Abstract:
The ionosphere is the part of the atmosphere that contains ionized gases, called plasma,
and that affects radio propagation. The response of the ionosphere and magnetosphere to
two powerful geomagnetic storms that occurred on April 23–24, 2023, and March 23–24,
2023, are examined in this thesis. Utilizing data from multiple space based and ground
based ionospheric observation systems, including satellite missions and the study
examines the TEC associated with geomagnetic disturbances. The main point of
geomagnetic storm study is to understand the current that passes through the ionosphere.
The study analyzed using southward Interplanetary magnetic field (IMF (Bz)),
Interplanetary electric field of the ring current (IEF), the solar wind speed (SWS) and the
Dst index from OMNI data explorer to understand the characteristics of the ionosphere
and magnetosphere during the storm period. The study provides insight in to the
mechanisms driving these variations and their implications for satellite communications,
navigation systems, and space weather forecasting. The Global ionospheric TEC during
the main storm is observed in comparison to the quiet time before and after the
geomagnetic storm. That means global ionospheric TEC has increased over time storm,
possibly due to Joule heating or direct penetration of hot plasma. The storm peaked on
March 23 and intensified on March 24, possibly due to coronal mass ejections. The
maximum TEC was observed in the Central and South American sector. During the
disturbed times day 23 and 24, an enhanced TEC is observed even in the night side of the
ionosphere. The sun activity governs the interaction of magnetosphere with solar wind
and Earth magnetic field, this influence of magnetosphere is Geomagnetic storm. The
study analyzed the relationship between the O/N
ratio and the total ionospheric electron
content (TEC) from April 20 to 25, 2023.A higher O/N
2
ratio, which indicates a greater
presence of atomic oxygen relative to molecular nitrogen, generally leads to more
efficient ionization. This results in an increase in the overall electron density in the
ionosphere, contributing to higher TEC values.
2