Variability of ion density due to solar flares as measured by SROSS-C2 satellite

Abstract

The ion densities have been measured from year 1995-1998, using RPA payload of SROSSC2 satellite to study the effect of solar flares on ion density. Solar flare data has been obtained from National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) Boulder, Colorado (USA). Study indicates considerable decrease in total ion density during flare time compared to normal time. This decrease varies from 1.2 to 2.8 times. Out of four ion species – O⁺, O2⁺, H⁺ and He⁺ as measured by SROSS – C2, O⁺ ion density is most affected by the effects of the flare. There is considerable decrease in O⁺ ion density while O2 ⁺, H⁺ and He⁺ density show negligible change during flare time compared to normal time. Furthermore relation between change in ion density (ΔN) as a response to change in ion temperature (ΔT) during flare time and normal days has been estimated. A comparison with O+ density obtained from IRI – 2012 during the flare time underestimates the density value.