The Latitudinal and Longitudinal Variation of the Semidiurnal Lunar Tide in the Ionosphere During 2013

Abstract

The present paper studies the latitudinal and longitudinal variation of ionospheric semidiurnal lunar tide (M2) perturbations in 2013 with total electron content (TEC) data. Results show that the latitudinal distribution of M2 exhibits longitudinal difference. At 100 ∼ 120°E and 80 ∼ 100°W longitudes, the strongest M2 perturbations in the northern and southern hemispheres roundly appeared at about 10° ∼ 20°N and 15° ∼ 25°S magnetic latitude (MLAT), respectively, which supports previous suggestion that the M2 maximized in the EIA crest regions. Moreover, the latitude range of M2 at 80 ∼ 100°W longitudes was wider than that at 100 ∼ 120°E longitudes, especially for southern hemisphere (SH). The M2 maximized at 20° ∼ 30°N MLAT in the northern hemisphere (NH) and was absent in the SH at 50°W ∼ 20°E longitudes, which was distinctly different than those at other longitudes. This abnormal behavior of latitudinal distribution of M2 may be caused by the large magnetic declination angle at 50°W ∼ 20°E longitudes. Meanwhile, the longitudinal variation and hemispheric asymmetry of M2 amplitude are different between NH winter (SSW period) and other seasons. The M2 amplitudes were stronger disturbances in the NH and in the American longitudinal sector in NH winter. However, in other seasons, the M2 amplitude was largest in Asian sector, and the M2 amplitude in NH was larger than SH at 0° ∼ 130°E longitudes, which was contrast to these at 0° ∼ 110°W longitudes. These differences of M2 variation between NH winter and other seasons may be related to the differences of the combined effects of the geomagnetic configuration and background conditions of the atmosphere and ionosphere.