Speaker
Description
The center of the South Atlantic Magnetic Anomaly (SAMA) is located in the southern part of Brazil, where enhanced energetic particle precipitation (EPP) can occur, particularly during strong geomagnetic storms. Consequently, the sporadic auroral E layer (Esa), a feature typically observed in ionograms from high latitude auroral regions, can also be detected at stations near the center of the SAMA, especially during the recovery phase of such storms. However, this study reports the detection of the Esa layer during the recovery phase of the May 10, 2024, geomagnetic storm in Belém (BLM, 1.45° S, 48.50° W), an equatorial magnetic station. This observation suggests that the EPP produced anomalous ionization levels that extended beyond the central region of the anomaly, reaching areas at the edge of the SAMA. Moreover, the presence of disturbed electric fields appeared to weaken the equatorial electrojet (EEJ), thereby inhibiting the formation of plasma irregularities typically observed in equatorial regions. As a result, unusually dense sporadic E layers were detected during the daytime, an unexpected phenomenon at equatorial magnetic latitudes. These findings are significant, as they indicate that equatorial regions in Brazil can temporarily exhibit auroral-like ionospheric behavior. Such occurrences have important implications for radio wave propagation and the performance of communication and navigation systems, particularly during geomagnetically active periods.
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