Possible effects of solar flares on the ionosphere of venus from pioneer venus orbiter measurements

Abstract

The sharp enhancements in ionization seen in the outbound profiles around 200 km, for three orbits, during the second and the third sets of dayside periapsis passes, have been identified as possible ionospheric effects of three class 1 solar flares, simultaneously monitored on the earth. Two of these flares were accompanied by sudden ionospheric disturbances on the earth also. The effects of these flares could be observed by the orbiter, which subsequently sampled the ionosphere after a time comparable to the relaxation time of the ionosphere at these heights.