Date : October, 26th      Time : Thursday, 4-5pm      Place : Seminar room: Science 103

Title : Effects of Solar Eclipses on the Ionosphere

Speaker : Dr. Keith West

Affiliation : TAMU-Commerce

Abstract :

Sunlight plays a crucial role in the physics and chemistry of the ionosphere, from formation of plasma by photoionization to regulating the transport of plasma by neutral winds via heating the atmosphere. Solar eclipses disrupt the daily production, loss, and transport processes by locally diminishing or eliminating ionizing radiation for brief periods. This study examines the effects of the total solar eclipse of February 16, 1980 on the composition of the low latitude ionosphere using data taken by instruments on board Atmospheric Explorer E. Few, if any, in situ examinations of the effects of solar eclipses on the composition of the ionosphere have been done. Specifically, changes in the concentration of O+, H+, and N+ are examined. Since data from more than one orbit was obtained during the course of the eclipse, we examine the recovery time of the ionosphere as well.

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