the reversed solar quiet (Sq) current at the low latitude during magnetic storms are due to the Ddyn. This disturbance (Ddyn) is produced by current systems that are driven by thermospheric storm winds originating from the Joule heating of enhanced high‐latitude currents. The DP2 is the magnetic effect of current systems at high latitudes. These currents are associated with the coupling of magnetosphere and ionosphere through geomagnetic field lines. They are associated to the magnetospheric convection. During intense magnetic storms these high‐latitude currents are enhanced and their magnetic effects can extend toward the low latitudes. This work shows that the study of magnetic perturbations makes it possible to understand the disturbances of the ionospheric electric currents. The use of an efficient treatment of the magnetic signals makes it possible to separate the magnetic effects of the different perturbations prompt penetration of the magnetospheric convection electric field and disturbance dynamo electric field. This was performed in the paper Nava et al. (2016).

We present solar quiet (Sq) variation of the horizontal (H) magnetic field intensity deduced from Magnetic Data Acquisition System (MAGDAS) records over Africa during an unusual strong and prolonged 2009 sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event. A reduction in the SqH magnitude that enveloped the geomagnetic latitudes between 21.13°N (Fayum FYM) in Egypt and 39.51°S (Durban DRB) in South Africa was observed, while the stratospheric polar temperature was increasing and got strengthened when the stratospheric temperature reached its maximum. Another novel feature associated with the hemispheric reduction is the reversal in the north‐south asymmetry of the SqH, which is indicative of higher SqH magnitude in the Northern Hemisphere compared to the Southern Hemisphere during SSW peak phase. The reversal of the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) or the counter electrojet (CEJ) was observed after the polar stratospheric temperature reached its maximum. The effect of additional currents associated with CEJ was observed in the Southern Hemisphere at middle latitude. Similar changes were observed in the EEJ at the South America, Pacific Ocean, and Central Asia sectors. The effect of the SSW is largest in the South American sector and smallest in the Central Asian sector.

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