LAUSR

Abstract Using data from GNSS networks spanning the European-African sector, the occurrence of ionospheric irregularities induced during the geomagnetic storm of 6–8 March 2016 was studied. During the main phase of the event, strong and unusual mid latitude irregularities were detected at 50o-60oN on the night of March 6, 2016 before midnight and in the early hours of March 7, 2016. At the low latitudes, intense irregularities were observed to coincide with strong amplitude scintillation in the East African sector. The variation in the vertical total electron content had wave structure characteristics similar to that of large scale eastward travelling ionospheric disturbances. The irregularities and scintillation observed at low latitudes during this storm are ascribed to the prompt penetration electric field, which enhances the post-sunset eastward electric field. The intense irregularity structures that were observed at the same time at mid-latitudes are attributed to the northern auroral convection electric field, which extended from the polar cap equatorward to about 50oN during the main phase of the storm.