Using hourly data (1958–1992) from Irkutsk ionosonde station, we analyzed properties of variability of the F2-layer maximum density, Nm, under different levels of the solar and geomagnetic activity. The standard deviation s(x) of Nm fluctuations relative to the quiet level (x=(Nm/Nm0–1)·100 %), and the average shift of these fluctuations x-ave were used as characteristics of this variability. For this purpose, the empirical model of the F2-layer maximum density for quiet magnetic conditions, Nm0, was constructed. The Nm variability was found to depend weakly on the solar activity level; in the first approximation, this dependence can be neglected. The Nm variability dependence on geomagnetic activity is among the principal ones, along with the dependences on local time and season. In general, dispersion of Nm fluctuations under quiet conditions is smaller than that during the periods of high geomagnetic activity. During the periods of high geomagnetic activity, however, the dispersion does not increase with the further growth of this activity, while the absolute value of shift x-ave (which is mainly negative under high geomagnetic activity) still increases with growing geomagnetic activity. As a result, if this activity is high enough, the condition |x-ave|>|s(x)| can be fulfilled.

An analysis of properties and peculiarities of the nighttime winter foF2 increases (NWI) in the East Siberia is made on data of ionospheric station Irkutsk in the periods 1958–1992 and 2002–2009 and the empirical model of the F2 layer critical frequency under the geomagnetic quiet conditions deduced from these data (model Q-F2). It is revealed, that the NWI is the stable regularity of the quiet ionosphere over Irkutsk. The amplitude of the NWI (the difference between maximum and minimum foF2 values at night hours) is the greatest in December–January and nearly the same at low and middle solar activity. It is a peculiarity of the quiet ionosphere in the East Siberia. Maximum in night foF2 under quiet geomagnetic conditions is observed mainly after midnight (02-04 LT) and is shifted to predawn hours as solar activity increases. At low solar activity the quiet ionosphere at ∼02–04 LT shows the following properties: (a) the fluctuations of foF2 and hmF2 are in the reverse correlation but this dependence is weak; (b) very strong fluctuations of foF2 (|δfoF2|>30%) occur seldom (∼4% of events) and almost all of them are positive; an example of very strong fluctuations of foF2 up to 60% can be an extreme increase in the foF2 on 19.12.2008; (c) the very strong enhancements of foF2 in the NWI maximum can be observed at the low geomagnetic activity, they occur more often during substorms but very seldom during geomagnetic storms. Possible reasons of these properties of NWI are discussed.