Mid-latitude magnetically conjugate ionospheric F2-layer during magnetic storm periods. Ph.D. Thesis
Thermospheric winds and penetrating electric fields play important roles in the complex phenomenon of F2-layer magnetic storms. The combined effect of both on the ionosphere can be inferred using a method based on the nonlinear relationship between the neutral winds and the height of the F2-layer. The F2-layer peak electron density depletion on the storm day generally became more pronounced than quiet-time median values during nighttime. The high to low latitude F2-layer electron density depletion is particularly evident at both hemispheres. A simultaneous enhancement of the eastward electric fields at all latitudes suggests an intimate relationship between the peak electron density depletion and the penetrating electric fields during an onset of storm. The behavior of meridional neutral winds during magnetic storm periods at all latitudes has been shown to differ from their quiet-time patterns. Meridional neutral winds during quiet-time for the months considered are usually equatorward during day and night in the summer season, poleward during the day, and slightly equatorward at night during the winter season for both hemispheres. Meridional neutral winds during storm periods generally become equatorward of quiet time values at night and reach their maximum deviation from the quiet time medians near local midnight. Electric fields can be separated from the effects of neutral air dynamics during the onset of magnetic storms. Simultaneous changes from the quiet-time values of hmF2 occurring at one or more pairs of conjugate stations indicate the penetration of zonal electric fields. Different local times of storm onset were examined to show that the penetration of electric fields to mid-latitudes normally occurs near midnight periods. This may be correlated with the currents flowing into the high latitude ionosphere in the evening sector.
- Research Organization:
- Utah State Univ., Logan, UT (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 404770
- Report Number(s):
- N-96-27746; NIPS-96-07458; TRN: 9627746
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: TH: Ph.D. Thesis; PBD: Jan 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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