The Response of Equatorial Ionization Anomaly in 120°E to the Geomagnetic Storm of 18 August 2003 at Different Altitudes From Multiple Satellite Observations

Abstract In this paper, the variations of equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) in 120°E region during the 17–20 August 2003 storm are investigated from measurements of satellites at different altitudes from Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP), Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), scientific satellite of the Republic of China (ROCSAT‐1), and Defense Meteorological Satellite Program missions. The results showed that (1) at CHAMP and GRACE altitudes, the EIA was inhibited before the storm sudden commencement (SSC) and also during the storm recovery phase, but it was enhanced significantly during the storm main phase of the storm. (2) The variations of EIA strength and interhemispheric density asymmetry of the two crests were similar at CHAMP and GRACE altitudes, while the location asymmetry of the two crests was different at CHAMP and GRACE altitudes. (3) The irregularities and long‐duration scintillation were recorded before the SSC of the storm, when the EIA was inhibited. The irregularities at different altitudes and short‐duration scintillation were observed during the main phase of the storm, when the EIA was enhanced significantly. (4) The EIA enhancement can be attributed to the enhanced electric field due to prompt penetration interplanetary electric fields and the storm time neutral wind, while the suppression of EIA on 17 August can be attributed to the absence of the equatorward neutral wind, which varied with the altitudes. The EIA inhibition during the recovery phase may be caused mainly by the neutral wind. Our results suggest that the neutral wind is the crucial factor causing the variations in EIA and the occurrence of scintillation.