Author(s)

Doua Allain Gnabahou, Sibri Alphonse Sandwidi, Frédéric Ouattara

Laboratoire de Recherche en Energétique et Météorologie de l’Espace (LAREME) de l’Université Norbert ZONGO, Koudougou, Burkina Faso.

Critical frequency foF2 long-term trends at Dakar station (14.4°N, 342.74°E) located near the crest of the equatorial ionization anomaly EIA, are analysed taking into account geomagnetic activity, increasing greenhouse gases concentration and Earth’s magnetic field secular variation. After filtering solar activity effect using F10.7 as a solar activity proxy, we determined the relative residual trends slopes α values for three different levels of geomagnetic activity. For example, at 1200 LT, the value of α goes from -0.27%/year for very magnetically quiet days to -0.19%/year for magnetically quiet days and to -0.13%/year for all days. It appears from the slopes α obtained, that they increase with the level of geomagnetic activity and their negative values are qualitatively consistent with the expected decreasing trend due to the increase in greenhouse gases concentration but are greater than 0.003%/year which would result from a 20% increase in CO₂ emissions which actually took place during the analysis period. Regarding Earth’s magnetic field magnitude, B secular variation and the dip equator secular movement, Dakar station is located near the crest of the equatorial ionization anomaly, Earth’s magnetic field magnitude, B decreases there and the trough approaches the position of Dakar during the period of analysis. These two phenomena induce a decrease in foF2 which is in agreement with the decreasing trend observed at this station.

Geomagnetic Activity, Long-Term Trend, foF2, Dip Equator

Gnabahou, D. , Sandwidi, S. and Ouattara, F. (2020) foF2 Long-Term Trend at a Station Located near the Crest of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly. International Journal of Geosciences, 11, 518-528. doi: 10.4236/ijg.2020.118027.