Geomagnetic storm effects on f2-layer peck electron density (NmF2)

In this paper, we present a report of an investigation on the effect of geomagnetic storm on F2 layer of equatorial ionosphere. Of particular interest is the impact on the peak electron density, NmF2 and the corresponding height, hmF2. The main focus is on the storms of March 12-15 and September 18-21, 1989; and those of March 6-9 and September 24-28, 1994. These were years of high and low solar activities respectively. The investigation was carried out by analyzing and Dst data mainly from the equatorial station of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The former, , yielded NmF2 and hmF2, while the latter, Dst gave the strength of the storms. The station has geographic latitude , longitude , and magnetic dip (geomagnetic coordinates; , ). However, in order to gain greater understanding of the impacts we expanded the investigation, for comparative purposes, to include similar data captured (i) at: the same the station on solar quite days before and after the storm events; (ii) at some non-equatorial stations, and (iii) at other equatorial station outside the Africa zone namely: Maui with geographic latitude longitude (geomagnetic coordinates; , ) and Canberra on geographic latitude , longitude (geomagnetic coordinates; , ). The investigation revealed that: (i) geomagnetic storm caused increase in NmF2 during daytime, and caused decrease in NmF2 during nighttimes; (ii) the storm effects are greater in March equinox than in September equinox for both periods of high and low solar activities, (iii) geomagnetic storms generally caused decreases in hmF2 at Canberra station (mid-latitude region) during both high and low solar activities; while increases in peak height were observed at Maui station (equatorial region]) during both solar activities.