Subauroral and Auroral Conditions in the Mid- and Low-Midlatitude Ionosphere over Europe During the May 2024 Mother’s Day Superstorm
This study focuses on the mid- and low-midlatitude ionospheric response to the 2024 Mother’s Day superstorm, utilizing ground-based and Swarm satellite observations. The ground-based ionosonde measured F1, F2-layer, B0 and B1 parameters, as well as isodensity data, were used. The ionospheric absorpt...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| author | Kitti Alexandra Berényi Veronika Barta Csilla Szárnya Attila Buzás Balázs Heilig |
| author_facet | Kitti Alexandra Berényi Veronika Barta Csilla Szárnya Attila Buzás Balázs Heilig |
| author_sort | Kitti Alexandra Berényi |
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| description | This study focuses on the mid- and low-midlatitude ionospheric response to the 2024 Mother’s Day superstorm, utilizing ground-based and Swarm satellite observations. The ground-based ionosonde measured F1, F2-layer, B0 and B1 parameters, as well as isodensity data, were used. The ionospheric absorption was investigated with the so-called amplitude method, which is based on ionosonde data. Auroral sporadic E-layer was the first time ever recorded at Sopron. Moreover, the auroral F-layer appeared at exceptionally low latitude (35° mlat, over San Vito) during the storm main phase. These unprecedented detections were confirmed by optical all-sky cameras. The observations revealed that these events were linked to the extreme equatorward shift of the auroral oval along with the midlatitude trough. As a result, the midlatitude ionosphere became confined to the trough itself. Three stages of F2-layer uplift were identified during the night of 10/11 May, each caused by different mechanisms: most probably by the effect of prompt penetration electric fields (PPEFs) (1), the travelling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) (2) and the combination of electrodynamic processes and decreased O/N<sub>2</sub> ratio (3). After a short interval of G-condition, an unprecedented extended disappearance of the layers was observed during daytime hours on 11 May, which was further confirmed by Swarm data. This phenomenon appeared to be associated with a reduced O/N<sub>2</sub> along with the influence of disturbance dynamo electric fields (DDEFs) and it cannot be explained only by the increased ionospheric absorption according to the results of the amplitude method. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj-art-23ef6d38cf5d49af9cbdaf1d088381f02025-08-20T03:56:49ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922025-07-011714249210.3390/rs17142492Subauroral and Auroral Conditions in the Mid- and Low-Midlatitude Ionosphere over Europe During the May 2024 Mother’s Day SuperstormKitti Alexandra Berényi0Veronika Barta1Csilla Szárnya2Attila Buzás3Balázs Heilig4HUN-REN-ELTE Space Research Group, H-1117 Budapest, HungaryHUN-REN Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science, H-9400 Sopron, HungaryHUN-REN Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science, H-9400 Sopron, HungaryHUN-REN-ELTE Space Research Group, H-1117 Budapest, HungaryHUN-REN Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science, H-9400 Sopron, HungaryThis study focuses on the mid- and low-midlatitude ionospheric response to the 2024 Mother’s Day superstorm, utilizing ground-based and Swarm satellite observations. The ground-based ionosonde measured F1, F2-layer, B0 and B1 parameters, as well as isodensity data, were used. The ionospheric absorption was investigated with the so-called amplitude method, which is based on ionosonde data. Auroral sporadic E-layer was the first time ever recorded at Sopron. Moreover, the auroral F-layer appeared at exceptionally low latitude (35° mlat, over San Vito) during the storm main phase. These unprecedented detections were confirmed by optical all-sky cameras. The observations revealed that these events were linked to the extreme equatorward shift of the auroral oval along with the midlatitude trough. As a result, the midlatitude ionosphere became confined to the trough itself. Three stages of F2-layer uplift were identified during the night of 10/11 May, each caused by different mechanisms: most probably by the effect of prompt penetration electric fields (PPEFs) (1), the travelling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) (2) and the combination of electrodynamic processes and decreased O/N<sub>2</sub> ratio (3). After a short interval of G-condition, an unprecedented extended disappearance of the layers was observed during daytime hours on 11 May, which was further confirmed by Swarm data. This phenomenon appeared to be associated with a reduced O/N<sub>2</sub> along with the influence of disturbance dynamo electric fields (DDEFs) and it cannot be explained only by the increased ionospheric absorption according to the results of the amplitude method.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/14/2492Mother’s Day superstormgeomagnetic stormauroral ionosphereionospheric stormswarm |
| spellingShingle | Kitti Alexandra Berényi Veronika Barta Csilla Szárnya Attila Buzás Balázs Heilig Subauroral and Auroral Conditions in the Mid- and Low-Midlatitude Ionosphere over Europe During the May 2024 Mother’s Day Superstorm Remote Sensing Mother’s Day superstorm geomagnetic storm auroral ionosphere ionospheric storm swarm |
| title | Subauroral and Auroral Conditions in the Mid- and Low-Midlatitude Ionosphere over Europe During the May 2024 Mother’s Day Superstorm |
| title_full | Subauroral and Auroral Conditions in the Mid- and Low-Midlatitude Ionosphere over Europe During the May 2024 Mother’s Day Superstorm |
| title_fullStr | Subauroral and Auroral Conditions in the Mid- and Low-Midlatitude Ionosphere over Europe During the May 2024 Mother’s Day Superstorm |
| title_full_unstemmed | Subauroral and Auroral Conditions in the Mid- and Low-Midlatitude Ionosphere over Europe During the May 2024 Mother’s Day Superstorm |
| title_short | Subauroral and Auroral Conditions in the Mid- and Low-Midlatitude Ionosphere over Europe During the May 2024 Mother’s Day Superstorm |
| title_sort | subauroral and auroral conditions in the mid and low midlatitude ionosphere over europe during the may 2024 mother s day superstorm |
| topic | Mother’s Day superstorm geomagnetic storm auroral ionosphere ionospheric storm swarm |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/14/2492 |
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