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Abstract Using the latest coupled geospace model Multiscale Atmosphere‐Geospace Environment (MAGE) and observations from Jicamarca Incoherent scatter radar (ISR) and ICON ion velocity meter (IVM) instrument, we examine the pre‐reversal enhancement (PRE) during geomagnetic quiet time period. The MAGE shows comparable PRE to both the Jicamarca ISR and ICON observations. There appears to be a discrepancy between the Jicamarca ISR and ICON IVM with the later showed PRE about two times larger (∼40 m/s). This is the first time that MAGE is used to simulate the PRE. The results show that the MAGE can simulate the PRE well and are mostly consistent with observations. 

Abstract Using NASA's Global‐scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) imager, we report nightside ionospheric changes during the G5 super geomagnetic storm of 10 and 11 May 2024. Specifically, the nightside southern crest of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) was observed to merge with the aurora near the southern tip of South America. During the storm, the EIA southern crest was seen moving poleward as fast as 450 m/s. Furthermore, the aurora extended to mid‐latitudes reaching the southern tips of Africa and South America. The poleward shift of the equatorial ionospheric structure and equatorward motion of the aurora means there was no mid‐latitude ionosphere in this region. These observations offer unique insights into the ionospheric response to extreme geomagnetic disturbances, highlighting the complex interplay between solar activity and Earth's upper atmosphere. 

We simulated the Nov 3-4, 2021 geomagnetic storm event penetrating electric field using the Multiscale Atmosphere-Geospace Environment (MAGE) model and compared with the NASA ICON observation. The ICON observation showed sudden enhancement of the vertical ion drift when the penetrating electric field arrived at the equatorial region. The MAGE model simulated vertical ion drifts have the similarly fast enhancement that shown in the ICON data at the same UT time and satellite location. Hence, ICON ion drift data was able to verify MAGE simulation, which couples the magnetospheric model was able to simulate the penetrating electric field very well. 

Abstract This paper investigates the midlatitude ionospheric disturbances over the American/Atlantic longitude sector during an intense geomagnetic storm on 23 April 2023. The study utilized a combination of ground‐based observations (Global Navigation Satellite System total electron content and ionosonde) along with measurements from multiple satellite missions (GOLD, Swarm, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, and TIMED/GUVI) to analyze storm‐time electrodynamics and neutral dynamics. We found that the storm main phase was characterized by distinct midlatitude ionospheric density gradient structures as follows: (a) In the European‐Atlantic longitude sector, a significant midlatitude bubble‐like ionospheric super‐depletion structure (BLISS) was observed after sunset. This BLISS appeared as a low‐density channel extending poleward/westward and reached ∼40° geomagnetic latitude, corresponding to an APEX height of ∼5,000 km. (b) Coincident with the BLISS, a dynamic storm‐enhanced density plume rapidly formed and decayed at local afternoon in the North American sector, with the plume intensity being doubled and halved in just a few hours. (c) The simultaneous occurrence of these strong yet opposite midlatitude gradient structures could be mainly attributed to common key drivers of prompt penetration electric fields and subauroral polarization stream electric fields. This shed light on the important role of storm‐time electrodynamic processes in shaping global ionospheric disturbances. 

An earthquake is a seismic event resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere, which produces waves that can propagate through the atmosphere into the ionosphere, causing ionospheric disturbances, and excites an additional electric field in the lower ionosphere. Two large-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (LSTIDs) at daytime Turkey longitudes were found, with phase speeds of 534 and 305 m/s, respectively, after the second strong earthquake at 10:24 UT on 6 February 2023. During strong earthquakes, the equatorial ionospheric currents including the E-region equatorial electrojet (EEJ) and F-region ionospheric radial current (IRC) might be perturbed. At the Tatuoca station in Brazil, we observed a stronger-than-usual horizontal magnetic field associated with the EEJ, with a magnitude of ~100 nT. EEJ perturbations are mainly controlled by neutral winds, especially zonal winds. In the equatorial F-region, a wave perturbation of the IRC was caused by a balance of the electric field generated by the zonal winds at ~15° MLat, the F-region local winds driven by atmospheric resonance, and the additional polarization electric field. Our findings better the understanding of the complex interplay between seismic events and ionospheric current disturbances. 

This paper studies the three-dimensional (3-D) ionospheric electron density variation over the continental US and adjacent regions during the August 2017 Great American Solar Eclipse event, using Millstone Hill incoherent scatter radar observations, ionosonde data, the Swarm satellite measurements, and a new TEC-based ionospheric data assimilation system (TIDAS). The TIDAS data assimilation system can reconstruct a 3-D electron density distribution over continental US and adjacent regions, with a spatial–temporal resolution of 1∘× 1∘ in latitude and longitude, 20 km in altitude, and 5 min in universal time. The combination of multi-instrumental observations and the high-resolution TIDAS data assimilation products can well represent the dynamic 3-D ionospheric electron density response to the solar eclipse, providing important altitude information and fine-scale details. Results show that the eclipse-induced ionospheric electron density depletion can exceed 50% around the F2-layer peak height between 200 and 300 km. The recovery of electron density following the maximum depletion exhibits an altitude-dependent feature, with lower altitudes exhibiting a faster recovery than the F2 peak region and above. The recovery feature was also characterized by a post-eclipse electron density enhancement of 15–30%, which is particularly prominent in the topside ionosphere at altitudes above 300 km. 

Accurately imaging the 3-D ionospheric variation and its temporal evolution has always been a challenging task for the space weather community. Recent decades have witnessed tremendous steps forward in implementing ionospheric imaging, with the rapid growth of ionospheric data availability from multiple ground-based and space-borne sources. 3-D ionospheric imaging can yield altitude-resolved electron density and total electron content (TEC) distribution in the target region. It offers an essential tool for better specification and understanding of ionospheric dynamical variations, as well as for space weather applications to support government and industry preparedness and mitigation of extreme space weather impact. To better meet the above goals within the next decade, this perspective paper recommends continuous investment across agencies and joint studies through the community, in support of advancing 3-D ionospheric imaging approach with finer resolution and precision, better error covariance specification and uncertainty quantification, improved ionospheric driver estimation, support space weather nowcast and forecast, and sustained effort to increase global data coverage. 

Abstract Ultra low frequency (ULF; 1 mHz ‐ several Hz) waves are key to energy transport within the geospace system, yet their contribution to Joule heating in the upper atmosphere remains poorly quantified. This study statistically examines Joule heating associated with ionospheric ULF perturbations using Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) data spanning middle to polar latitudes. Our analysis utilizes high‐time‐resolution measurements from SuperDARN high‐frequency coherent scatter radars operating in a special mode, sampling three “camping beams” approximately every 18 s. We focus on ULF perturbations within the Pc5 frequency range (1.6–6.7 mHz), estimating Joule heating rates from ionospheric electric fields derived from SuperDARN data and height‐integrated Pedersen conductance from empirical models. The analysis includes statistical characterization of Pc5 wave occurrence, electric fields, Joule heating rates, and azimuthal wave numbers. Our results reveal enhanced electric fields and Joule heating rates in the morning and pre‐midnight sectors, even though Pc5 wave occurrences peak in the afternoon. Joule heating is more pronounced in the high‐latitude morning sector during northward interplanetary magnetic field conditions, attributed to local time asymmetry in Pedersen conductance and Pc5 waves driven by Kelvin‐Helmholtz instability. Pc5 waves observed by multiple camping beams predominantly propagate westward at low azimuthal wave numbers , while high‐m waves propagate mainly eastward. Although Joule heating estimates may be underestimated due to assumptions about empirical conductance models and the underestimation of electric fields resulting from SuperDARN line‐of‐sight velocity measurements, these findings offer valuable insights into ULF wave‐related energy dissipation in the geospace system.