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Longitudinally-Dependent Low-Latitude Ionospheric Disturbances Linked to the Antarctic Sudden Stratospheric Warming of September 2019
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  • Larisa P. Goncharenko,
  • V Lynn Harvey,
  • Katelynn R Greer,
  • Shun-Rong Zhang,
  • Anthea J Coster
Larisa P. Goncharenko
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Haystack Observatory

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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V Lynn Harvey
University of Colorado Boulder
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Katelynn R Greer
University of Colorado Boulder
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Shun-Rong Zhang
MIT Haystack Observatory
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Anthea J Coster
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Abstract

The strongest Southern Hemisphere minor sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) in the last 40 years occurred in September 2019 and resulted in unprecedented weakening of the stratospheric polar vortex. Ionospheric total electron content (TEC) observations are used to provide an overview of statistically significant anomalies in the low-latitude ionosphere during this event. Quasi-semidiurnal perturbations of TEC are observed in response to the SSW, similar to those seen during Northern Hemisphere SSWs. Analysis indicates the existence of quasi-periodic oscillations in TEC in the crests of the equatorial ionization anomaly, with strong 5-6 day and 2-3 day periodicities. Ionospheric anomalies from the combined effects of multiple mechanisms exceed a factor of 2, comparable to the strongest anomalies associated with Northern Hemisphere SSWs. These results also indicate, for the first time, a remarkable longitudinal variation in the character and magnitude of variations that could be related to a modulation of the non-migrating diurnal tide.
Aug 2020Published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics volume 125 issue 8. 10.1029/2020JA028199