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The April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse effects on the ionosphere: Evidence from GNSS radio occultation and local magnetometer observations
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DOI：10.1016/j.asr.2026.02.066.png)
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Abstract
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Solar eclipses provide a natural laboratory for examining how rapid plasma depletion influences the development of ionospheric irregularities and their electrodynamic signatures. This study examines the relation between eclipse-driven electron density reductions and the onset of scintillation during the 8 April 2024 total solar eclipse over northern Mexico. Coordinated measurements from dual-constellation GNSS Radio Occultation (GNSS-RO) missions and a ground-based magnetometer were analyzed using a targeted quality-controlled dataset focused on observations within the penumbra. Results reveal a pronounced plasma depletion, with electron density decreasing by similar to 49.76% near the end of the eclipse-driven cooling phase, followed by a rapid post-eclipse enhancement of similar to 138.3%. Concurrently, ionospheric scintillation intensified, with S4 values exceeding 0.5 from 19 UT onward and peaking at 1.92. These signatures were accompanied by strong electrodynamic disturbances, as the magnetometer recorded decreases of 70.85% and 60.23% in the and components, respectively, coincident with the period of steep TEC and Ne gradients. Together, the multi-instrument obser-Bx Bz vations provide direct evidence that the primary plasma depletion induced by the eclipse triggered secondary plasma instabilities and a localized reconfiguration of ionospheric current systems. The results highlight both the diagnostic value and practical limitations of GNSS-RO for short-duration, spatially constrained events. (c) 2026 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.
Keywords:
Mexico
Radio Occultation (RO)
Local magnetometer
Total solar eclipse
Ionosphere
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