Magnetosphere-associated storms and the autonomous storms in the ionosphere-plasmasphere environment

Global GPS-derived ionosphere maps (GIM) of total electron content (TEC) were transformed into magnetic latitude (MLAT) versus magnetic local time (MLT) frame. TEC enhancement or depletion marked by W index show dominant electron content depressions and the ionosphere-plasmasphere storms increasing by nighttime, at high magnetic latitudes and over the crests of equatorial anomaly. Based on W maps, the planetary Wp index was produced and used for derivation of a catalogue of more than 140 TEC storms during 1999-2009. In total 33 space weather intense storms and 35 moderate storms are revealed with four series of indices (AE, Ap, Dst and Wp) but more than half Wp storms were either partially overlapping in time with magnetic storm or observed autonomously under non-storm magnetosphere conditions. Relation between an annual number of intense Dst storms and Wp storms has been used for their prediction towards the peak of the forthcoming 24th solar cycle.