Tracking the Ionospheric Response to the Solar Eclipse of November 03, 2013

Abstract

The ionospheric dynamics is highly influenced by the solar radiation. During a solar eclipse, the moon occults the solar radiation from reaching the ionosphere, which may drastically affect the variability of the ionosphere. The variability of total electron content (TEC) observed by dual frequency Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers has made it possible to study effects of solar eclipse on the ionosphere. Total eclipse occurred on November 03, 2013, and the maximum amplitude was visible at Owiny in northern Uganda. Ionospheric behavior during this eclipse was analysed by using TEC data archived at Mbarara (MBAR), Malindi (MAL2), Eldoret (MOIU), and Kigali University (NURK) International GPS Satellite (IGS) stations. TEC variations of four consecutive days were used to study instantaneous changes of TEC during the eclipse event. The results generally show TEC decrease at the four stations. However, a maximum perturbation amplitude of ≥20 TECU was observed at MAL2 (18:00–20:00 UT) which is further south of the equator than the other stations. TEC enhancement and depletion were observed during the totality of the eclipse at MOIU, MBAR, NURK, and MAL2 (13:00–15:00 UT). This study found out that the ionospheric TEC over East Africa was modified by wave-like energy and momentum transport and obscuration of the solar disc due to the total solar eclipse.

Global Positioning System Observations of Ionospheric Total Electron Content Variations During the 15th January 2010 and 21st June 2020 Solar Eclipse

“…The diurnal variation of TEC on the eclipse day at each station is compared with the normal trend derived from averaged TEC of the top five international Quiet days of the month and their corresponding standard errors as shown in Figure 12 12:2 NST (06:44 UT) and 12:45 NST (07:00 UT) and for the stations CHLM, JIR2, KUGE, NPGJ and SYBC respectively. Thus, the decrease in VTEC closely follows the evolutionary pattern of the eclipse, the same was earlier observed by Amabayo et al (2014); Vyas and Sunda (2012).…”

First Report of an Eclipse From Chilean Ionosonde Observations: Comparison With Total Electron Content Estimations and the Modeled Maximum Electron Concentration and Its Height

“…The opposite is found on 1 and 3 July. Many published papers have made single quiet day comparisons (e.g., Amabayo et al, 2014; Momani et al, 2010) and may have overestimated or underestimated the ionospheric response to the moon shadow. To avoid this ambiguity, Reinisch et al (2018) compared observed eclipse variations with model variations instead.…”

“…Their principal findings are as follows: (a) vTEC declined during the eclipse compared with the values observed during seven reference days (some before and after the eclipse); (b) TEC oscillations were observed with 40-120 min periods and were associated with an AGW generated in the lower atmosphere; and (c) N(h) was reduced at all heights (10%-48%) with a maximum reduction at 360 km. Amabayo et al (2014) investigated the response of the equatorial ionosphere to the solar eclipse on 3 November 2013. Four GPS receivers over East Africa (from 2.69°to 6.73°S geomagnetic latitude) were used.…”

The solar eclipse effect on diffusion processes of O+ + O2 → O2+ + O reaction for the upper ionosphere over Kharkov

“…During the eclipse, the F region shows a large upward drift towards the upper heights. This upward drift may also cause slowing of the diffusion and hence reduce the ionization of the F 2 region, while increase the accumulation of ionization in the F1 region, which the stratification become more prominent [29,30].…”