Signatures of Sudden Storm Commencement on the equatorial thermospheric dayglow

Abstract

It has been observed that the OI 630.0 nm dayglow emission over a dip equatorial station, Trivandrum (8.5° N, 77° E, dip 0.5° N), India registered an abrupt increase of ~ 2000 R during the compression phase of the magnetosphere as dictated by a sudden increase in solar wind ram pressure. Furthermore, an unusual depletion of these emissions has been observed during the eastward interplanetary electric field (IEF), concomitant with southward excursion of IMF Bz. The ionosonde and magnetometer observations confirmed the effects of prompt penetration electric field (PPEF). Associated with the eastward PPEF, formation of F3 layers were also noticed. These unique results, which emphasize the effect of Sudden Storm Commencement/IEF on these equatorial daytime airglow emissions are discussed in context of changes in the equatorial zonal electric field and F region height variations associated with polar/auroral activities due to the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling.