Modeling the effect of sudden stratospheric warming within the thermosphere–ionosphere system

This paper presents an investigation of thermospheric and ionospheric response to the sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event, which took place in January 2009. This period was characterized by low solar and geomagnetic activity. Analysis was carried out within the Global Self-consistent Model of Thermosphere, Ionosphere and Protonosphere (GSM TIP). The experimental data of the atmospheric temperatures obtained by Aura satellite above Irkutsk and ionosonde data over Yakutsk and Irkutsk were utilized as well. SSW event was modeled by specifying the temperature and density perturbations at the lower boundary of the GSM TIP model (80 km altitude). It was shown that by setting disturbances in the form of a stationary planetary perturbation s=1 at the lower boundary of the thermosphere, one could reproduce the negative electron density disturbances in the F region of ionosphere during SSW events. Our scenario for the 2009 SSW event in the GSM TIP allowed to obtain results which are in a qualitative agreement with the observation data.

► SSW event was modeled by specifying the temperature and density perturbations at 80 km altitude.
► The specified disturbances allow to reproduce the negative effects in electron density at F region.
► The 2009 SSW event was accompanied by MLT cooling.
► Anticorrelation between ΔTn at height of 76–80 km and at height of 96 km occurred during SSW events.
► The situation during SSW event is very similar to the situation during geomagnetic storm.