Long-Term Trends in Ionospheric Solar Activity Indices

Abstract

The results of identifying trends in the annual average ionospheric indices ΔIG and ΔT are presented, obtained after excluding from IG and T the dependence of these indices on the annual average solar activity indices. The solar activity indices were F10, Ly-α, and MgII—solar radiation fluxes at 10.7 cm, in the Lyman-alpha line of hydrogen (121.567 nm), and the ratio of the central part to the flanks in the magnesium emission band 276–284 nm. Two time intervals (in years) are considered: 1980–2012 and 2013–2023. It was found that in 1980–2012, all analyzed linear trends were negative: the ΔIG and ΔT values decreased over time; they were very weak and insignificant. Fluctuations of ΔIG and ΔT with respect to trends for Ly-α were almost twice as large as for F10 and MgII. In the interval of 2013–2023, all analyzed linear trends intensified and became significant: the rate of decrease in ΔIG and ΔT over time increased. For MgII this rate was almost twice as high as for F10. For 2013–2023, the MgII index overestimated the contribution of solar radiation to ionospheric indices, especially during the growth phase of solar cycle 25, which began at the end of 2019. As a result, in the growth phase of solar cycle 25, the F10 index became a more adequate solar activity indicator for ionospheric indices than MgII. In the interval of 1980–2012, the F10 and MgII indices changed almost synchronously. The growth phase of solar cycle 25 was the first case this synchrony was disrupted for the entire period of MgII measurements.