The effects of March 20 2015 solar eclipse on the F2 layer in the mid-latitude

This paper studied the effects of solar eclipse of March 20, 2015 on the F2 layer in the mid-latitude. The diurnal changes in the NmF2 and hmF2 in mid-latitude stations during the spectacular event, as recorded by the ionosonde situated along the path of solar eclipse, which are within the obscuration percentage of 59-90% were investigated. The estimation of the percentage of solar ionizing radiation that remains unmasked during the eclipse window was carried out. The high uncertainty level (i.e. the error is ⩽±0.2), indicates that variation in electron density during eclipse window can be used as proxy parameter for solar ionizing radiation. The NmF2 decreased during the eclipse window, as a consequence of the variation in the local solar radiation. The variation of F2 plasma was dominated by diffusion mechanisms which determine the height at which the F2 peak formed and were related to the changes in thermospheric composition. The downward/upward movements of the plasma correspond with the drifting of the diffusion mechanisms and undergone a comparable variation with the solar ionizing radiation. Our result indicates that eclipse effects increase with increase in latitude and the time lag (the time delay ranges from 11 to 21 min) decreases with increase in latitude.