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The prereversal enhancement of thezonal electric field in the equatorial ionosphere

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Journal of Geophysical Research

Volume

91

Publisher

American Geophysical Union

Publication Date

1986

First Page

13723

Abstract

The electric fields in the ionospheric E and F regions near the magnetic equator often show a strong eastward enhancement shortly after sunset and before the eastward (normally) daytime field reverses to westward. Several theoretical models of the low-latitude fields suggest that this enhancement is caused mainly or entirely by F region winds (the F region dynamo), but some authors have suggested that it could be produced solely by E region tidal winds. We give here additional calculations and arguments in support of the F region source. The enhancement of the eastward field for an eastward F region wind turns out to be a simple direct consequence of the fact that after sunset the ionospheric conductivity decreases far more rapidly in the E region than in the F region.

https://doi.org/10.1029/JA091iA12p13723

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