Equatorial F region vertical plasma drifts during solar maxima

Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA094iA09p12049· OSTI ID:5245831

Fejer, B G ^[1]; de Paula, E R ^[2]; Batista, I S ^[3]; Bonelli, E ^[4]; Woodman, R F ^[5]

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1. Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences, Utah State University, Logan (USA)
2. Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences, Utah State University, Logan (USA) Instituto de Pesquisas Espaciais, Sao Jose dos Campos, Sao Paul, (Brazil)
3. Instituto de Pesquisas Espaciais, Sao Jose dos Campos, Sao Paulo, (Brazil)
4. Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, (Brazil)
5. Instituto Geofisico del Peru, Lima (Peru)

Incoherent scatter radar measurements at Jicamarca are used to study the effects of large solar fluxes and magnetic activity on the F region vertical plasma drifts. The average drifts from the two last solar maxima are almost identical except in the late afternoon-early evening sector where their variations with solar flux and magnetic activity are strongly season dependent. The average evening winter (May--August) drifts appear to remain almost constant after a certain solar flux level is reached but increase with magnetic activity. The equinoctial evening drifts increase systematically with solar-flux but decrease with magnetic activity. Very large prereversal enhancement velocities, up to about 80 m/s, were often observed during the 1978--1981 equinoctial periods when the solar flux was very high. Comparison of incoherent scatter radar drifts with vertical velocities inferred from ionosonde observations indicate that the latter technique substantially underestimates the plasma drifts during periods of large solar fluxes except during winter. {copyright} American Geophysical Union 1989

• OSTI ID: 5245831
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA) Vol. 94:A9; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EQUATOR
F REGION
INCOHERENT SCATTERING
IONOSPHERE
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLASMA DRIFT
SCATTERING
SOLAR CYCLE