IMPACT OF SUDDEN STRATOSPHERIC WARMINGS ON EQUATORIAL IONOSPHERE DYNAMICS

Abstract

Sudden Stratospheric Warmings (SSWs), characterized by rapid temperature increases in the polar stratosphere during winter, have profound implications beyond their region of origin. Recent observational and modeling studies suggest that these high-latitude disturbances significantly influence the equatorial ionosphere by altering planetary wave propagation, modifying thermospheric winds, and triggering equatorial ionization anomalies. This paper investigates the causal relationships between major SSW events and variations in ionospheric parameters such as F-region electron density (foF2), peak height (hmF2), and Total Electron Content (TEC) over the equatorial belt, particularly focusing on South Asia. Using ionosonde and GNSS data from Pakistan and neighboring equatorial stations, along with reanalysis meteorological datasets, we present a comprehensive analysis of ionospheric response patterns before, during, and after SSW events from 2003 to 2023.