Comparative Study of the Geomagnetic Activity Effect on foF2 Variation as Defined by the Two Classification Methods at Dakar Station over Solar Cycle Phases

This paper aims to establish a comparison between both geomagnetic activity classification methods on foF2 diurnal variation over solar cycle phases. It concerns first a comparison of geomagnetic activity occurrences according to both classification methods;and second the geomagnetic effect on foF2 diurnal variation profiles as defined for the equatorial latitudes. The occurrences of the different disturbed geomagnetic activities (recurrent activity (RA), shock activity (SA) and fluctuant activity (FA)) according to both classifications (ancient classification (AC) and new classification (NC)) have been studied at Dakar ionosonde station (Lat: 14.8°N;Long: 342.6°E). Regarding both classifications, the RA occurs more during the decreasing phase. And it’s observed that the RA occurs the most during the increasing phase for the AC and during the minimum phase for the NC. The maximum gap of occurrence () between both classifications is -11.1% (for the negative value which is observed during the increasing phase) and +16.74% (for the positive one which is observed during the decreasing phase). The occurrence of the SA in relation with both classifications is the lowest during the minimum phase and the maximum occurrence is observed during the maximum and decreasing phases, for the AC, with a value close to 37% and for the NC at the maximum phase with a percentage of 54.47%. The maximum gap of occurrence () between both classifications is -17.85% (for the negative value which is observed at maximum phase) and +13.53% (for the positive one which is observed during the decreasing phase). For both classifications, the FA occurs the least during the minimum phase and the most during the maximum phase for the AC and at maximum and decreasing phases with percentage values of occurrence of roughly 37% for the NC. The maximum gap of occurrence () between both classifications is -10% (for the negative value which is observed during the decreasing phase) and +20.11% (for the positive one which is observed during the maximum phase). foF2 diurnal profiles throughout solar cycle phases concerning the AC and the NC have been compared. The FA diurnal profiles don’t present a difference. The RA and the SA present a difference during minimum and increasing phases and the least at maximum and decreasing phases.

Comparative Study of foF2 during Quiet Geomagnetic Activity with URSI and CCIR Predictions during the Phase Minimum of Solar Cycle 22

This paper investigates the performance of the latest International Reference Ionosphere model to predict the critical frequency at low latitudes in the African region. The variability of the critical frequency of the F2 layer of the ionosphere (foF2) is studied for the different seasons of the phase minimum of solar cycle 22 during quiet geomagnetic activity at the Ouagadougou station. The data used are those provided by the ionosonde and the predictions of the two subprograms: International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR) and International Radio-Scientific Union (URSI) of the 2016 version of the International Reference Ionosphere model. This study shows that, in general, URSI and CCIR of the IRI-2016 model are able to reproduce fairly well the variability of the critical frequency of the F2 layer of the ionosphere at low latitudes during the phase minimum at the Ouagadougou station. However, the model shows an almost homogeneous overestimation of the foF2 during the four seasons studied. The good response is observed between 0700 TL and 1900 TL for the available data. The agreement between the subroutine responses and the observed results is between reasonable and poor. The best match state response is obtained in winter with the CCIR subroutine. These results show that there is a need to improve both CCIR and URSI subroutines of the IRI-2016 model in low latitudes in the African region.

Statistical Study of foF2 Diurnal Variation at Dakar Station from 1971 to 1996:Effect of Geomagnetic Classes of Activity on Seasonal Variation at Solar Minimum and Maximum

The statistical study of F2 layer critical frequency at Dakar station from 1971 to 1996 is carried out. This paper shows foF2 statistical diurnal for all geomagnetic activities and all seasons and that during solar maximum and minimum phases. It emerges that foF2 diurnal variation graphs at Dakar station exhibits the different types of foF2 profiles in African EIA regions. The type of profile depends on solar activity, season and solar phase. During solar minimum and under quiet time condition, data show?the signature of a strength electrojet that is coupled with intense counter electrojet in the afternoon. Under disturbed conditions,?mean intense electrojet is observed in winter?during fluctuating and recurrent activities. Intense counter electrojet is seen under fluctuating and shock activities in all seasons coupled with strength electrojet in autumn. In summer?and spring under all geomagnetic activity condition, there is intense counter electrojet. During solar maximum, in summer and spring there is no electrojet under geomagnetic activity conditions.?Winter shows a mean intense electrojet. Winter and autumn are marked by the signature of the reversal electric field.

Contribution of the International Reference Ionosphere-2016 Model in the Evidence of the Winter Anomaly

This study is a contribution to the estimation of the winter anomaly in the F2 layer of the ionosphere at low latitudes. The aim is to study the variability of the virtual height (hmF2) of the F2 region of the ionosphere through the predictions of the latest International Reference Ionosphere model (IRI-2016). The present work allows analyzing the temporal evolution of hmF2 according to the different phases of three (3) solar cycles during the quiet geomagnetic activity to estimate the seasonal anomaly at the Ouagadougou station. The analysis of the seasonal profiles shows that the variability of hmF2 is: 1) strongly linked to the solar cycle activity, 2) dependent on the season and 3) variable from one cycle to the next for the same phase. It appears that hmF2 increases during the ascending phase to reach its maximum value at the phase maximum. During the descending phase, it decreases until the phase minimum where it finds its minimum value. The difference between winter and summer on the hmF2 values for each phase of the cycle is obtained at the phase minimum and is estimated to be at least 16 km. In low latitudes, solar irradiation is greater in summer than in winter. From this study, hmF2 values are larger in winter compared to summer indicating an anomaly in the virtual height of the F2 layer of the ionosphere through the predictions of IRI-2016 at the Ouagadougou station.

foF2 Diurnal Variability at African Equatorial Stations:Dip Equator Secular Displacement Effect

The paper goal is to analyze the variability of foF2 at African equatorial stations and the effect of dip angle on this variability. The gap between the dip angle of Dakar and Ouagadougou is superior to that between Djibouti and Ouagadougou. The trend of the dip angle at Ouagadougou and Dakar decreases while that of Djibouti increases. The relative position of the station with respect to the equator and the trend sign explains the difference observed in foF2 variability at Dakar station and at the two other stations. At Djibouti and Ouagadougou, foF2 exhibits noon bite out profile during all solar cycle phases while at Dakar observed profile is dome or plateau during the maximum and the predominance afternoon peak for the other solar cycle phases.