TY - JOUR
T1 - Equatorial spread-F initiation
T2 - Post-sunset vortex, thermospheric winds, gravity waves
AU - Kudeki, Erhan
AU - Akgiray, Ahmed
AU - Milla, Marco
AU - Chau, Jorge L.
AU - Hysell, David L.
PY - 2007/12
Y1 - 2007/12
N2 - We present experimental evidence and modeling results which indicate that eastward thermospheric wind is the primary controlling factor of equatorial spread-F initiation in the post-sunset ionosphere. Eastward wind-driven Pedersen currents are able to polarize F-region density perturbations with westward tilting wavefronts into rapidly growing modes to trigger the formation of spread-F bubbles. The described process is so rapid that seeding requirements of spread-F initiation by external factors such as gravity waves are effectively eliminated.
AB - We present experimental evidence and modeling results which indicate that eastward thermospheric wind is the primary controlling factor of equatorial spread-F initiation in the post-sunset ionosphere. Eastward wind-driven Pedersen currents are able to polarize F-region density perturbations with westward tilting wavefronts into rapidly growing modes to trigger the formation of spread-F bubbles. The described process is so rapid that seeding requirements of spread-F initiation by external factors such as gravity waves are effectively eliminated.
KW - Current systems
KW - Equatorial ionosphere
KW - Ionospheric dynamics
KW - Ionospheric irregularities
KW - Plasma waves and instabilities
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=36148992253&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jastp.2007.04.012
DO - 10.1016/j.jastp.2007.04.012
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:36148992253
SN - 1364-6826
VL - 69
SP - 2416
EP - 2427
JO - Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics
JF - Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics
IS - 17-18
ER -