An 18‐month data base from the Dynamics Explorer 2 AC electric field spectrometers is used to obtain average high‐latitude magnetic local time (MLT) versus invariant latitude (INL) distributions of signal intensities in 12 frequency bands between 4 Hz and 512 kHz. Three distinctly different distributions are obtained, corresponding to (1) Doppler‐shifted signals from spatial structures in the electric field (i.e., irregularities) and Alfven waves between 4 and 512 Hz, (2) ELF waves between 256 Hz and 4.1 kHz, and (3) VLF waves between 4.1 and 64 kHz with extensions into the 128–512 kHz band. The ELF and VLF distributions closely resemble previously published results based on more limited sampling. Comparable distributions for the seven channels between 4 and 512 Hz, showing a prominent zone of maximum intensities at 72.5°–80° INL between 0500 and 1300 MLT, have not previously been reported. The power law frequency dependence of average power spectral densities (PSDs) between 4 and 512 Hz is also mapped in MLT‐INL coordinates. At all locations, two power law indices (slopes) are required to closely fit the PSDs with an inverted knee joining the two slopes in the 32–64 Hz band. This knee band corresponds to the range of O+ cyclotron frequencies encountered, and it lends credence to Gurnett et al.'s (1984) contention that Alfven waves are an essential ingredient in explaining the low‐frequency in situ satellite signals which were previously attributed to polarization fields accompanying spatial irregularities in plasma densities. However, other aspects of the 4–512 Hz observations, including seasonal variations, favor the earlier spatial irregularity interpretation. As discussed, the difficulties encountered in seeking interpretations exclusively in terms of either spatial irregularities or Alfven waves can be resolved with a synthesis approach requiring both types of signals. It is proposed that the averaged intensities and corresponding spectral characteristics in the 4–512 Hz band represent the consequence of intermittently superimposing shear Alfven waves on a spatially irregular medium. There are then three principal contributions: (1) an omnipresent 4–512 Hz signal from Doppler‐shifted responses to 2000–15 m spatial irregularities having an average power law spectral index near −1.9, (2) intermittent signals from locally generated shear Alfven waves having maximum power at frequencies of <4 Hz and average power law spectral indices of ≤(−2.8) extending only to fc(O+), and (3) spatial irregularity modulations of shear Alfven waves originating both locally and in the distant magnetosphere.
San Marco D electric field measurements have been averaged in terms of their equivalent ion drift to produce an average pattern of equatorial zonal and vertical ion drifts. Variations with season, solar activity, Kp, lunar phase and longitude have been analyzed. Similarities and some differences from previous Jicamarca, DE 2 and AE-E results are seen. Confirmation is given of the dominance of the F region dynamo in the 1900-2100 local time region. The daytime zonal ion drift is larger for high F10.7 values than that for low values. There is little variation between high and low values of Kp. Superrotation is evident in this data set and is larger at equinox compared to solstice. At the June solstice there are significant differences between the average ion drifts in the longitude sector where the geomagnetic equator is north of the geographic equator (Indian sector) and the sector where the geomagnetic equator is south of the geographic equator (Peruvian sector). The daytime upward velocity is larger in the Indian sector than in the Peruvian sector, and it reverses later in the evening in the Indian sector. Daytime westward zonal velocities are larger and the nighttime eastward velocities are smaller in the Indian sector. A presunrise enhancement is seen in the downward velocity in the Indian sector but not in the Peruvian sector. Significant variations are also seen with the phase of the moon. In light of current theory, the lunar variations suggest a complex interaction of E and F region dynamo sources with conductivity, changing in phase and character with latitude. Paper number 95JA00767. 0148-0227/95/95JA-00767505.00 the northern summer solstice months. The zonal velocity is eastward at night and westward in the daytime with nighttime values exceeding 100 m/s and daytime minima of 40 to 50 m/s. The nighttime peak is near 2100 LT with a secondary peak near 0400 LT under some conditions. Seasonal effects on the zonal drifts are most pronounced in the midnight-morning sector. The nighttime eastward drifts increase with solar flux for all seasons but decrease slightly with magnetic activity. Daytime westward drifts are essentially independent of sea.son, solar cycle and magnetic activity [Fejer et al., 1991]. Satellite measurements of neutral winds, ion drift and electric fields have added considerably to our understanding of the equatorial electrodynamics. The polar orbiting DE 2 satellite provided longitudinal cuts through the mid and low latitude regions. Statistical studies have developed, from electric field measurements, patterns of the equatorial vertical electric field and, hence the corresponding zonal ion drift [Maynard et al., 1988], and, from ion drift measurements, patterns of vertical and zonal ion drifts [Coley and Heelis, 1989]. In these surveys the ion velocity or electric fields at different altitudes and latitudes are projected along magnetic field lines to their apex altitude in the equatorial plane assuming that the magnetic field lines are equipotentials. A vertical pattern in the equatoria...
Electric field data from the double probe vector electric field instrument (VEFI) on the DE 2 spacecraft have been analyzed to determine the average meridional electric field (zonal ion flow) patterns in the region between ±30° magnetic latitude during solar maximum conditions. Over 300 passes were used to compile the data set. Data were projected to a constant 300‐km altitude and to the equatorial plane assuming that the electric field along the magnetic field was zero. The average data set displayed a rapid increase of the downward meridional electric field with local time near 1800 MLT with the higher latitudes seeing the change first. A secondary nighttime maximum of this electric field component was observed post midnight with the crossover to upward electric fields (westward ion flow) occurring between 0400 and 0500 MLT. A sharp return to near zero was observed between 1200 and 1300. Typical average amplitudes range between 3 and 6 mV/m. No consistent variations with magnetic activity were observed. Although the daily variation in the zonal ion flow is dominated by the diurnal term, a net superrotation is evident in the harmonic analysis. The superrotation is strongest near the equator and decreases with latitude, because of the disturbance dynamo. The higher order harmonics up through the quatrediurnal term are also of significant magnitude in the analysis of the shape of the daily variation. Close similarity is seen to the zonal neutral winds indicating that they form the principal driving force. The magnitudes of the electric field derived ion drift are somewhat higher than the average F region neutral wind values. This along with the higher order harmonic content argues for the need to develop fully coupled E and F region model depicting the ionosphere and thermosphere interactions in a self‐consistent fashion.
We report here on the observation of a geomagnetic signature in the zonal eastward plasma flow, which is a striking feature of the equatorial ionosphere in the evening quadrant. These observations were derived from (E × B)/B² measurements made with the cylindrical double floating probe experiment carried on the Dynamics Explorer 2 (DE 2) satellite. The signature consists of a crest‐trough‐crest effect in the latitude dependence of the eastward plasma flow with the crests at ± 8° dip latitude and the trough nearly centered at the dip equator at all geographic longitudes. This phenomenon can be readily interpreted in terms of the altitude dependence of the F region dynamo electric field, and it is related to dip equator signatures in the plasma density and the magnetic declination which have been reported earlier.
.[1] The ionosphere response resulting from minimum solar activity during cycle 23/24 was unusual and offered unique opportunities for investigating space weather in the near-Earth environment. We report ultra low frequency electric field signatures related to the ionospheric Alfvén resonator detected by the Communications/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite in the equatorial region. These signatures are used to constrain ionospheric empirical models and offer a new approach for monitoring ionosphere dynamics and space weather phenomena, namely aeronomy processes, Alfvén wave propagation, and troposphere-ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling mechanisms.
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