ИСТИНА

The majority of investigations of response to solar eclipses concern the behaviour of the ionosphere at heights over 100 km. The influence of eclipses on the D region of the ionosphere was less investigated. For this reason the results of observations of ionospheric effects of the solar eclipse on March, 29, 2006, obtained by the method of partial reflections near Nizhniy Novgorod and the method of vertical sounding at the digital ionospheric station “Bazis” near Murmansk are of interest. The carried out observations of the response of the ionosphere to the solar eclipse qualitatively correspond to the earlier carried out investigations. Both in Murmansk and Nizhniy Novgorod the increase in the virtual heights of reflections and reduction of electron concentration in the ionosphere was registered during the eclipse. Some proofs in favour of the action of the linear law of recombination at heights of the lower part of the D region were obtained. Wavy changes of the electron concentration with the periods of 15 minutes and more were found. The increase of the total content of ozone in the polar atmosphere was registered during the decrease of the total electron content of the lower ionosphere caused by the eclipse.