XII Latin American Conference on Space Geophysics (Colage 2021)
Regional Effects of Strong Geomagnetic Storms during the solar cycle 23 and 24
Ing. Carlos Isaac Castellanos-Velazco1, *, Dr. Pedro Corona Romero2,3, Juan Américo Gonzales-Esparza2,3, Dra. Ana Luz Caccavari-Garza2,4 Dra Maria Seergeva2,3
1
Postgraduate earth science program, UNAM, Instituto de Geofisica, UNAM, Morelia, México. Instituto de geofisica, unidad Michoacan. UNAM, 3 Space Weather National Laboratory, Instituto de Geofísica,
UNAM, Morelia, México 4 Magnetic Service, Instituto de Geofísica, UNAM, Ciudad de México, México. contact: *ccastellanos@igeofisica.unam.mx, **p.coronaromero@igeofisica.unam.mx
Abstract
The geomagnetic field (GMF) plays an important role protecting the atmosphere and technology from the
negative effects of solar wind (SW). However, it can be disturbed when the interplanetary magnetic field
(IMF) interacts with the GMF under certain conditions. This interaction can be especially stormy
considering the occurrence of some events like coronal mass ejections (CME). The resulting event is a
spontaneous weakening of the GMF’s strength and a temporal geometry readjustment; commonly known
as geomagnetic storms (GS). Additionally, a GS is commonly linked to other phenomena like ionosphere
disturbances and geomagnetic induced currents (GIC).
This work aims to determine the regional effects of strong GS in Mexico (low geomagnetic-latitude
country) from 1996 to 2018
Global and regional GS effects
Extreme GS effects can potentially generate serious damages to telecomunication networks power grids,
space-technology, navigation systems and can even represent a risk for national security for any
goverment. Although a GS can be widely detected around the globe in almost real time, the process to
identify its regional effects is generaly a complicated task, since it depends of multiple natural and
human factors. Nevertheless, the regional impact of GS is a main goal for space weather purposes,
reason for which there are studies that focuse on this topic.
The most relevant effects if GS are related with:
-Ionospheric Responses (Ionospheric Storms)
-Geomagnetic Induced Currents (GIC)
The local effects of GS highly rely on the regional characteristics like geomagnetic coordinates, geology,
year season, local time, and even the antropogenic constructions.
Previously it was believed than low and middle geomagnetic-latitude regions were at low risk under the
effects of GMS's; however such a belief was proved false (see da Silva-Barbosa et al. 2015; Rachel L.
Bailey et al. 2017; Bernhardi et al. 2018). This work it's framed with the previously mentioned studies
and complements the existence evidence of the regional effects of strong GS on middle and low latitudes.
1 The response of the local magnetic field corresponds with the global effects . However, as it's expected, some expected differences are
4 •
2 ionospheric disturbances. We also observed that in those periods the regional and planetary values of K indexes also tended to show
3 Figure 2. Geomagnetic response of the EMF. From the top: First panel shows the global indexes,
5
Figure 1. The magnetic data were provided from the observations on the Magnetic observatory of Teoloyucan (left)
where the vectorial behaviour of the local magnetic field is observed and recorded. Currently Operate with fluxgate
Variometers (Right), Overhauser magnetometers of total intensity and magnetometers of magnetic declination and
inclination. The Instruments are the following: Variographs (1): Fluxgate Variograph (DMI). Components H, D, Z. Danish
Meteorological Survey. (2): Fluxgate Variograph (LAMA) Components D, F, I. Institut Royal Meteorologique de Belgique.
Absolute Instruments (3): Fluxgate Variograph (DMI). Components H, D, Z. Danich Meteorological Survey. (4), Fluxgate
Variograph (LAMA) Components D, F, I. Institut Royal Meteorologique de Belgique. (5) Magnetometer Geometrics G856.
Component F.
Magnetometer Station
The magnetic data were provided from the magnetic observatory of Teoloyucan (figure 1, left) which
is part of the global observatory network proyect INTERMAGNET. From this magnetic data, the magnetic
local Indexes DH and Kmex where derived to their use during this study.
Global and Regional Magnetic and ionospheric response
In 2017, the may 27 about noon, it was observed the beginning of the initial phase of an intense GS in the
form of a suden commancement (SSC). Acording with the Dst index, the maximum value during the SSC
where about 48 nT. Following the SSC, the the main phase started at the end of the day and got a minimum
value of -120 nT as you can see in the figure 2.
