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Evidence of a Storm‐Induced Plasma Stream Engulfing the Super Bubble During the 1 December 2023 Magnetic Storm.

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Title: Evidence of a Storm‐Induced Plasma Stream Engulfing the Super Bubble During the 1 December 2023 Magnetic Storm.
Authors: Ma, G.1 (AUTHOR) guanyima@nao.cas.cn, Wan, Q.1 (AUTHOR), Li, J.1 (AUTHOR), Fan, J.1 (AUTHOR), Maruyama, T.2 (AUTHOR), Hocke, K.3 (AUTHOR), Fu, W.4 (AUTHOR), Zhang, D.5 (AUTHOR), Gao, Y.6 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics. Jun2026, Vol. 131 Issue 6, p1-17. 17p.
Subject Terms: *Magnetic storms, Plasma flow, Electric fields, Space environment, Equatorial ionization anomaly
Abstract: During the main phase of the 1 December 2023 geomagnetic storm, a superequatorial plasma bubble (EPB) was observed to occur and develop in the East/Southeast Asian sector, causing strong amplitude scintillations from equatorial to mid‐latitudes for about 5 hr. Here, we use total electron content (TEC) and rate of TEC index (ROTI) derived from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) networks to present for the first time the process of a storm‐induced plasma stream (SIPS) engulfing the super EPB. Incorporated with Swarm constellation data and ionograms, a comprehensive analysis reveals that a broad plasma depletion (BPD) within an intensified equatorial ionospheric anomaly (EIA) has preceded the super EPB. The SIPS starts at the end of the main phase from a TEC enhancement over 25°N in the EPB's longitudinal range and develops to a tongue‐like structure embedding the super EPB in the recovery phase of the storm. The whole structure, zonally motionless, exhibits a marked northwestward extension. The SIPS reaches to the northernmost of 50°N in 2 hr and lasts for 8 hr while the superbubble extends to more than 40°N. Our results suggest that the eastward prompt penetration electric field (PPEF) and the prereversal enhancement (PRE) of the eastward electric field synergize to produce the BPD, trigger the super EPB, and mainly cause the plasma bulge at the latitude of the EIA crest. The eastward disturbance dynamo electric field (DDEF) and poleward DDEF together drive the bulge to extend northwestward and form the SIPS engulfing the super EPB. Plain Language Summary: The equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) is a manifestation of plasma turbulence in the equatorial to low‐latitude ionosphere and causes interference to transionospheric radio waves. Super EPB refers to the EPB extending to mid‐latitudes, which happens during geomagnetic storms and exhibits significant event‐to‐event variability in development and evolution. Recently, super EPBs have been observed concurrently with different ionospheric disturbances, indicating the inherent complexity in the ionospheric response to magnetic storms due to multi‐scale dynamics in solar wind‐magnetosphere and magnetosphere‐ionosphere‐thermosphere couplings. In this study, using global navigation satellite system‐total electron content, Swarm satellite electron density and ionograms, we present for the first time a low‐ to mid‐latitude storm‐induced plasma stream engulfing the super bubble during the 1 December 2023 geomagnetic storm. The whole structure extends northwestward in the storm recovery phase, suggesting the dominant roles of the eastward prompt penetration electric field in initiating the stream and eastward and poleward disturbance dynamo electric fields together driving the concurrent structures northwestward. Such a unique case study will highlight the critical role of key forces in redistributing ionospheric plasma and driving low‐ to midlatitude irregularities, providing insights into the complex interplay between magnetospheric forcing, plasma instabilities, and thermosphere‐ionosphere coupling for ionospheric space weather events. Key Points: Broad plasma depletion within the intensified equatorial ionospheric anomaly preceded the super bubble during the main phase of the 1 December 2023 magnetic stormA low‐ to mid‐latitude storm‐induced plasma stream engulfed the superbubble and the whole structure extended northwestward in the storm recovery phaseThe northwestward extension of the stream‐bubble structure was mainly driven by the eastward and poleward disturbance dynamo electric fields [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Evidence of a Storm‐Induced Plasma Stream Engulfing the Super Bubble During the 1 December 2023 Magnetic Storm.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ma%2C+G%2E%22">Ma, G.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> guanyima@nao.cas.cn</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wan%2C+Q%2E%22">Wan, Q.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Li%2C+J%2E%22">Li, J.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fan%2C+J%2E%22">Fan, J.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Maruyama%2C+T%2E%22">Maruyama, T.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hocke%2C+K%2E%22">Hocke, K.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fu%2C+W%2E%22">Fu, W.</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+D%2E%22">Zhang, D.</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gao%2C+Y%2E%22">Gao, Y.