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Relation between the occurrence rate of ESF and the verticalplasma drift velocity at sunset derived form global observations

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Annales Geophysicae

Volume

26

Publisher

European Geosciences Union

Publication Date

2008

First Page

3979

Last Page

3988

Abstract

In this study, we investigate two global climatological data sets; the occurrence rate of Equatorial Spread-F (ESF), associated with equatorial plasma irregularities, at ~400 km altitude obtained from CHAMP observations, and the evening equatorial vertical plasma drift, vz, from ROCSAT-1 measurements. First, as retrieved for a solar flux level of F10.7=150, the longitudinal variation of the two independently derived quantities correlates between 84% and 93% in the seasons December solstice, equinox and June solstice. The highest correlation is found for the solstice seasons when vz is integrated over local time around the prereversal enhancement (PRE) and displaced 6° towards east. The integrated vz is a suitable estimate of the ionospheric height at the time just after the PRE and the 6° displacement is consistent with ESF eastward drift during 2 h which is assumed between creation and detection at satellite altitudes. Second, our analyses reveal a global threshold vz which is required to observe ESF at satellite altitudes. This threshold depends linearly on solar flux with correlations of 97%. Both results bring global evidence on the linear relations between ESF and the vertical plasma drift which have been proven only by local observations so far.

https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-26-3979-2008

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