Ionospheric effects of magnetic storms in global scale

Abstract

The energy released by the Sun in different ways (irradiative and corpuscular) and that reaches the Earth and its vicinity causes as many beneficial and vital effects as effect that can cause decurrent economic losses of damages suffered by satellites of telecommunications, geodesy, navigation and scientific research, as well as problems in lines of electric distribution and gas-lines, to cite some examples. In this context, the magnetic storms represent a factor of risk for the current technological applications, demonstrating the importance to deepen our knowledge regarding its causes, characteristics and effect on the high terrestrial atmosphere (system thermosphere-ionosphere) and on the upper and lower atmosphere electrodynamics coupling. During these magnetically disturbed periods, a series of uncommon behaviors can occur: electric fields originated in high magnetic latitudes to be mapped to low and equatorial latitudes, generally from a few minutes up to one hour after the beginning of the magnetic disturbance; deposition of energy and momentum in the ionosphere of high magnetic latitudes by Joule effect and particle precipitation and, consequently, this heating of the ionosphere can originate modified patterns of winds and gravity waves that propagate towards the equator and result in a disturbance dynamo system, which generates electric fields in the magnetic equatorial region in a period of few hours after the prompt penetration electric field. The studies of this research proposal consist of the analysis and interpretation of data obtained by multi-instrumental and computational modeling techniques, in order to investigate the effects caused by magnetic storms in global scale, using data bases of national and abroad institutions in a scientific cooperation basis. The research activities will be done at the Centro de Rádio-Astronomia e Astrofísica do Mackenzie, Escola de Engenharia, Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (CRAAM/EE - UPM). The studies proposed in this project have, among other goals, the willing to contribute with the space weather research international program. (AU)