Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2023

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[E] Oral

P (Space and Planetary Sciences ) » P-EM Solar-Terrestrial Sciences, Space Electromagnetism & Space Environment

[P-EM09] Space Weather and Space Climate

Thu. May 25, 2023 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM 101 (International Conference Hall, Makuhari Messe)

convener:Ryuho Kataoka(National Institute of Polar Research), Antti A Pulkkinen(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center), Mary Aronne, Satoko Nakamura(Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University), Chairperson:Satoko Nakamura(Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University), Ryuho Kataoka(National Institute of Polar Research)

3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

[PEM09-19] A report on the SpaceX storm and the S4 index response during the 2022 February 3-4 geomagnetic event

*YI DUANN1,2, Loren C. Chang1,2, Jann-Yenq Liu1,2 (1.Department of Space Science and Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan City 320, Taiwan, 2.Center for Astronautical Physics and Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan City 320, Taiwan)

Keywords:SpaceX, Starlink, FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2, Ionospheric scintillation (S4), Disturbance Storm-Time index (Dst)

SpaceX's Starlink satellite mission suffered a major setback during February 3-4, 2022, when at least 40 of the 49 satellites launched failed to reach their intended orbits due to solar storms. In this study, we analyzed data from the FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 (F7/C2) mission and TIMED/GUVI (The Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics/Global Ultraviolet Imager) to understand the ionospheric responses and neutral thermosphere expansion during the SpaceX storms. These storms were classified as moderate, with the Disturbance Storm-Time (Dst) index reaching about -61 nT. Our results showed that the ionospheric scintillation (S4) observed by F7/C2 drifted eastward-upward in groups, and the co-located electron density (Ne) profiles measured by TIMED/GUVI were uplifted and disturbed. The ratio of atomic oxygen to molecular nitrogen (O/N2) in the F-region also changed, as observed by TIMED/GUVI, contributing to the suppression of S4 at low latitudes. The physical mechanism behind these observations is thought to be the interaction between the geomagnetic storm and the ionosphere, which leads to changes in the ionosphere's electric fields and ionospheric irregularities. By improving our understanding of this interaction and the relationship between ionospheric irregularity occurrence rates in different longitudinal sectors and geomagnetic storm levels, we can reduce the environmental risks in the ionosphere during vehicle launches and make the ionosphere safer for mission operations in the future.