Longitudinal asymmetry in the crest intensity of the ionospheric tidal structure
Abstract
We examine the source of the longitudinal asymmetry in the crest intensity of the ionospheric tidal structure by using the measurements of the plasma density and vertical plasma drift by the first Republic of China satellite. The consistent feature in plasma density and vertical plasma drift in all months is the development of the wave crests near 0°-10°E and 90°-100°E longitude. The appearance of the global wave-4 or wave-3 structure is determined by the morphology between 150°E and 300°E longitude. Two crests are pronounced in July-September, and only one crest appears during the December solstice in that longitude region. The crests of the wave-4 structure between 150°E and 300°E longitude are much weaker than the crests near the longitudes of 0° and 90°E during July-September. The wave-3 structure is pronounced in all months. The phase difference between the wave-3 and wave-4 structures is small near the longitudes of 0° and 90°E, and thus the superposition of the wave-3 structure amplifies the wave-4 crest intensity in those regions. The phase difference is large between 150°E and 300°E longitude, and thus the destructive superposition of the wave-3 component weakens the wave-4 crest in that region. The wave-1 and wave-2 structures as well as the wave-4 and wave-3 structures are significant ionospheric features. We examine the persistency of those structures and their superposition effect on the creation of the longitudinal asymmetry.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2011
- Bibcode:
- 2011AGUFMSA21B..03K
- Keywords:
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- 2415 IONOSPHERE / Equatorial ionosphere;
- 2437 IONOSPHERE / Ionospheric dynamics