Effects of convection driven gravity waves on equatorial electrojet plasma irregularities
Abstract
This study reports temporal and spatial quasi-oscillations (~12:00 to 15:30 UT) of coherent scatter radar echoes observed by the Sao Luis (Brazil) 30 MHz radar on January 9, 2002. This day can be considered as geomagnetically quiet, a_p <10. On the same day, corresponding to the same time interval, quasi-oscillations were also evident in the horizontal magnetic field perturbation (ΔH) data which was measured by the Sao Luis and Eusebio magnetometers. Spectral analysis on the (ΔH) signal reveals spectral power around the periods of 20 to 40 minutes which correspond to periods of atmospheric gravity waves. From about 1:00 to 12:00 UT, GOES 10 satellite IR images (for January 9, 2002) show strong tropospheric convection activity over Sao Luis. We, therefore, expect tropospheric convection through gravity waves to couple its energy to the E region ionosphere causing the quasi-oscillation observed in the radar and magnetic field data. Dynamo electric field generated by gravity waves interact with the background electric field to affect ionospheric currents and plasma irregularities giving rise to the quasi-oscillation of the scattering region observed by the Sao Luis radar on January 9, 2002. Further data analysis is in progress.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2010
- Bibcode:
- 2010AGUFMSA31A1715S
- Keywords:
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- 2415 IONOSPHERE / Equatorial ionosphere;
- 2427 IONOSPHERE / Ionosphere/atmosphere interactions