Equatorial electrojet responses to intense solar flares under geomagnetic disturbance time electric fields

Abstract

Large enhancement in the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) current can occur due to sudden increase in the E layer density arising from solar flare associated ionizing radiations, as also from background electric fields modified by magnetospheric disturbances when present before or during a solar flare. We investigate the EEJ responses at widely separated longitudes during two X‐class flares that occurred at different activity phases surrounding the magnetic super storm sequences of 28–29 October 2003. During the 28 October flare we observed intense reverse electrojet under strong westward electric field in the sunrise sector over Jicamarca. Sources of westward disturbance electric fields driving large EEJ current are identified for the first time. Model calculations on the E layer density, with and without flare, and comparison of the results between Jicamarca and Sao Luis suggested enhanced westward electric field due to the flare occurring close to sunrise (over Jicamarca). During the flare on 29 October, which occurred during a rapid AE recovery, a strong overshielding electric field of westward polarity over Jicamarca delayed an expected EEJ eastward growth due to flare‐induced ionization enhancement in the afternoon. This EEJ response yielded a measure of the overshielding decay time determined by the storm time Region 2 field‐aligned current. This paper will present a detailed analysis of the EEJ responses during the two flares, including a quantitative evaluation of the flare‐induced electron density enhancements and identification of electric field sources that played dominant roles in the large westward EEJ at the sunrise sector over Jicamarca.