Statistical characterization of ionosphere anomalies and their relationship to space weather events

Abstract

The statistical characterization of the relationship between thermosphere-ionosphere anomalies and space weather events, also referred to as space weather anomalies, such as solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and geomagnetic storms, is a crucial component in the development of a forecast capability for thermosphere-ionosphere disturbances. This manuscript presents a systematic statistical approach for analyzing historical ionosphere and space weather observations to derive a quantitative characterization of the relationships between the thermosphere-ionosphere anomalies and space weather anomalies. Based on 2 years of historical data, our analysis reveals the complex nature of the relationship between space weather disturbances and ionospheric responses.