Does the Mid-Latitude Ionosphere Exist During Superstorms?

Details Does the Mid-Latitude Ionosphere Exist During Superstorms? Does the Mid-Latitude Ionosphere Exist During Superstorms?

May 2005

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2005agusmsa12a..02s&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Spring Meeting 2005, abstract #SA12A-02

Physics

2427 Ionosphere/Atmosphere Interactions (0335), 2431 Ionosphere/Magnetosphere Interactions (2736), 2435 Ionospheric Disturbances, 2443 Midlatitude Ionosphere

Scientific paper

The mid-latitude ionosphere naively lies in a latitude belt between the high latitude and equatorial ionosphere. These three regions are distinguished by their F-region electrodynamic convection processes. The equatorial latitudes are dominated by the "eastward" electric fields that causes the Appleton equatorial anomalies. At mid-latitude the plasma corotates with the ground-based observer. The high latitudes are dominated by variants of the "two-cell" convection pattern with auroral weather superimposed. Present day modeling of the Earths ionosphere-thermosphere almost rigidly follows these guidelines. A host of observable boundaries exist to demark the regions: the mid-latitude trough, the equatorward edge of the auroral boundary, the plasmapause, the poleward shoulder of the equatorial anomaly, region II current in the afternoon-evening sector, etc. The first clue that all is not well understood during a superstorm is that these boundaries move deep into the mid-latitudes. Auroral displays are seen in the southern states of the USA, magnetometers even further equatorward register auroral electrojets, the F-layer moves up in altitude, a sure sign of a non-corotational electric field, the equatorial anomalies move poleward, and persistent highly coherent structures form in the F-region plasma on the dayside. All lead to the conclusion that our understanding and, hence, modeling of mid-latitude processes are lacking. Concepts such as the mid-latitudes that are shielded from high latitude electric fields by the ring currents became less than satisfactory when the ring currents themselves are located at the equatorward edge of the quiet time mid-latitude domain! The idea that mid-latitude storm effects via the thermosphere are propagated from high latitudes to mid-latitudes becomes less than useful when the "high latitudes" energy disposition is occurring at low latitudes within the mid-latitudes! Most physics based models of the ionosphere require empirical representations of the drivers, i.e., the electric fields, the auroral precipitation, the low latitude electric field and some even need the thermosphere and neutral winds. These empirical representations almost never contain representations for superstorm conditions! Hence, how are superstorms to be introduced into these models? The cutting edge modeling uses data assimilation techniques to get around this issue, but what can reasonably be expected from this technique during a superstorm? Recent observations and simulations during superstorms will be discussed to address these questions in the context of does the mid-latitude ionosphere exist during superstorms?

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