Equatorial plasma irregularities: Solar cycle dependence and longitudinal variation of local time distribution

Details Equatorial plasma irregularities: Solar cycle dependence and longitudinal variation of local time distribution Equatorial plasma irregularities: Solar cycle dependence and longitudinal variation of local time distribution

Dec 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufmsa31a1404s&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #SA31A-1404

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[2439] Ionosphere / Ionospheric Irregularities

Scientific paper

Equatorial plasma irregularities represent important phenomena when steep ionospheric electron density gradients are concerned. During solar maximum conditions they cause the most severe radio wave scintillations in communications systems such as GPS. The understanding of their occurrence and evolution is therefore of high interest. The German CHAMP satellite orbiting at an altitude of about 400km is well suited for sampling the equatorial ionosphere, and equatorial plasma instabilities. This multi-years mission (July 2000 through present) provides an outstanding opportunity to investigate plasma irregularities in a climatological sense. Beside the observation of the electron density depletion it has been proven that the accompanying enhancement of magnetic field strength is a suitable signature for detecting these irregularities. The latter effect is caused by diamagnetic currents flowing along surfaces plasma pressure gradients. Based on the multi-years global climatology it is found that the seasonal/longitudinal occurrence distribution differs between solar maximum and minimum years. Also the latitude distribution of the events depends on solar activity. Another finding is that the local time distribution of the plasma irregularity occurrence rate varies with longitude. Events can be observed well after midnight in the Atlantic and African region, but its post-midnight probability is very low in the Pacific region. We suggest that atmospheric drivers altering the ionospheric conditions are responsible for such effects.

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