Modeling of total electron content disturbances caused by electric currents between the Earth and the ionosphere

• Published in: Russian journal of physical chemistry. B 2013-09, Vol.7 (5), p.594-598
• Main Authors: Karpov, M. I., Namgaladze, A. A., Zolotov, O. V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemical Physics of Atmospheric Phenomena; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Physical Chemistry
• ISSN: 1990-7931; 1990-7923
• DOI: 10.1134/S1990793113050187

The results of simulation of ionospheric total electron content (TEC) caused by the electric field induced by an electric current between the Earth and the ionosphere are reported. The calculations are performed using a model of the upper atmosphere of the Earth (UAM). The equation for the electric potential in the UAM is solved by specifying vertical electric currents in a limited area of the lower boundary of the ionosphere, presumably over the epicenter of a forthcoming earthquake. The dependence of the intensity of TEC disturbances on the electric current direction, latitudinal location of the sources, and their configurations is examined. The most intense TEC disturbance are predicted when the sources are located within 30°–45° geomagnetic latitude. Simulating the concurrent action of vertical currents and compensating “return” currents uniformly distributed around the globe outside the region of “direct” currents showed no significant changes in the TEC disturbances compared with the situation where merely “direct” currents are considered. The role of the vertical and horizontal components of the electromagnetic drift of ionospheric plasma in the variations of the electron density in different areas relative to the electric current source is discussed.