Impact of Storm Time Geomagnetic Parameters on Ionosphere during Solar Minimum Period over Visakhapatnam (17.7° N, 83.3° E), a Low Latitude Station

The primary energy source of the geomagnetic phenomena is the sun which transfers energy to the earth’s magnetosphere by means of solar wind. As we know that the sun and solar wind form a complex system which can influence the system consisting of earth and magnetosphere with wide variations in their parameters. The response of equatorial and low latitude ionosphere to storms varies from event to event and from place to place, studies on geomagnetic storms and space weather research got wide recognition in the scientific community. As the storms offer an excellent opportunity to study plasma dynamics as well as ionosphere – thermosphere coupling, we proposed to make a comprehensive study on the severe magnetic storms and retrieve the most salient ionospheric effects of the geomagnetic storms. The observations of solar wind variances are imperative for human activity; hence a statistical study of solar wind parameters, solar indices and ionospheric parameters which play an important role in the prediction of geomagnetic storms have been presented for a period of 2006 – 07, a solar minimum year.