Geomagnetically induced current (GIC) observations of geomagnetic storms in Turkey: Preliminary results

We present our preliminary results for the ground level electric and magnetic field variations in Turkey using Bozcaada station (GEO: 39.50⁰N, 26.02⁰E, MAG: 40.37⁰N, 26.03⁰E) magnetotelluric measurements. We find that our quiet day observations agree well with the expected magnetic field variations for the magnetic field components at mid-latitudes, whereas we detect deviations from the mean magnetic field even for minor geomagnetic disturbances with KP=2. Temporal variation of the electric field components follow the changes in the magnetic field strength and likewise, storm effects are evident and lead to higher level of fluctuations in electric field magnitude for events with KP≥2. We note that this is the first time in Turkey that systematic, continuous and simultaneous measurements of the magnetic and electric fields are performed, which provide a great deal of opportunity to study the GIC effects during geomagnetic storms at mid-latitudes in more detail.