a Study of Ionospheric Low Latitude Velocity and Density Irregularity Correlations during Solar Minimum

The C/NOFS satellite has measured ionospheric plasma density irregularities at low latitudes on scales larger than 10 km over a full set of seasons. The focus of this study is on data from the Ion Velocity Meter (IVM) from Jan-Dec 2009 for pre-midnight and post-midnight times when the data are most reliable. Correlations between the normalized changes in density and velocity (dni/n and dv-horz,vert) during spread-F events (plasma bubbles through the f-peak) and localized plasma enhancements associated with those events are analyzed and compared to investigate seasonal, spatial, and temporal properties during the 2009 solar minimum conditions. The correlations presented and their relationship to the unusually quiescent background conditions in this epoch challenge our understanding and add significantly to our knowledge of ionospheric irregularity events and distribution statistics at low latitudes during solar minimum.