The Study of the origin of broad plasma depletions in the equatorial F region
Abstract
Broad plasma depletions (BPDs), plasma depletions broader than regular plasma bubbles, are occasionally detected by the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite. The BPD phenomenon is understood in association with either plasma bubbles or modulation of the F region height. This study presents the BPD events that are considered to be associated with the latter. The coincident observations of the ionosphere from space (C/NOFS and the first Republic of China satellite) and on the ground (radars and ionosondes) showed that significant fountain process or uplift of the ionosphere occurred in the regions where BPDs were detected. The coincident ionosonde observations in the American sector showed the rapid increase of the F region height and, eventually, the disappearance of the ionosphere at the time of the BPD detection. Some BPDs showed the association with large scale wave structures and storm-induced electric fields. Our observation results indicate that the satellite detection of BPDs can be understood in terms of the uplift of the F region height above the satellite altitude. The coincidence of bubbles often with BPDs is explained by the promotion of the bubble activity by the uplift of the ionosphere.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013AGUFMSA13A1947O
- Keywords:
-
- 2439 IONOSPHERE Ionospheric irregularities;
- 2415 IONOSPHERE Equatorial ionosphere