# Effects of the October 2024 Storm over the Global Ionosphere
## 5 Discussion
(2008) [29], a strong southward IMF drives a dawn-to-dusk electric field on the dayside, enhancing upward E \(\times\) B drift and lifting the equatorial F-region to much higher altitudes and latitudes. This vertical transport carries plasma into regions where recombination is slower, allowing solar photoionization to restore plasma densities at lower altitudes and contribute to Ne increase. The result is an intensified and poleward-expanded EIA, with plasma densities enhanced not only in altitude but also in latitude due to continued E \(\times\) B convection. However,unlike earlier storms, Hemispheric asymmetry during the October 2024 event has not yet been widely reported in the literature, likely due to its recent occurrence and a limited number of processed case studies. Our results, particularly the post-storm hmF2 drop (Figure 4) and asymmetrical EIA behaviour, underscore the need for closer examination of the thermospheric and electrodynamic drivers of this response. In contrast, the Hemispheric asymmetry associated with the May 2024 \"Mother's Day\" superstorm has been more extensively documented. For instance, [PERSON] et al. (2024) [16] conducted a comprehensive global analysis, highlighting Hemispheric differences at mid and high latitudes arising from enhanced particle precipitation and thermospheric temperature gradients. Their findings also emphasized low-latitude coupling via DDEFs, which modulated the EIA distinctly between Hemispheres. [PERSON] et al. (2024) [12] attributed observed westward and equatorward auroral surges at midlatitudes to low-energy electron precipitation, which induced Hemispherically asymmetric westward plasma drifts. [PERSON] et al. (2024) [31] identified storm-time thermospheric circulation as a key factor in producing east-west asymmetries, adding a longitudinal dimension to Hemispheric divergence. [PERSON] et al. (2013) [32] further linked southern polar heating to longitudinal mass density anomalies, extending to mid- and low latitudes. [PERSON] et al. (2012) [33] likewise reported that enhanced Joule heating near the southern magnetic pole (~140\({}^{\circ}\)E) can propagate thermospheric effects across the equator, ultimately affecting the low-latitude ionosphere and producing asymmetric enhancements in [O/N\({}_{2}\)] ratios. LSTID excitation was clearly observed during the main phase of the October 2024 storm (Figures 12-17), closely linked to the storm-time thermospheric disturbances and compositional changes. The observed irregularities in Swarm Ne coincide with [O/N\({}_{2}\)] ratio reduction (Figure 9), which enhances ion recombination and plasma loss [34]. These compositional shifts, driven by particle precipitation and Joule heating in the polar regions, modify the thermospheric circulation and are often accompanied by LSTIDs. Previous studies highlighted the link between auroral activity and LSTID generation. [PERSON] et al. (2010) [24] found a clear correlation between AE index peaks and LSTID amplitudes, while [PERSON] et al. (2025) [5] reported intense spatial and temporal variations in the ionosphere were driven by MIT displacement during the storms, coupled with LSTID signatures. LSTIDs, generated at high latitudes, propagated equatorward during the initial and main phases of the storm. [PERSON] et al. (2022) [25] and [PERSON] et al. (2022) [7] attributed LSTID formation to the intense storm-time electric field and expanded high-latitude convection field. These fields, combined with enhanced thermospheric westward wind and ion-neutral coupling, trigger ionospheric instabilities with significant growth rates. As the wind decouples from high-coupling regions, it supports the propagation of LSTIDs across middle and low latitudes. PPEFs, which rapidly map from the magnetosphere to the low-latitude ionosphere during strong southward IMF conditions, also play a crucial role. Their zonal and meridional components influence vertical and zonal plasma drift, affecting EIA and EPB formation [35].