Dynamic processes in the magnetic field and in the ionosphere during the 30 August–2 September 2019 geospace storm: influence on high frequency radio wave characteristics

Abstract

The concept that geospace storms are comprised of synergistically coupled magnetic storms, ionospheric storms, atmospheric storms, and storms in the electric field originating in the magnetosphere, the ionosphere, and the atmosphere (i.e., electrical storms) was validated a few decades ago. Geospace storm studies require the employment of multiple-method approaches to the Sun–interplanetary medium–magnetosphere–ionosphere–atmosphere–Earth system. This study provides general analysis of the 30 August–2 September 2019 geospace storm, the analysis of disturbances in the geomagnetic field and in the ionosphere, as well as the influence of the ionospheric storm on the characteristics of high frequency (HF) radio waves over the People's Republic of China. The main results of the study are as follows. The energy and power of the geospace storm have been estimated to be 1.5×1015 J and 1.5×1010 W, and thus, this storm is weak. The energy and power of the magnetic storm have been estimated to be 1.5×1015 J and 9×109 W, i.e., this storm is moderate, and a characteristic feature of this storm is the duration of the main phase of up to 2 d. The recovery phase also was lengthy and was no less than 2 d. On 31 August and 1 September 2019, the variations in the H and D components attained 60–70 nT, while the Z-component variations did not exceed 20 nT. On 31 August and 1 September 2019, the level of fluctuations in the geomagnetic field in the 100–1000 s period range increased from 0.2–0.3 to 2–4 nT, while the energy of the oscillations showed a maximum in the 300–400 to 700–900 s period range. During the geospace storm, a moderately to strongly negative ionospheric storm manifested itself by the reduction in the ionospheric F-region electron density by a factor of 1.4 to 2.4 times on 31 August and 1 September 2019, compared to the its values on the reference day. Appreciable disturbances were also observed to occur in the ionospheric E region and possibly in the Es layer. In the course of the ionospheric storm, the altitude of reflection of radio waves could sharply increase from ∼150 to ∼300–310 km. The atmospheric gravity waves generated within the geospace storm modulated the ionospheric electron density; for the ∼30 min period oscillation, the amplitude of the electron density disturbances could attain ∼40 %, while it did not exceed 6 % for the ∼15 min period. At the same time, the height of reflection of the radio waves varied quasi-periodically with a 20–30 km amplitude. The results obtained have made a contribution to the understanding of the geospace storm physics, to developing theoretical and empirical models of geospace storms, to the acquisition of detailed understanding of the adverse effects that geospace storms have on radio wave propagation, and to applying that knowledge to effective forecasting of these adverse influences.