Response of the mid-latitude ionospheric F2 to the total solar eclipses of solar cycle 23

594-605A study of the response of the mid-latitude ionospheric F2 to the total eclipses of solar cycle 23 is presented using five-minute resolution ionospheric foF2 data obtained from 14 mid-latitude ionosonde stations located in the path of totality of eclipse. The changes in foF2 are analysed using D(foF2), the normalised deviation of critical frequency F2 from the quite days reference. The D(foF2) variation of the ionosphere in the path of totality, as recorded by the ionosonde stations in this path, is characterized by simultaneous decrease in electron density at elapsed time of totality. The present analysis revealed that sudden Sun radiation removal by the Moon reduces the electron production processes in the ionospheric F2-layer. The impact of total solar eclipse is clearly evident simultaneously with the time of maximum occultation as decrease in the electron density in all ionospheric stations. The results, further, suggest that the maximum electron density of F2-layer redistribution processes were observed not at the time of totality of eclipse but shortly before and after the elapsed time (i.e. about 4 min to few hours). It is noteworthy that mainly response of electron density in ionospheric F2 region varies with the sun intensity. Also, an increase in maximum obscuration of eclipse causes reduction in electron density production processes and the transport processes in the F-layer are affected due to the presence of the westward electric field which may in turn lead to the decrease in foF2 of ionospheric F2 region. This result obtained was reasonably in good agreement with the earlier study of ionospheric response to total solar eclipse using different measurement and methods.