Speaker
Description
Understanding the coupling between the Earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere at local scales remains a key challenge in space weather research. This study examines the relationship between localized geomagnetic and ionospheric perturbations through a comparative analysis of two region-specific indices: the Local Disturbance index (LDi) and the Perturbed Total Electron Content index (PTEC). The LDi, developed by the Universidad de Alcalá, quantifies high-resolution deviations in the geomagnetic field using groundbased magnetometer data. The PTEC, developed at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), captures relative anomalies in Vertical Total Electron Content (VTEC) with respect to a climatological baseline, providing localized insight into ionospheric variability.
The main objective of the study is to evaluate the statistical correlation between LDi and PTEC during geomagnetically active conditions, focusing on the May 2024 storm event.Data from two different stations, localized at separate geographic locations, are analyzed to assess the strength, consistency, and temporal structure of the elationship between the two indices. Standard correlation and cross-correlation techniques are applied to quantify similarities and detect potential time lags between the signals.
Results show a significant correlation between LDi and PTEC during periods of elevated geomagnetic activity, suggesting that these indices reflect related aspects of storm-time geospace dynamics. However, the degree of correlation varies by location and storm phase, highlighting the complex and region-specific nature of magnetosphere–ionosphere interactions. In addition to correlation analysis, the study also compares the performance of LDi and PTEC with global indices such as Dst. The local indices provide improved spatial resolution and are more responsive to regional disturbances that may be masked in global averages, underscoring their potential value for space weather analysis and operational monitoring. The study also explores possible directionality in the coupling, i.e. whether geomagnetic disturbances precede ionospheric responses or the opposite.
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