The Variability of H Component of Geomagnetic Field at the African Sector

Abstract

The investigation of the variability of the Sq(H) in the African sector was carried out using the geomagnetic field measurements of four stations located in the East, West, Central and South Africa. The study shows that the variations of the geomagnetic element were a dusk to dawn phenomenon with a none zero variation observed in the night. The variability of the nighttime Sq(H) is believed to be from sources other than the ionosphere. An enhancement in Sq(H) variations in Addis Ababa station was observed. The observed enhancement in Sq (H) variations in Addis Ababa station was attributed to the influence of Equatorial electro jet [EEJ] current system. Day- to-day variability in Sq(H) was observed in all the stations, these variability from one day to the next was seen to be both in amplitude and in phase, it does not have a definite pattern thus it is random. Equinoctial maximum in Sq(H) was observed for Mbour, Addis Ababa and Bangui stations while December Solstitial maximum was observed for Hermanus station. Latitudinal positions of the stations were found to affect the Sq(H) amplitude.