Anomalous changes in the ionospheric conditions related to the Wenchuan earthquake of 12 May 2008 are investigated using electron density ( N _e ) from Detection of Electro‐Magnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions (DEMETER) and CHAMP satellites, electric field from DEMETER, and GPS‐total electron content (TEC) maps. The normalized N _e from the DEMETER satellite reveal that the previously reported TEC increments before the earthquake can be considered as fragments of the gradual equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) enhancements near the epicenter longitude that began approximately 1 month before the earthquake and reached its maximum with an exceptionally large strength index 8 days prior to the main shock. This feature is indirectly confirmed through the CHAMP N _e and GPS TEC data. Following the EIA intensity peak, disturbances in the N _e and O ⁺ density were observed in the nightside. Based on the concurrent electric field and N _e changes, it is suggested that EIA intensification could be triggered by the E field disturbances over the epicenter.

We report the processes and results of statistical analysis on the ionospheric electron density data measured by the Detection of Electro‐Magnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions (DEMETER) satellite over a period of 6 years (2005–2010), in order to investigate the correlation between seismic activity and equatorial plasma density variations. To simplify the analysis, three equatorial regions with frequent earthquakes were selected and then one‐dimensional time series analysis between the daily seismic activity indices and the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) intensity indices, which represent relative equatorial electron density increase, were performed for each region. The statistically significant values of the lagged cross‐correlation function, particularly in the region with minimal effects of longitudinal asymmetry, indicate that some of the very large earthquakes with M > 5.0 in the low‐latitude region can accompany observable precursory and concurrent EIA enhancements, even though the seismic activity is not the most significant driver of the equatorial ionospheric evolution. The physical mechanisms of the seismo‐ionospheric coupling is consistent with our observation, and the possibility of earthquake prediction using the EIA intensity variation is discussed.

Here we report multisatellite observations of ionospheric disturbances in relation to the occurrence of the M8.7 northern Sumatra earthquake of 28 March 2005. The DEMETER (Detection of Electro‐Magnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions) and CHAMP (Challenging Minisatellite Payload) satellite data were investigated to find possible precursory and postevent phenomena. It was found that EIA (equatorial ionization anomaly) strength expressed in the apex height, derived from the CHAMP plasma density profile, was intensified along the orbits whose longitudes were close to the epicenter within about a week before and after occurrence of the earthquake. Increases in electron and O⁺ density along the orbits close to the epicenter were also observed in the DEMETER measurements. The normalized equatorial plasma density derived from the DEMETER measurements showed intensification about a week before and after the earthquake reaching maximum the day after the shock and afterward disappearing. In addition, similar behavior of the EIA enhancements related to the M8.0 Pisco earthquake of 15 August 2007 was observed. Surveys of space weather and geomagnetic activities excluded the possibility that these fluctuations were caused by changes in space weather or by a geomagnetic storm. Statistical analyses of the longitudinal variation revealed that the EIA was enhanced in the west of the epicenter and reduced in the east of the epicenter, and this fits the “increased conductivity” model. Based on these observations, we proposed a revised view of seismo‐ionospheric coupling in the region of the geomagnetic equator, to explain the EIA features observed in this study.

This paper concurrently investigates the midlatitude trough and the plasmapause positions in the ionosphere by colocated measurements of the electron density, electron temperature, and whistler count probed by DEMETER (Detection of Electro‐Magnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions) satellite in the nighttime at 2230 LT (local time; 1900–0100 MLT, magnetic local time, mainly in the premidnight period) during the 4‐year period of 2006–2009. More than 13,000 Detection of Electro‐Magnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions orbits of the electron density and the electron temperature are used to search the trough position, while the same amount of the whistler count is employed to determine the plasmapause position at the satellite altitude. The plasmapause is more sensitive to solar activity, which moves equatorward 1.0–1.2° form the low to high solar activity of the study period. On the other hand, the midlatitude trough is more sensitive to seasonal variation, which shifts poleward 1.7–2.5° from the winter to summer month in the study period. The midlatitude trough usually appears in the poleward side of the plasmapause during the study period. Both of the midlatitude trough and the plasmapause move equatorward during the magnetic disturbed condition. For the magnetic disturbed Kp ≥ 6₋, the midlatitude trough can appear in the equatorward side of the plasmapause.

Using the ionospheric measurements of CHAMP, DEMETER, and DMSP F15, the seasonal and spatial variations of the topside ionosphere during the last solar minimum period were investigated and compared with ionospheric models. In all the satellite measurements, equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) shows clearly longitudinal asymmetry with wave number −3 or −4 patterns. Anomalous increases of N_e in the nighttime surpassing daytime N_e, known as the Weddell Sea anomaly (WSA) or midlatitude summer nighttime anomaly (MSNA), were also observed in the global N_e distribution with differences in detailed geometry of the geomagnetic field according to the altitude. In the nighttime ionosphere, the reduced T_e in the equatorial region at the DMSP altitude, identified as the equatorial plasma temperature anomaly (EPTA), was ascribed to the leftover of the prereversal enhancement of the upward plasma drift. Though the EIA, WSA, MSNA, and EPTA are all associated with the upward plasma movement, the difference in the thermal evolution is ascribable to the geometry of drift in which the plasma moves across the geomagnetic field line for the EIA and the EPTA, while along the field line for the WSA and the MSNA.