Long-term aspects of nighttime spread F over a low mid-latitude European station

Autor: Haris Haralambous, K. S. Paul, Ashik Paul, Christina Oikonomou
Rok vydání: 2019
Předmět:
Zdroj: Advances in Space Research. 64:1199-1216
ISSN: 0273-1177
DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2019.06.020
Popis: In an effort to explore the morphology of nighttime spread F at the lower mid-latitude European station of Nicosia, Cyprus (35°N, 33°E geographic; magnetic dip. 29.38°N), all ionograms recorded by the DPS-4D digisonde during the interval 2009–2016 have been analyzed. Subsequent detailed investigation was performed to establish the possible effect of various triggering mechanisms on spread F within the framework of Perkins instability on a statistical basis by correlating spread F occurrence particular wave pattern signatures (Satellite Trace/Multiple-reflected Echoes), gravity wave signatures, F layer uplift (h'F) and unstable sporadic E layers. The results verify the systematic manifestation and therefore the significance of TIDs and unstable sporadic E layers as triggering factors responsible for seeding spread F development and underline the frequent appearance of multi-reflected echoes and satellite traces as dominant precursors of mid-latitude spread F over European latitudes for the first time. Furthermore clear seasonal characteristics and inverse solar activity dependence of spread F occurrence in lower European mid-latitudes is established similar to southern hemisphere studies undertaken previously.
Databáze: OpenAIRE