Geomagnetic and ionospheric data analysis over Antarctica: a contribution to the long term trends investigation

• Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
• Main Authors: Alfonsi, Lu., De Franceschi, G., De Santis, A.
• Other Authors: Alfonsi, Lu.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia, De Franceschi, G.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia, De Santis, A.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: EGU - Copernicus Publications 2008
• Subjects: Ionosphere (Polar ionosphere); Geomagnetism and paleomagnetism (Time variations; secular and long term); Radio science (Nonlinear phenomena); 01. Atmosphere::01.02. Ionosphere::01.02.04. Plasma Physics; 04. Solid Earth::04.05. Geomagnetism::04.05.02. Geomagnetic field variations and reversals; 05. General::05.07. Space and Planetary sciences::05.07.01. Solar-terrestrial interaction; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2122/3892; http://www.ann-geophys.net/26/1173/2008/

The analysis of the f oF2 ionosonde data acquired at mid and high latitudes reveals a general decreasing of the F2 plasma frequency over more than two solar cycles, showing steeper trends over the high latitude stations and, in particular, over Antarctica. A careful analysis of the f oF2 hourly data, opportunely catalogued in different levels of magneto-ionospheric conditions, highlights the role of the geomagnetic activity in the secular change of the ionosphere and confirms the latitudinal dependence of the trends. These results suggest interesting relations with some recent findings on the rapid decrease of some important physical and statistical quantities related to the geomagnetic field over the whole globe and mainly in Antarctica. In this paper we discuss the possibility of a connection between the ionospheric trends and a possible imminent geomagnetic reversal or excursion. Published 1173-1179 3.9. Fisica della magnetosfera, ionosfera e meteorologia spaziale JCR Journal reserved