SUNSPOTS RELATION WITH GEOMAGNETIC INDICES

Abstract

In this project we studied the Sun, its structure and the relation of sunspots to the geomagnetic indices. The geomagnetic indices have been very well defined to describe the conditions on the Sun-Earth system; in this regard, it is worth to mention that the Sun heats the Earth’s atmosphere and a degree of ionization in the ionosphere increases at the dayside and this causes convection in ionosphere. Solar wind sweeps towards Earth at supersonic speed ranging from 300 to 1000 km/s distorts the Earth’s magnetic field and shape the magnetosphere. And when calculating the disturbance storm time index (Dst) we shall find that the negative Dst value means that the Earth's magnetic field is weakened. This is particularly the case during solar storms, which weakened the Earth’s magnetic field at or near the magnetic equator.