HF Radar Observations and Modeling of the Impact of the 8 April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse on the Ionosphere-Thermosphere System

B. S.R. Kunduri; J. B.H. Baker; J. M. Ruohoniemi; E. G. Thomas; J. D. Huba; D. J. Emmons; D. R. Themens; K. T. Sterne; G. Farinas Perez; W. A. Bristow; S. G. Shepherd; J. M. Holmes; E. V. Dao; A. T. Chartier; G. W. Perry; K. Pandey

doi:10.1029/2024GL112484

HF Radar Observations and Modeling of the Impact of the 8 April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse on the Ionosphere-Thermosphere System

B. S.R. Kunduri, J. B.H. Baker, J. M. Ruohoniemi, E. G. Thomas, J. D. Huba, D. J. Emmons, D. R. Themens, K. T. Sterne, G. Farinas Perez, W. A. Bristow, S. G. Shepherd, J. M. Holmes, E. V. Dao, A. T. Chartier, G. W. Perry, K. Pandey

Physics

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1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The path of totality of the 8 April 2024 solar eclipse traversed the fields-of-view of four US SuperDARN radars. This rare scenario provided an excellent opportunity to monitor the large-scale ionospheric response to the eclipse. In this study, we present observations made by the Blackstone (BKS) SuperDARN radar and a Digisonde during the eclipse. Two striking effects were observed by the BKS radar: (a) the Doppler velocities associated with ground scatter coalesced into a pattern clearly organized by the line of totality, with a reversal in sign across this line, and, (b) a delay of (Formula presented.) 45 min between time of maximum obscuration and maximum effect on the skip distance. The skip distance estimated using a SAMI3 simulation of the eclipse did not however capture the asymmetric time-delay. These observations suggest that the neutral atmosphere plays an important role in controlling ionospheric plasma dynamics, which were missing in SAMI3 simulations.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	e2024GL112484
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	51
Issue number	24
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112484
State	Published - Dec 28 2024

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Geophysics
General Earth and Planetary Sciences

Keywords

digisonde
eclipse
ionosphere
SAMI3
SuperDARN

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10.1029/2024GL112484

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Kunduri, B. S. R., Baker, J. B. H., Ruohoniemi, J. M., Thomas, E. G., Huba, J. D., Emmons, D. J., Themens, D. R., Sterne, K. T., Farinas Perez, G., Bristow, W. A., Shepherd, S. G., Holmes, J. M., Dao, E. V., Chartier, A. T., Perry, G. W., & Pandey, K. (2024). HF Radar Observations and Modeling of the Impact of the 8 April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse on the Ionosphere-Thermosphere System. Geophysical Research Letters, 51(24), Article e2024GL112484. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112484

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title = "HF Radar Observations and Modeling of the Impact of the 8 April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse on the Ionosphere-Thermosphere System",

abstract = "The path of totality of the 8 April 2024 solar eclipse traversed the fields-of-view of four US SuperDARN radars. This rare scenario provided an excellent opportunity to monitor the large-scale ionospheric response to the eclipse. In this study, we present observations made by the Blackstone (BKS) SuperDARN radar and a Digisonde during the eclipse. Two striking effects were observed by the BKS radar: (a) the Doppler velocities associated with ground scatter coalesced into a pattern clearly organized by the line of totality, with a reversal in sign across this line, and, (b) a delay of (Formula presented.) 45 min between time of maximum obscuration and maximum effect on the skip distance. The skip distance estimated using a SAMI3 simulation of the eclipse did not however capture the asymmetric time-delay. These observations suggest that the neutral atmosphere plays an important role in controlling ionospheric plasma dynamics, which were missing in SAMI3 simulations.",

