Geomagnetic Storm‐Induced Plasma Density Enhancements in the Southern Polar Ionospheric Region: A Comparative Study Using St. Patrick's Day Storms of 2013 and 2015

Abstract

The occurrence of St. Patrick's Day (17 March) geomagnetic storms during two different years (2013 and 2015) with similar solar flux levels but varying storm intensity provided an opportunity to compare and contrast the responses of the ionosphere-thermosphere (IT) system to different levels of geomagnetic activity. The evolution of positive ionospheric storms at the southern polar stations Bharati (76.6°S MLAT) and Davis (76.2°S MLAT) and its causative connection to the solar wind driving mechanisms during these storms has been investigated in this paper. During the main phase of both the storms, significant enhancements in TEC and phase scintillation were observed in the magnetic noon/ midnight period at Bharati and Davis. The TEC in the midnight sector on 17 March 2015 was significantly higher compared to that on 17 March 2013, in line with the storm intensity. The TEC enhancements during both the storm events are associated with the formation of the storm-enhanced densities (SEDs)/tongue of ionization (TOI). The strong and sustained magnetopause erosion led to the prevalence of stronger storm time electric fields (prompt penetration electric field (PPEF)/subauroral polarization streams (SAPS)) for long duration on 17 March 2015. This combined with the action of neutral winds at midlatitudes favored the formation of higher plasma densities in the regions of SED formation on this day. The same was weaker during the 17 March 2013 storm due to the fast fluctuating nature of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz. This study shows that the duration and extent of magnetopause erosion play an important role in the spatiotemporal evolution of the plasma density distribution in the high-midlatitude ionosphere.