scholarly journals DMSP observations of equatorial plasma bubbles in the topside ionosphere near solar maximum

2001 ◽  
Vol 106 (A5) ◽  
pp. 8131-8142 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Y. Huang ◽  
W. J. Burke ◽  
J. S. Machuzak ◽  
L. C. Gentile ◽  
P. J. Sultan
Keyword(s):  
Solar Maximum ◽  
Topside Ionosphere ◽  
Plasma Bubbles ◽  
Equatorial Plasma Bubbles

scholarly journals A global climatology for equatorial plasma bubbles in the topside ionosphere

2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 163-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. C. Gentile ◽  
W. J. Burke ◽  
F. J. Rich
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Density ◽  
Solar Maximum ◽  
Local Times ◽  
Topside Ionosphere ◽  
Plasma Bubble ◽  
Equatorial Plasma Bubbles ◽  
Evening Sector ◽  
Cycle Maximum ◽  
Forecasting System ◽  
Navigation Signals

Abstract. We have developed a global climatology of equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) occurrence based on evening sector plasma density measurements from polar-orbiting Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) spacecraft during 1989-2004. EPBs are irregular plasma density depletions in the post-sunset ionosphere that degrade communication and navigation signals. More than 14400 EPBs were identified in ~134000 DMSP orbits. DMSP observations basically agree with Tsunoda's (1985) hypothesis that EPB rates peak when the terminator is aligned with the Earth's magnetic field, but there are also unpredicted offsets in many longitude sectors. We present an updated climatology for the full database from 1989-2004 along with new plots for specific phases of the solar cycle: maximum 1989-1992 and 1999-2002, minimum 1994-1997, and transition years 1993, 1998, and 2003. As expected, there are significant differences between the climatologies for solar maximum and minimum and between the two solar maximum phases as well. We also compare DMSP F12, F14, F15, and F16 observations at slightly different local times during 2000-2004 to examine local time effects on EPB rates. The global climatologies developed using the DMSP EPB database provide an environmental context for the long-range prediction tools under development for the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) mission.

scholarly journals Implication of tidal forcing effects on the zonal variation of solstice equatorial plasma bubbles

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loren C. Chang ◽  
Cornelius Csar Jude Hisole Salinas ◽  
Yi-Chung Chiu ◽  
McArthur Jones ◽  
Chi-Kuang Chao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tidal Forcing ◽  
Plasma Bubbles ◽  
Equatorial Plasma Bubbles

scholarly journals Seasonal-longitudinal variability of equatorial plasma bubbles

2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 3089-3098 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. J. Burke ◽  
C. Y. Huang ◽  
L. C. Gentile ◽  
L. Bauer
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cycle ◽  
Phase Shifts ◽  
Linear Growth Rate ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
Loss Cone ◽  
Plasma Bubbles ◽  
Equatorial Plasma Bubbles ◽  
Evening Sector ◽  
Radiation Belt Electrons ◽  
Longitudinal Variability

Abstract. We compare seasonal and longitudinal distributions of more than 8300 equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) observed during a full solar cycle from 1989-2000 with predictions of two simple models. Both models are based on considerations of parameters that influence the linear growth rate, γRT, of the generalized Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the context of finite windows of opportunity available during the prereversal enhancement near sunset. These parameters are the strength of the equatorial magnetic field, Beq, and the angle, α, it makes with the dusk terminator line. The independence of α and Beq from the solar cycle phase justifies our comparisons. We have sorted data acquired during more than 75000 equatorial evening-sector passes of polar-orbiting Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites into 24 longitude and 12 one-month bins, each containing ~250 samples. We show that: (1) in 44 out of 48 month-longitude bins EPB rates are largest within 30 days of when α=0°; (2) unpredicted phase shifts and asymmetries appear in occurrence rates at the two times per year when α≈0°; (3) While EPB occurrence rates vary inversely with Beq, the relationships are very different in regions where Beq is increasing and decreasing with longitude. Results (2) and (3) indicate that systematic forces not considered by the two models can become important. Damping by interhemispheric winds appears to be responsible for phase shifts in maximum rates of EPB occurrence from days when α=0°. Low EPB occurrence rates found at eastern Pacific longitudes suggest that radiation belt electrons in the drift loss cone reduce γRT by enhancing E-layer Pedersen conductances. Finally, we analyze an EPB event observed during a magnetic storm at a time and place where α≈-27°, to illustrate how electric-field penetration from high latitudes can overwhelm the damping effects of weak gradients in Pedersen conductance near dusk.

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