Impact of M-solar flare-induced solar proton event on mesospheric Na layer over Utah (41.8 degrees N,112 degrees W)

摘要

The influence of solar proton event, induced by M-solar flare, on the mesospheric sodium layer is studied over a midlatitude location Utah(41.8 degrees N, 112 degrees W) during 19 July 2012. The variation in sodium concentration (cm(-3)) is examined with temperature and atomic oxygen concentration obtained from NRLMSISE-00 empirical model. In the vicinity of peak sodium concentration, the temperature shows a strong negative correlation with sodium concentration, atomic oxygen concentration shows a positive correlation with sodium concentration. An enhancement in sodium concentration is observed during the solar proton event with highest concentration at the time of maximum proton flux. The altitude of peak sodium concentration shows a downward movement with lowest altitude corresponding to the time of maximum proton flux. However, the altitude of peak sodium concentration is found in the altitude region of 85-90 km throughout the solar proton event.