Ionosphere Heterogeneities at Dawn−Dusk Terminator Related to the Starlink Satellites Launch Disaster on 3−8 February 2022

Abstract

AbstractWe present an analysis of the evolution of the ionospheric Total Electron Content (TEC) and its variability index Vσ during the Starlink launch disaster on 3–8 February 2022 two‐phase geomagnetic storm. JPL GIM‐TEC global maps with increased spatial (1° in latitude and longitude) and temporal (15 min cadence) resolution as well as SWARM satellite data have been used in the analysis. Comparison of data for five time periods including Starlink launches with geomagnetic Dst index demonstrates thermospheric mass densities increasing by about 50% during the development of the storm on 3–5 February. A spectrum periodogram analysis is applied on TEC at sunrise and sunset solar terminator (STh) at an altitude h = 300 km. Periodicities in the solar terminator TEC generated waves are estimated as 24 hr, 12 hr, 1 hr, 30 min, 20 min, and 15 min. A significant morning−evening asymmetry resulted in the density anomalies concentrated in a certain—evening—sector of terminator when plasma is shifted to the dusk side forming a global asymmetry.