The uplooking total electron contents (TECs) from the GRACE, SWARM-A, TerraSAR-X, andMetOp-A satellites and in situ electron density (Ne) from SWARM-A were utilized to investigate the topside ionospheric conditions during the 7-8 September 2017 geomagnetic storm. The rate of TEC index (ROTI) and rate of density index (RODI), which are derivative indices of TEC and Ne, respectively, were also used to characterize the topside ionospheric irregularities. The main results of this study are as follows: (1) There were significant enhancements seen in the uplooking TEC during the first main phase of the storm. (2) The uplooking TEC did not show unusual enhancement at the morning and evening local times in the Asian-Australian sector during the recovery phase of the storm. (3) Prominent TEC hemispheric asymmetry at the middle and high latitudes was observed at both day and night sectors. (4) Long-duration recovery of topside TEC with respect to the prestorm condition was also detected in this event. (5) Nighttime ROTI enhancements were presented in a wide latitudinal range from the equator to the poles during the main phases of the storm. (6) The ionospheric electric field disturbances associated with IMF-B z fluctuations probably played a very important role in triggering ionospheric irregularities during the relatively weak geomagnetic activity on 7 September, which implies that ionospheric irregularities do not necessarily occur under the severe geomagnetic conditions only.Key Points:• Long-duration depletion of topside TEC recovery was observed during the morning and evening local times in this event • Enhancements of ionospheric irregularities were presented at night with wide latitudinal range during the two main phases of the storm • Ionospheric electric field disturbances due to B z fluctuations probably triggered topside ionospheric irregularities before the main phases

The magnetic field records of the magnetometer networks in the American, East Asian‐Australian, and European‐African sectors were employed in this present work. We used them to investigate equatorial electrojet (EEJ), counter electrojet (CEJ), tidal variability in EEJ strength and ionospheric current during the 2005/2006 and 2008/2009 sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events. In addition to the well‐investigated tidal variability in EEJ strength over the American and East Asian sectors, we investigated that of the African sector for the first time. Interestingly, the tidal components in EEJ strength during both SSW events clearly exhibit marked longitudinal differences with high, moderate, and low amplitudes in the American, East Asian, and African sectors, respectively. An exception found around day 71 in the African sector after the 2008/2009 SSW event had higher solar diurnal tidal component as compared to that of the Asian sector. Over the American sector, solar and lunar semidiurnal tides were strongly associated with CEJ current during both SSW events, whereas at the African and East Asian sectors such variabilities are not evident. A solar diurnal tidal component was strongly related to a reduction in the EEJ strength over the East Asian sector. In addition, a prolonged period of CEJ occurrence that begins during the SSW precondition and ends when the SSW was evolving characterized the African sector during both SSW events. There is a steady shift in phase at later hours when both SSW events are evolving.

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