Observational study reveals extreme equatorial plasma depletions and ionization anomalies in the upper atmosphere, indicating prompt post-midnight irregularity generation.
This study investigates the F‐region plasma density and irregularities response during the May‐2024 storm using Swarm and Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow‐On (GRACE‐FO) data. Swarm‐B provided measurements at 11/23 LTs. Data from GRACE‐FO and Swarm‐A were collected at 05/17 and 07/19 LTs. Following the storm's commencement on May 10, the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) was particularly strong (depleted) on the dayside (nightside). An intensification of the EIA was observed during the early morning 05/07 LTs. Variability during the storm's initial and recovery phases indicate the strong influence of electric fields and thermospheric winds. The magnitude of the EIA was greater during the Halloween storm, but the EIA's relative variabilities were of similar order. Equatorial plasma depletion (EPD) was observed, with apex altitudes reaching 5,000 km before midnight on May 11 and 3,400 km in the early morning. We suggest that the morning EPDs are generated after mid‐night rather than being remnants from the previous evening.
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