The equatorial electrojet and the profile parameters B0 and B1 around midday

This study presents the results of the comparison of B0, B1 and hmF2 With DeltaH. B0 and B1 are parameters used in the international reference ionosphere model for the calculation of the F region bottom side profiles. The parameter DeltaH obtained from the magnetic data recorded during the International Equatorial Electrojet Year (IEEY) in West Africa is used to describe the strength of the equatorial electrojet. This work covers the years 1993 and 1994, two years of low and moderate solar activity. The result shows that the electric field (E), which drives the equatorial electrojet, plays a major role in the variation of the thickness and the height of the F2 layer. However, the variation of the shape of the bottomside F2 is not sensitive to the electric field. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.