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- Title
Merging of Storm Time Midlatitude Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances and Equatorial Plasma Bubbles.
- Authors
Aa, Ercha; Zou, Shasha; Ridley, Aaron; Zhang, Shunrong; Coster, Anthea J.; Erickson, Philip J.; Liu, Siqing; Ren, Jiaen
- Abstract
Postsunset midlatitude traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) and equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) were simultaneously observed over American sector during the geomagnetic storm on 8 September 2017. The characteristics of TIDs are analyzed by using a combination of the Millstone Hill incoherent scatter radar data and 2‐D detrended total electron content (TEC) from ground‐based Global Navigation Satellite System receivers. The main results associated with EPBs are as follows: (1) stream‐like structures of TEC depletion occurred simultaneously at geomagnetically conjugate points, (2) poleward extension of the TEC irregularities/depletions along the magnetic field lines, (3) severe equatorial and midlatitude electron density (Ne) bite outs observed by Defense Meteorological Satellite Program and Swarm satellites, and (4) enhancements of ionosphere F layer virtual height and vertical drifts observed by equatorial ionosondes near the EPBs initiation region. The stream‐like TEC depletions reached 46° magnetic latitudes that map to an apex altitude of 6,800 km over the magnetic equator using International Geomagnetic Reference Field. The formation of this extended density depletion structure is suggested to be due to the merging between the altitudinal/latitudinal extension of EPBs driven by strong prompt penetration electric field and midlatitude TIDs. Moreover, the poleward portion of the depletion/irregularity drifted westward and reached the equatorward boundary of the ionospheric main trough. This westward drift occurred at the same time as the sudden expansion of the convection pattern and could be attributed to the strong returning westward flow near the subauroral polarization stream region. Other possible mechanisms for the westward tilt are also discussed. Key Points: Postsunset EPBs driven by PPEF were observed to merge with midlatitude TIDs forming stream‐like depletion structures over American sectorDepletions reached 46 MLAT that map to 6,800 km over the equator and drifted westward reaching the equatorward boundary of the main troughStrong convection flow near SAPS region and disturbance thermospheric wind contributed to the westward drift of the midlatitude depletions
- Subjects
IONOSPHERE; MAGNETIC fields; GLOBAL Positioning System; SPACE environment; GEOMAGNETISM; TOTAL electron content (Atmosphere)
- Publication
Space Weather: The International Journal of Research & Applications, 2019, Vol 17, Issue 2, p285
- ISSN
1539-4956
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1029/2018SW002101