SOLAR FLARE EFFECTS ON THE IONOSPHERE

Abstract

Flares are generated from electromagnetic radiation which is sudden libratory of the stored energy in the magnetic field of the sun. These electromagnetic radiations vary from X ray to gamma ray. Flares are classified according to their brightness as C, M and X, where X is the brightest. X class flares cause long-time solar storm and ionospheric radio waves scintillations. Moderate level M class flares mostly effect polar cups and cause short-time radio scintillations. C class flares are weaker than the X and M flares. Their efficiency on Earth's ionosphere creates faint disturbances. Depending on the inner dynamics of the sun, solar activities show increase and decrease by time. For this reason ionospheric plasma which is natural plasma, is affected by this time varying solar activities. As a result of electrodynamic structure of ionosphere, we can investigate by using GPS signals and different total electron content algorithm methods. For this aim we detect the time of flares occurred and investigate TEC prediction for low, middle and high latitudes in 2012 (which is ascending phase of solar cycle 24). During our research we take into account the day before flare, the day after flare and during flare. We investigate separately what we indicate above. Especially we pay attention to the occuring time of flare (UT). Within this period we seek TEC prediction according to day variables and different latitude stations. Consequently examination of the ionospheric response depends on the different type of solar activity, will provide a better understanding of the puzzling structure of the ionosphere.