Major upwelling and overturning in the mid-latitude F region ionosphere
| Autor: | Miguel Larsen, David C. Fritts, D. L. Hysell, Michael P. Sulzer, Brian Laughman |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2018 |
| Předmět: |
Electron density
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena Science General Physics and Astronomy Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics 01 natural sciences F region Instability Article General Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology Altitude Ionization 0103 physical sciences lcsh:Science 010303 astronomy & astrophysics Physics::Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics Computer Science::Databases 0105 earth and related environmental sciences Multidisciplinary General Chemistry Space physics Geophysics 13. Climate action Middle latitudes Physics::Space Physics lcsh:Q Ionosphere Geology |
| Zdroj: | Nature Communications, Vol 9, Iss 1, Pp 1-11 (2018) Nature Communications |
| ISSN: | 2041-1723 |
| Popis: | Profiles of the electron number density in the ionosphere are observed at the Arecibo Radio Observatory in Puerto Rico on a regular basis. Here, we report on recent observations showing anomalous irregularities in the density profiles at altitudes >~300 km. The irregularities occurred during a period of “mid-latitude spread F,” a space-weather phenomenon relatively common at middle latitudes in summer months characterized by instability and electron density irregularities in the bottomside of the ionospheric F layer. Remarkably, electron density irregularities extended well above the layer, through the ionization peak and into the topside which is regarded as being stable. Neither the neutral atmosphere nor the ionosphere is thought to be able to support turbulence locally at this altitude. A numerical simulation is used to illustrate how a combination of atmospheric and plasma dynamics driven at lower altitudes could explain the phenomenon. The ionosphere can give rise to irregularities that can interfere with radio communication, navigation and satellite systems. Here the authors present unique observations from the Arecibo Radio Observatory in Puerto Rico to reveal the existence of plasma irregularities occur in the mid-latitude F-region. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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