For the first time, a team of researchers working with data from the Arecibo Observatory's Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR), satellites, and lightning detectors in Puerto Rico evaluated the simultaneous consequences of thunderstorms and solar flares on the ionospheric D-region (referred to as the edge of space).
The scientists discovered that solar flares and lightning from thunderstorms cause distinct alterations to the edge of space, which is used for long-distance communications such as GPS found in vehicles and airplanes, in the first of its type investigation.
"One of the key things we showed in the paper is that lightning- and solar flare-driven signatures are completely different. The first tends to create electron density depletions, while the second enhancements (or ionization)," said assistant professor of physics Caitano L. da Silva.
While the AO radar utilized in the study is no longer accessible due to the collapse of AO's telescope in December 2020, scientists believe that the data they collected, as well as other AO historical data, will be useful in furthering this work.
"This study helps emphasize that, in order to fully understand the coupling of atmospheric regions, energy input from below (from thunderstorms) into the lower ionosphere needs to be properly accounted for. The wealth of data collected at AO over the years will be a transformative tool to quantify the effects of lightning in the lower ionosphere," says da Silva.
"Another remarkable result of this work is that for the first time, a mapping of the spatial and seasonal occurrence of lightning strike over the region of the Puerto Rico archipelago is presented, Intriguing was also the detection of a lighting activity hotspot concentrated in the western part of La Cordillera Central mountain range of Puerto Rico," said Assistant Director of Science Operations Christiano G. M. Brum.
Improved communications will result from a better understanding of the effects on the Earth's ionosphere.
