Effects of solar eclipse on the electrodynamical processes of the equatorial ionosphere: a case study during 11 August 1999 dusk time total solar eclipse over India

Abstract. The effects on the electrodynamics of the equatorial E- and F-regions of the ionosphere, due to the occurrence of the solar eclipse during sunset hours on 11 August 1999, were investigated in a unique observational campaign involving ground based ionosondes, VHF and HF radars from the equatorial location of Trivandrum (8.5° N; 77° E; dip lat. 0.5° N), India. The study revealed the nature of changes brought about by the eclipse in the evening time E- and F-regions in terms of (i) the sudden intensification of a weak blanketing E_S-layer and the associated large enhancement of the VHF backscattered returns, (ii) significant increase in h' F immediately following the eclipse and (iii) distinctly different spatial and temporal structures in the spread-F irregularity drift velocities as observed by the HF radar. The significantly large enhancement of the backscattered returns from the E-region coincident with the onset of the eclipse is attributed to the generation of steep electron density gradients associated with the blanketing E_S , possibly triggered by the eclipse phenomena. The increase in F-region base height immediately after the eclipse is explained as due to the reduction in the conductivity of the conjugate E-region in the path of totality connected to the F-region over the equator along the magnetic field lines, and this, with the peculiar local and regional conditions, seems to have reduced the E-region loading of the F-region dynamo, resulting in a larger post sunset F-region height (h' F) rise. These aspects of E-and F-region behaviour on the eclipse day are discussed in relation to those observed on the control day.

Key words. Ionosphere (electric fields and currents; equatorial ionosphere; ionospheric irregularities)