Meteorological effects of ionospheric disturbances from vertical radio sounding data

Abstract We studied ionospheric disturbances caused by the wave-like processes in the middle atmosphere. The ionospheric data were obtained from continuous measurements with the DPS-4 vertical sounding ionosondes in Irkutsk and Norilsk over 2008–2010. The ionospheric disturbances were considered as deviations of the F 2 layer peak density variations from the daily average values. We also used ECMWF ERA-Interim reanalysis data for the middle atmosphere dynamics analysis, and the Aura MLS data on the atmospheric temperature at the stratosphere and upper mesosphere heights obtained within the above period. The analysis allowed us to reveal periods of middle-scale wave motions in the stratosphere and lower mesosphere during winter seasons in the Northern Hemisphere. The wave motions observed in the study were associated with the jet streams at the stratosphere/lower mesosphere heights localized mainly between 50 and 80°N. The middle-scale waves in the stratosphere were compared with ionospheric disturbances over two ionosonde stations in Irkutsk and Norilsk. A noticeable increase in the wave activity was found at the F 2 layer heights during the periods of stratospheric wave activity. For both stations, the maximal variability in the ionosphere F 2 layer parameters was observed in winter with the minimal variability observed in summer. The summer–winter difference was more pronounced in the case of the high-latitude ionosonde in Norilsk.