Multilayered Sporadic‐<i>E</i> Response to the Annular Solar Eclipse on June 21, 2020

Abstract

Abstract A moon shadow of annular solar eclipse passed through East Asia in the afternoon on June 21, 2020, which was a good opportunity to study the rapid ionospheric response to the solar radiation variations. In the study, the high‐frequency echoes recorded by the ionosondes at Wuhan (82.4% obscuration), Xiamen (97.8% obscuration), and Nanning (81.1% obscuration) are analyzed to examine the variations in sporadic‐ E ( E s ) during the obscuration over the East China area. The echoes show not only the variations in the typical signal E s layer below 130 km, but for the first time also the multilayered E s at much higher altitudes (130–190 km) during the eclipse. Specifically, the multilayered E s is only observed over Nanning, while different E s behaviors are observed in the other two stations. The relationship between the formation of the multilayered E s and the uplifted E s near the center path of the moon shadow are examined in the study. The small‐scale atmospheric gravity waves play a key role in modulating the E s behaviors during the eclipse.