Scientific Research and Essays

  • Abbreviation: Sci. Res. Essays
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1992-2248
  • DOI: 10.5897/SRE
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 2768

Full Length Research Paper

On the effects of solar flare on geomagnetic components across all latitudes during solar minimum and maximum

Ernest Benjamin Ikechukwu Ugwu
  • Ernest Benjamin Ikechukwu Ugwu
  • Natural Science Unit, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.
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Ugbor Desmond Okechukwu
  • Ugbor Desmond Okechukwu
  • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.
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Agbo Jonas Udoka
  • Agbo Jonas Udoka
  • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.
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  •  Received: 30 June 2021
  •  Accepted: 30 July 2021
  •  Published: 30 September 2021

Abstract

The mutual dependence of solar flare and geomagnetic H and Z components during the period of least (2009) and maximum (2002) solar activity using archived and observed data were examined. Solar flares were identified by sudden ionosphric monitor (SIDMON) constructed by staff of Centre for Basic Space Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria. However, SIDMON results were still confirmed by satellite data since it was still at the rudimentary stage. Results show that during solar minimum and solar maximum solar flare affects the geomagnetic H component but appears to have little or no effect on the Z component across all the latitudes. The effect is pronounced at the equatorial latitude more than at the high latitudes. Results from SIDMON is though not very reliable but encouraging, thus the instrument needs a lot of improvement.

Key words: Geomagnetic field, geomagnetic components, solar activity, solar flare.