Sporadic-E associated with the Leonid meteor shower event of November 1998 over low and equatorial latitudes

Rapid radio soundings were made over Ahmed- abad, a low latitude station during the period 16-20 Novem- ber 1998 to study the sporadic-E layer associated with the Leonid shower activity using the KEL Aerospace digital ion- osonde. Hourly ionograms for the period 11 November to 24 November were also examined during the years from 1994 to 1998. A distinct increase in sporadic-E layer occurrence is noticed on 17, 18 and 19 November from 1996 to 1998. The diurnal variations of f0Es and fbEs also show significantly enhanced values for the morning hours of 18 and 19 Novem- ber 1998. The ionograms clearly show strong sporadic-E reflections at times of peak shower activity with multiple traces in the altitude range of 100-140 km in few ionograms. Sporadic-E layers with multiple structures in altitude are also seen in some of the ionograms (quarter hourly) at Thumba, situated near the magnetic equator. Few of ionograms recor- ded at Kodaikanal, another equatorial station, also show spor- adic-E reflections in spite of the transmitter power being sig- nificantly lower. These new results highlighting the effect of intense meteor showers in the equatorial and low latitude E-region are presented.