Ionospheric Responses to Two Consecutive Geomagnetic Storms of the Ascending Phase of the Solar Cycle 25 Over the Indian Sector

This study explores how consecutive minor geomagnetic storms impacted ionospheric conditions across the Indian sector. Utilizing in situ Total Electron Content (TEC) data from SWARM(A) and ground-based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) TEC, the analysis spans the Indian longitude sector during two consecutive minor storms occurring on 3–4 November 2022 and 7–8 November 2022. On 7th November 2022, a significant M5-class solar flare from Sunspot AR3141 contributed to elevated geomagnetic activity in the Indian sector. The first storm was marked by a modest daytime TEC enhancement paired with nighttime suppression, whereas the second storm elicited a consistently positive ionospheric response throughout both day and night, indicating a sustained TEC increase over the region. Observations from TIMED/GUVI confirm compositional changes during the storms, while temporal variations in the real-time model of Equatorial Electric Field (EEF) are analyzed to understand the equatorial eastward electric field dynamics over the Indian sector. GNSS-based TEC data from Changanacherry (9.45°N, 76.54°E) reveal westward Prompt Penetration Electric Fields (PPEFs) as drivers of fluctuations during the second storm. The analysis of consecutive minor storms, focusing on local time variations, offers deeper insights into their dynamics and impact while highlighting the complex interplay between solar activity, storm-time electric fields, and ionospheric responses.