AUTHOR=Chakraborty Sayak , Paul Rakhi , Basak Tamal 

TITLE=On the altitude profile of lower ionospheric D-region response time delay during solar flares

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Environmental Science

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/environmental-science/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.1020137

DOI=10.3389/fenvs.2022.1020137

ISSN=2296-665X

ABSTRACT=<p>The D-region ionosphere is sluggish in nature while responding to the incoming solar radiation. We study the altitude (<italic>h</italic>) profile of mid-latitude D-region response time delay (Δ<italic>t</italic>) during three chosen solar flares, namely, C5.2, M5.2, and X2.2 classes. We solve “electron continuity equation” numerically at each and every <italic>h</italic> to obtain Δ<italic>t</italic>-<italic>h</italic> profile. We investigate the 1) latitudinal variation (over both Northern and Southern hemispheres) and 2) seasonal variation (throughout the year) of Δ<italic>t</italic>-<italic>h</italic> profiles of each of these solar flares separately. We go over noteworthy variations of Δ<italic>t</italic>-<italic>h</italic> profile for both 1) and 2) with reasonably different results over different hemispheres. Also, we study some contrasting behaviours of Δ<italic>t</italic>-<italic>h</italic> profile of X2.2 class for both 1) and 2) in comparison to C5.2 or M5.2 classes. We conclude the outcome with possible explanations.</p>