keywords = "digisonde, eclipse, ionosphere, SAMI3, SuperDARN",

author = "Kunduri, {B. S.R.} and Baker, {J. B.H.} and Ruohoniemi, {J. M.} and Thomas, {E. G.} and Huba, {J. D.} and Emmons, {D. J.} and Themens, {D. R.} and Sterne, {K. T.} and {Farinas Perez}, G. and Bristow, {W. A.} and Shepherd, {S. G.} and Holmes, {J. M.} and Dao, {E. V.} and Chartier, {A. T.} and Perry, {G. W.} and K. Pandey",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024. The Author(s).",

year = "2024",

month = dec,

day = "28",

doi = "10.1029/2024GL112484",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "51",

journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",

issn = "0094-8276",

publisher = "John Wiley and Sons Inc.",

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Kunduri, BSR, Baker, JBH, Ruohoniemi, JM, Thomas, EG, Huba, JD, Emmons, DJ, Themens, DR, Sterne, KT, Farinas Perez, G, Bristow, WA, Shepherd, SG, Holmes, JM, Dao, EV, Chartier, AT, Perry, GW & Pandey, K 2024, 'HF Radar Observations and Modeling of the Impact of the 8 April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse on the Ionosphere-Thermosphere System', Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 51, no. 24, e2024GL112484. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112484

TY - JOUR

T1 - HF Radar Observations and Modeling of the Impact of the 8 April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse on the Ionosphere-Thermosphere System

AU - Kunduri, B. S.R.

AU - Baker, J. B.H.

AU - Ruohoniemi, J. M.

AU - Thomas, E. G.

AU - Huba, J. D.

AU - Emmons, D. J.

AU - Themens, D. R.

AU - Sterne, K. T.

AU - Farinas Perez, G.

AU - Bristow, W. A.

AU - Shepherd, S. G.

AU - Holmes, J. M.

AU - Dao, E. V.

AU - Chartier, A. T.

AU - Perry, G. W.

AU - Pandey, K.

PY - 2024/12/28

Y1 - 2024/12/28

N2 - The path of totality of the 8 April 2024 solar eclipse traversed the fields-of-view of four US SuperDARN radars. This rare scenario provided an excellent opportunity to monitor the large-scale ionospheric response to the eclipse. In this study, we present observations made by the Blackstone (BKS) SuperDARN radar and a Digisonde during the eclipse. Two striking effects were observed by the BKS radar: (a) the Doppler velocities associated with ground scatter coalesced into a pattern clearly organized by the line of totality, with a reversal in sign across this line, and, (b) a delay of (Formula presented.) 45 min between time of maximum obscuration and maximum effect on the skip distance. The skip distance estimated using a SAMI3 simulation of the eclipse did not however capture the asymmetric time-delay. These observations suggest that the neutral atmosphere plays an important role in controlling ionospheric plasma dynamics, which were missing in SAMI3 simulations.

AB - The path of totality of the 8 April 2024 solar eclipse traversed the fields-of-view of four US SuperDARN radars. This rare scenario provided an excellent opportunity to monitor the large-scale ionospheric response to the eclipse. In this study, we present observations made by the Blackstone (BKS) SuperDARN radar and a Digisonde during the eclipse. Two striking effects were observed by the BKS radar: (a) the Doppler velocities associated with ground scatter coalesced into a pattern clearly organized by the line of totality, with a reversal in sign across this line, and, (b) a delay of (Formula presented.) 45 min between time of maximum obscuration and maximum effect on the skip distance. The skip distance estimated using a SAMI3 simulation of the eclipse did not however capture the asymmetric time-delay. These observations suggest that the neutral atmosphere plays an important role in controlling ionospheric plasma dynamics, which were missing in SAMI3 simulations.

KW - digisonde

KW - eclipse

KW - ionosphere

KW - SAMI3

KW - SuperDARN

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U2 - 10.1029/2024GL112484

DO - 10.1029/2024GL112484

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85211597717

SN - 0094-8276

VL - 51

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 24

M1 - e2024GL112484

ER -

HF Radar Observations and Modeling of the Impact of the 8 April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse on the Ionosphere-Thermosphere System

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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