Regional study of the ionosphere quietness over Europe

Abstract

Regional catalogues of the ionospherically disturbed and quiet days are developed on the basis of the analysis of vertical-incidence sounding data over European area during 1964-1990. This paper presents the results obtained by comparing and combining two regional catalogues of the ionospheric disturbed and quiet days into one definitive catalogue recommended for implementation in the PRIME oriented and other studies. According to the criteria applied to the F region peak parameters, only 10 to 20% days per year manifest quietness of acceptable level. Comparison of ionospherically quiet days with geomagnetically quiet periods during 1976-1988 shows coincidence of quiet days in both fields not more than 30% of times considered. Conventional practice of analysis of the ionosphere state by comparing it with the geomagnetic conditions should be forerun by specification of the proper ionospheric quiet and disturbed periods.