[P-EM12] Coupling Processes in the Atmosphere-Ionosphere System

[PEM12-P32] Atmosphere-Ionosphere coupling due to dust storms

*FU-YUAN CHANG¹, Jann-Yenq G Liu¹ (1.National Central University)

Keywords:Atmosphere-Ionosphere coupling, Dust storm, Dust storm electric dipole, Aerosol

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aerosol, which consists of tiny solid and liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere, data are used to monitor dust storms. The aerosol optical depth (AOD) is that the measure of the extinction of the solar beam by dust and haze, in other words, particles in the atmosphere (dust, smoke, pollution) can block sunlight by absorbing or by scattering light. In this study, the AOD, GIM (global ionosphere map) TEC (total electron content), and DEMETER satellite data of the electron/ion density and temperature as well as ion velocity are examined for understanding ionospheric dust storm effects in May 2008. The AOD, latitude-time-TEC and DEMETER daytime latitude-time-electron/ion density (latitude-time-electron temperature) over the Sahara area reach maximum (minimum) values on 28 May 2008. The latitude-longitude maps of the GIM TEC, latitude-time-electron/ion density specifically significantly increases over the Sahara region, while the electron temperature decreases concurrently on 28 May 2008. Changes of the ion velocity show that the dust storm modifies the atmospheric electric field, which further penetrates into the ionosphere and in turn perturbs the plasma density and temperature over the Sahara area.