Average low-latitude meridional electric fields from DE 2 during solar maximum

Journal Article · Sun May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA093iA05p04021· OSTI ID:5875816

Maynard, N C ^[1]; Aggson, T L; Herrero, F A ^[2]; Liebrecht, M C ^[3]

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1. Air Force Geophysics Lab., Hanscom AFB, MA (United States)
2. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD (United States)
3. Science Applications Research Inc., Lanham, MD (United States)

Electric field data from the double probe vector electric field instrument (VEFI) on the DE 2 spacecraft have been analyzed to determine the average meridional electric field (zonal ion flow) patterns in the region between {plus minus} 30{degree} magnetic latitude during solar maximum conditions. The average data set displayed a rapid increase of the downward meridional electric field with local time near 1,800 MLT with the higher latitudes seeing the change first. A secondary nighttime maximum of this electric field component was observed post midnight with the crossover to upward electric fields (westward ion flow) occurring between 0400 and 0500 MLT. A sharp return to near zero was observed between 1,200 and 1,300. Typical average amplitudes range between 3 and 6 mV/m. No consistent variations with magnetic activity were observed. Although the daily variation in the zonal ion flow is dominated by the diurnal term, a net superrotation is evident in the harmonic analysis. The superrotation is strongest near the equator and decreases with latitude, because of the disturbance dynamo. The higher order harmonics up through the quatrediurnal term are also of significant magnitude in the analysis of the shape of the daily variation. Cose similarity is seen to the zonal neutral winds indicating that they form the principal driving force. The magnitudes of the electric field derived ion drift are somewhat higher than the average F region neutral wind values. This along with the higher order harmonic content argues for the need to develop fully coupled E and F region model depicting the ionosphere and thermosphere interactions in a self-consistent fashion.

• OSTI ID: 5875816
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 93:A5; ISSN JGREA; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661320* -- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
DAILY VARIATIONS
E REGION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRIC FIELDS
EXPLORER SATELLITES
F REGION
GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATIONS
INTERACTIONS
ION DRIFT
IONOSPHERE
LATITUDE EFFECT
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLASMA DRIFT
RADAR
RANGE FINDERS
SATELLITES
THERMOSPHERE
VARIATIONS
WIND