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Title: Neutral wave-driven dynamo production of ultra-low-frequency fluctuations in the ionospheric electric field

Abstract

The study of the perturbation of the ionosphere by upper-atmospheric neutral waves has been a subject of major interest for more than 30 years. The initial energy source for these waves in weather activity in the troposphere. In the absence of dissipation, neutral waves propagating upward through an atmosphere with exponentially decreasing density will grow exponentially in amplitude due to the conservation of energy. In the E layer of the ionosphere, collisions keep the ions coupled strongly to the neutral gas, whereas the electron-neutral collisions have become so infrequent that the electrons are magnetized and held fixed with respect to the Earth's magnetic field. Therefore, in the E layer, neutral wind fluctuations will move the ions with respect to the electrons, thus driving currents and building up space charge to create an electric field. Historically, this topic has been investigated at mid- and low-latitude because auroral processes can easily dominate the atmospheric dynamo signature at higher latitude (Mozer 1971). Recent evidence suggests that neutral wave-driven dynamo fields can be an important signal source at high-latitude during geomagnetically quiet times (Earle and Kelly 1987); however, Earle and Kelley's argument was based on statistical comparison of spectral shapes. Simultaneous direct observations ofmore » lower atmosphere neutral-wind waves and upper atmosphere electric fields were lacking. This paper will present an example of just such an observation.« less

Authors:
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Houston, TX (USA)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
5312082
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Antarctic Journal of the United States; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 23:5; Journal ID: ISSN 0003-5335
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; IONOSPHERE; ELECTRIC FIELDS; ANTARCTICA; FLUCTUATIONS; GRAVITY WAVES; NEUTRAL PARTICLES; POLAR CUSP; STRATOSPHERE; WAVE PROPAGATION; ANTARCTIC REGIONS; EARTH ATMOSPHERE; PARTICLES; PLANETARY IONOSPHERES; POLAR REGIONS; VARIATIONS; 640201* - Atmospheric Physics- Auroral, Ionospheric, & Magetospheric Phenomena

Citation Formats

Bering, III, E A, Benbrook, J R, Byrne, G J, and Theall, J R. Neutral wave-driven dynamo production of ultra-low-frequency fluctuations in the ionospheric electric field. United States: N. p., 1988. Web.
Bering, III, E A, Benbrook, J R, Byrne, G J, & Theall, J R. Neutral wave-driven dynamo production of ultra-low-frequency fluctuations in the ionospheric electric field. United States.
Bering, III, E A, Benbrook, J R, Byrne, G J, and Theall, J R. 1988. "Neutral wave-driven dynamo production of ultra-low-frequency fluctuations in the ionospheric electric field". United States.
@article{osti_5312082,
title = {Neutral wave-driven dynamo production of ultra-low-frequency fluctuations in the ionospheric electric field},
author = {Bering, III, E A and Benbrook, J R and Byrne, G J and Theall, J R},
abstractNote = {The study of the perturbation of the ionosphere by upper-atmospheric neutral waves has been a subject of major interest for more than 30 years. The initial energy source for these waves in weather activity in the troposphere. In the absence of dissipation, neutral waves propagating upward through an atmosphere with exponentially decreasing density will grow exponentially in amplitude due to the conservation of energy. In the E layer of the ionosphere, collisions keep the ions coupled strongly to the neutral gas, whereas the electron-neutral collisions have become so infrequent that the electrons are magnetized and held fixed with respect to the Earth's magnetic field. Therefore, in the E layer, neutral wind fluctuations will move the ions with respect to the electrons, thus driving currents and building up space charge to create an electric field. Historically, this topic has been investigated at mid- and low-latitude because auroral processes can easily dominate the atmospheric dynamo signature at higher latitude (Mozer 1971). Recent evidence suggests that neutral wave-driven dynamo fields can be an important signal source at high-latitude during geomagnetically quiet times (Earle and Kelly 1987); however, Earle and Kelley's argument was based on statistical comparison of spectral shapes. Simultaneous direct observations of lower atmosphere neutral-wind waves and upper atmosphere electric fields were lacking. This paper will present an example of just such an observation.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5312082}, journal = {Antarctic Journal of the United States; (United States)},
issn = {0003-5335},
number = ,
volume = 23:5,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988}
}