</searchLink><relatesTo>6</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Geophysical+Research%2E+Space+Physics%22">Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 131 Issue 6, p1-17. 17p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Magnetic+storms%22">Magnetic storms</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Plasma+flow%22">Plasma flow</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electric+fields%22">Electric fields</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Space+environment%22">Space environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Equatorial+ionization+anomaly%22">Equatorial ionization anomaly</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: During the main phase of the 1 December 2023 geomagnetic storm, a superequatorial plasma bubble (EPB) was observed to occur and develop in the East/Southeast Asian sector, causing strong amplitude scintillations from equatorial to mid‐latitudes for about 5 hr. Here, we use total electron content (TEC) and rate of TEC index (ROTI) derived from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) networks to present for the first time the process of a storm‐induced plasma stream (SIPS) engulfing the super EPB. Incorporated with Swarm constellation data and ionograms, a comprehensive analysis reveals that a broad plasma depletion (BPD) within an intensified equatorial ionospheric anomaly (EIA) has preceded the super EPB. The SIPS starts at the end of the main phase from a TEC enhancement over 25°N in the EPB's longitudinal range and develops to a tongue‐like structure embedding the super EPB in the recovery phase of the storm. The whole structure, zonally motionless, exhibits a marked northwestward extension. The SIPS reaches to the northernmost of 50°N in 2 hr and lasts for 8 hr while the superbubble extends to more than 40°N. Our results suggest that the eastward prompt penetration electric field (PPEF) and the prereversal enhancement (PRE) of the eastward electric field synergize to produce the BPD, trigger the super EPB, and mainly cause the plasma bulge at the latitude of the EIA crest. The eastward disturbance dynamo electric field (DDEF) and poleward DDEF together drive the bulge to extend northwestward and form the SIPS engulfing the super EPB. Plain Language Summary: The equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) is a manifestation of plasma turbulence in the equatorial to low‐latitude ionosphere and causes interference to transionospheric radio waves. Super EPB refers to the EPB extending to mid‐latitudes, which happens during geomagnetic storms and exhibits significant event‐to‐event variability in development and evolution. Recently, super EPBs have been observed concurrently with different ionospheric disturbances, indicating the inherent complexity in the ionospheric response to magnetic storms due to multi‐scale dynamics in solar wind‐magnetosphere and magnetosphere‐ionosphere‐thermosphere couplings. In this study, using global navigation satellite system‐total electron content, Swarm satellite electron density and ionograms, we present for the first time a low‐ to mid‐latitude storm‐induced plasma stream engulfing the super bubble during the 1 December 2023 geomagnetic storm. The whole structure extends northwestward in the storm recovery phase, suggesting the dominant roles of the eastward prompt penetration electric field in initiating the stream and eastward and poleward disturbance dynamo electric fields together driving the concurrent structures northwestward. Such a unique case study will highlight the critical role of key forces in redistributing ionospheric plasma and driving low‐ to midlatitude irregularities, providing insights into the complex interplay between magnetospheric forcing, plasma instabilities, and thermosphere‐ionosphere coupling for ionospheric space weather events. Key Points: Broad plasma depletion within the intensified equatorial ionospheric anomaly preceded the super bubble during the main phase of the 1 December 2023 magnetic stormA low‐ to mid‐latitude storm‐induced plasma stream engulfed the superbubble and the whole structure extended northwestward in the storm recovery phaseThe northwestward extension of the stream‐bubble structure was mainly driven by the eastward and poleward disturbance dynamo electric fields [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1029/2025JA034822
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 17
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    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Magnetic storms
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Plasma flow
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Electric fields
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      – SubjectFull: Space environment
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      – SubjectFull: Equatorial ionization anomaly
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      – TitleFull: Evidence of a Storm‐Induced Plasma Stream Engulfing the Super Bubble During the 1 December 2023 Magnetic Storm.
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              Text: Jun2026
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