CEDAR email: ESWW 2024 100% Community Driven session - Solar and lightning forcing of the ionospheric D-layer: recent developments & results

[Liliana Macotela Cruz]

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to bring to your attention and encourage you to submit  an abstract for the100% Community Driven session scheduled for the ESWW 2024, November 4-8, Coimbra, Portugal.

Abstract submission: https://esww2024.org/home/abstracts/ (the deadline for oral abstract submissions is Thursday, 6th June 2024. Past this date, all submissions will be considered for poster presentation only)

Session: Solar and lightning forcing of the ionospheric D-layer: recent developments & results
Convenors: Carine Briand, Mark Clilverd, Tamal Basak, Liliana Macotela

The ionospheric D layer is one of the most misunderstood regions of Earth's environment, although it controls the absorption of certain radio waves and connects the neutral atmosphere to the magnetosphere and radiation belts. Disturbances to its electron density can lead to HF communication disruptions, a threat considered by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The session focuses on two types of natural forcing: solar flares and lightning. Solar flares produce the largest perturbations in D-layer electron density of all transient events. Lightning induces precipitation of electrons in the D layer, either by direct heating of the lower ionosphere or by wave-particle coupling in the radiation belts. The discovery of Transient Luminous Events (TLEs, such as sprites, elves, and gigantic jets) above thunderstorm areas has heightened interest in studies of the relationships between thunderstorms and the lower ionosphere.

Speakers are invited to present analysis of recent solar flares, as the solar maximum is approaching, and lightning events. The focus will be given to scientific results but also to new techniques for real-time processing and post-processing, particularly for detection of the weak signals due to sprites/elves. The second aim of the session is to discuss the impact of the D-layer disturbances on HF absorption. HF users are thus invited to present their needs and operational constraints.

Kind regards,

Liliana Macotela (on behalf of the convenors)
University of Bath