Dst index (black line) and SYM H index (blue line) and the local index DH (red line). The second
panel shows the ionospheric response with the TEC index. The observed TEC is indicated with the
black line and the expected TEC with the red one. The third and the four panels shows the Kp index
and the K local index called Kmex which is a product of the LANCE Mexican team group for space
weather studies. The color code is: green for quiet time (K<4), yellow for disturbed time (K = 4) and
red for stormy time (K > 4). The vertical solid lines shows the beginig of the initial and main GS
phases The Dst, SYM-H and DH indexes are sampled hourly while TEC index is sampled each 2 hours
and K indexes are 3 hourly sampled.
As it can be noted, the differences in the global and local magnetic indexes correspond with a positive
response of the ionosphere. This can be observed in the TEC index. The lasting of this response correspond
with both, the time lap of the Bz southward rotation and the E field inducted during the process. It is
interesting that both, the positive response of the ionosphere during the last few hours of the jun 27, and
the negative response seen in from 18:00 to 22:00 UT correspond with highier values in the K mex index in
contrast with the Kp index. Even more, this higher values coincide with E y dawnward periods which
corresponds at the same time with Bz northward periods. This could be associated with periods of
magnetospheric compression due to the SW dynamic pressure.
• Pedro Corona-Romero, M. Seergeva, J.A. Gonzales-Esparza (2017) Mexican Geomagnetic K index. Latinmag Letters, Volume 7, Special Issue (2017), GEP01, 1-6. Proceedings Juriquilla, Qro, Mexico.
• Rachel L. Bailey et al, Modelling geomagnetically induced currents in midlatitude Central Europe using a thin-sheet approach. Ann. Geophys. 35, 751–761, 2017. https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-35-751-2017.
• Akala, A. O., Oyeyemi, E. O., Amaechi, P. O., Radicella, S. M., Nava, B., & Amory‐Mazaudier, C. (2020).Longitudinal Responses of the Equatorial/Low‐Latitude Ionosphere Over the Oceanic Regions to Geomagnetic Storms of May and September 2017. Journal of
Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 125, e2020JA027963. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JA027963.
• areas.geofisica.unam.mx/magnetico/index/observatorio-teoloyucan.html
Figure 3. Comparative between global and regional
responses to the GS of may 27. From the top, the first panel
shows the Dst SYM-H and DH magnetic Indexes. The second
panel shows the differences of the Dst - DH indexes (black
line) and the difference of SYM-H - DH indexes. The third
panel shows the TEC index observed (black) and the expected
(red) while the fourth panel shows it's difference. Finally, the
fifth and the sixth represent the interplanetary parameters
electric field and the plasma pressure respectively. As it can
be seen, the vertical lines from left describes: the beginnig of
the SSC, the end of the SSC and the period
between the last two indicades the time when it ocurred a TEC
response. This also coincides to the periods of higher
differences among Dst, SYM-H and DH values as seen on the
second panel. It also can correlates to the induction of
downward Electric field, seen on the fifth panel.
Conclusions
presented:
Generally, the local magnetic indexes DH and K mex showed consistency with their planetary counteparts Dst and Kp. In general, the values
of Dst and DH indexes were close each other, and the periods when they showed differences temporaly coincide with periods of
differences.
• Kmex higher values respecting with the K planetary index coincided to a compression effect on the magnetosphere as seen during the
initial phase of the GS where, according with temporal sudden positive values on Dst, SYM-H and DH correspond to a SSC. This initial
phase is associated to the arrival of a shockwave in front of the CME, the interplanetary event which triggered the GS. The respective
SSC effect is a consequence of a compression of the EMF. It is interesting that the peak values of the Kmex index temporarly are related
more to the SSC that those obtained during the main phase.
• The result of higher Kmex values could be attribuited to possible local ionospheric responses generated during the SSC. There are also
higher values of the Kmex index which ocurred during periods when the B z component rotated toward the north direction during the
recovery phase. This also correspond to periods of E y on downward direction. The resulting Kmex values suggest a ionospheric process
which also reflects positive or negative responses on the TEC index thus is the next step to study on this proyect.
• It is necessary to analize more events and take into account more GPS stations to get more reliable ionospheric data for a more complete
study.
Acknowledges.
• Dr. Pedro Corona, the Assessor of this thesis project.
• Dr. Juan Americo-Gonzales Esparza & Dra Ana Caccavari, members of the tutorial comitee
• Omniweb service from where interplanetary data were obteined
• ISGI web site service from where planetary magnetic data Dst, Kp and SYM-H where provided
• Dra. Maria Sergeeva who provided the ionosferic index TEC based on the RINEX data from the GPS station in Coeneo, Michoacan.
• The team group from the Magnetic Service-Instituto de geofisica.
• The team group working at MEXART observatory in Coeneo, M. C. Pablo Villanueva, ing Adan Espinoza, and ing Ernesto Andrade
References.