Variability of Equatorial Electrojet (EEJ) at EIA regions

Abstract

The EEJ is a worldwide solar-driven wind that results in the solar quiet (Sq) current system in the E region of the earth’s ionosphere. The variability of some features such as EEJ, are very important in understanding the complex nature of the ionosphere, especially the low-latitude ionosphere. The magnetometer data from stations located near the equator and outside the edge of the electrojet strip for Africa and India stations were used to estimate and investigate the variability of EEJ in African and Indian Low-Latitudes. The stations are Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (geographic lat/long: 9.03oN/38.76oE) and at Mbour, Senegal for African region (geographic lat/long 14.392oN/343.042oE) and Hyderabad, India (geographic lat/long: 17.413oN/78.555oE) and Beijing Ming Tombs, China for Indian region (geographic lat/long: 40.3oN/116.2oE). The data in XYZ orientation was used to estimate the EEJ strength. The result shows that EEJ exhibits diurnal and seasonal variations and that its variability is stronger in African station than in Indian station, so also is the occurrence of counter electrojet (CEJ).