Average vertical and zonal F region plasma drifts over Jicamarca

Journal Article · Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/91JA01171· OSTI ID:5222365

Fejer, B G; Gonzalez, S A ^[1]; de Paula, E R ^[2]; Woodman, R F ^[3]

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1. Utah State Univ., Logan (United States)
2. Inst. de Pesquisas Espaciais-INPE, Sao Paulo (Brazil) Utah State Univ., Logan (United States)
3. Inst. Geofisico del Peru, Lima (Peru)

The seasonal averages of the equatorial F region vertical and zonal plasma drifts are determined using extensive incoherent scatter radar observations from Jicamarca during 1968-1988. The late afternoon and nighttime vertical and zonal drifts are strongly dependent on the 10.7-cm solar flux. The authors show that the evening prereversal enhancement of vertical drifts increases linearly with solar flux during equinox but tends to saturate for large fluxes during southern hemisphere winter. They examine in detail, for the first time, the seasonal variation of the zonal plasma drifts and their dependence on solar flux and magnetic activity. The seasonal effects on the zonal drifts are most pronounced in the midnight-morning sector. The nighttime eastward drifts increase with solar flux for all seasons but decrease slightly with magnetic activity. The daytime westward drifts are essentially independent of season, solar cycle, and magnetic activity.

• OSTI ID: 5222365
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Vol. 96:A8; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
F REGION
PLASMA DRIFT
DATA
EQUATOR
MEASURING METHODS
RADAR
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR FLUX
VELOCITY
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
INFORMATION
IONOSPHERE
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
RANGE FINDERS
VARIATIONS
640201* - Atmospheric Physics- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena