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1. The occurrence climatology of equatorial plasma bubbles: a review

   https://doi.org/10.5140/JASS.2022.39.2.23  

   Kil, Hyosub (June 2022, Journal of astronomy and space sciences)

   Jee, Geonhwa (Ed.)

   Electron density irregularities in the equatorial ionosphere at night are understood in terms of plasma bubbles, which are produced by the transport of low-density plasma from the bottomside of the F region to the topside. Equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) have been detected by various techniques on the ground and from space. One of the distinguishing characteristics of EPBs identified from long-term observations is the systematic seasonal and longitudinal variation of the EPB activity. Several hypotheses have been developed to explain the systematic EPB behavior, and now we have good knowledge about the key factors that determine the behavior. However, gaps in our understanding of the EPB climatology still remain primarily because we do not yet have the capability to observe seed perturbations and their growth simultaneously and globally. This paper reviews the occurrence climatology of EPBs identified from observations and the current understanding of its driving mechanisms. 

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2. Origin and Distribution of Daytime Electron Density Irregularities in the Low‐Latitude F Region

   https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JA028343  

   Kil, Hyosub; Lee, Woo_Kyoung; Paxton, Larry_J (September 2020, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics)

   Abstract Electron density irregularities on the dayside in the low‐latitudeFregion are understood as remnants (or fossils) of nighttime plasma bubbles. We provide observational evidence of the connection of daytime irregularities to nighttime bubbles and the transport of the daytime irregularities by the vertical motion of the background ionosphere. The distributions of irregularities are derived using the measurements of the ion density by the first Republic of China satellite from March 1999 to June 2004. The seasonal and longitudinal distributions of daytime and nighttime irregularities in low latitudes show a close similarity. The high occurrence rate of daytime irregularities at the longitudes where strong irregularities occur frequently at night provides strong evidence of the association of daytime irregularities with nighttime bubbles. Nighttime irregularities are concentrated in the equatorial region, whereas daytime irregularities spread over broader latitudes. The seasonal and longitudinal variation of the latitudinal spread of daytime irregularities is consistent with the morphologies of plasma density and vertical plasma velocity. The zonal wave number 4 pattern, which corresponds to that in plasma density, is identified in the distribution of daytime irregularities. These observations lead to the conclusion that the morphology of daytime irregularities in the low‐latitudeFregion is dominated by the morphology of bubbles at night and the ionospheric fountain process on the dayside. 

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3. On new two-dimensional UHF radar observations of equatorial spread F at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory

   https://doi.org/10.1186/s40623-023-01876-7  

   Rodrigues, F. S.; Milla, M. A.; Scipion, D.; Apaza, J. M.; Kuyeng, K. M.; Sousasantos, J.; Massoud, A. A.; Padin, C. (August 2023, Earth, Planets and Space)

   Abstract We describe a mode for two-dimensional UHF (445 MHz) radar observations ofF-region irregularities using the 14-panel version of the advanced modular incoherent scatter radar (AMISR-14). We also present and discuss examples of observations made by this mode. AMISR-14 is installed at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory (JRO, 11.95°S, 76.87°W, ~ 0.5° dip latitude) in Peru and, therefore, allows studies of ionospheric irregularities at the magnetic equator. The new mode takes advantage of the electronic beam-steering capability of the system to scan the equatorialF-region in the east–west direction. Therefore, it produces two-dimensional views of the spatial distribution of sub-meter field-aligned density irregularities in the magnetic equatorial plane. The scans have a temporal resolution of 20 s and allow observations over a zonal distance of approximately 400 km at mainF-region heights. While the system has a lower angular and range resolution than interferometric in-beam VHF radar imaging observations available at Jicamarca, it allows a wider field-of-view than that allowed with the VHF system. Here, we describe the mode, and present and discuss examples of observations made with the system. We also discuss implications of these observations for studies of ESF at the JRO. Graphical abstract 

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4. VHF Imaging Radar Observations and Theory of Banded Midlatitude Sporadic E Ionization Layers

   https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JA029257  

   Hysell, D_L; Larsen, M_F (May 2021, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics)

   Abstract Observations of backscatter from field‐aligned plasma density irregularities in sporadicE(E_s) layers made with a 30‐MHz coherent scatter radar imager in Ithaca, New York are presented and analyzed. The volume probed by the radar lies at approximately 54° geomagnetic latitude, under the midlatitude trough and at the extreme northern edge of the zone whereE_slayers are prevalent. Nonetheless, the irregularities exhibit many of the characteristics of quasiperiodic echoes observed commonly at lower middle latitudes. These include a tendency to occur in elongated bands stretching from the northwest to southeast in the Northern hemisphere separated by tens of kilometers and propagating to the southwest. In addition, the irregularities were found to exhibit finer‐scale structures with secondary bands oriented nearly normally to the primary bands. We investigate the proposition that the primary bands are telltale ofE_s‐layer structuring caused by neutral Kelvin Helmholtz (KH) instability in the lower thermosphere and that the secondary bands signify secondary KH instability. Results from a 3D numerical simulation of KH support this proposition. 

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5. Gradient drift instability and decameter ionospheric irregularities at the edge of polar holes

   Thaller, S; Hughes, J; Crowley, G; Noto, J; Blay, R; Wilson, J (May 2023, Ionospheric Effects Symposium)

   The polar and high latitude regions of the ionosphere are host to complex plasma processes involving Magnetosphere-Ionosphere (MI) coupling, plasma convection, and auroral dynamics. The magnetic field lines from the polar cusp down through the auroral region map out to the magnetosphere and project the footprint of the large-scale convective processes driven by the solar wind onto the ionosphere. This region is also a unique environment where the magnetic field is oriented nearly vertical, resulting in horizontal drifts along closed, localized, convection patterns, and where prolonged periods of darkness during the winter result in the absence of significant photoionization. This set of conditions results in unique ionospheric structures which can set the stage for the generation of the gradient drift instability (GDI). The GDI occurs when the density gradient and ExB plasma drift are in the same direction. The GDI is a source of structuring at density gradients and may give rise to ionospheric irregularities that impact over-the-horizon radars and GPS signals. While the plasma ExB drifts are supplied by magnetospheric convection and MI coupling, sharp density gradients in the polar regions will be present at polar holes. Since the GDI occurs where the density gradient and plasma drift are parallel, the ionospheric irregularities caused by the GDI should occur at the leading edge of the polar hole. If so, the resulting production of small-scale density irregularities may, if the density is high enough, give rise to scintillation of GNSS signals and backscatter on HF radars. In this study, we investigate whether these irregularities can occur at the edges of polar holes as detected by the HF radar scatter. We use the Ionospheric Data Assimilation 4-Dimentional (IDA4D) and Assimilative Mapping of Ionospheric Electrodynamics (AMIE) models to characterize the high latitude ionospheric density and ExB drift convective structures, respectively, for one of nine polar hole events identified using RISR-N incoherent scatter radar in Forsythe et al [2021]. The combined IDA4D and AMIE assimilative outputs indicate where the GDI could be triggered, e.g., locations where the density gradient and ExB drift velocity have parallel components and the growth rate is smaller than the characteristic time over which the convective pattern changes, in this case, ~1/15 min. The presence of decameter ionospheric plasma irregularities is detected using the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN). SuperDARN radars are HF coherent scatter radars. The presence of ionospheric radar returns in regions unstable to GDI grown strongly suggest the GDI is producing decameter scale plasma irregularities. The statistical analyses conducted in the above investigation do not show a clear pattern of enhanced scatter with larger computed GDI growth rates. Further investigation must be conducted before concluding that the GDI does not cause irregularities detectable with HF radar at polar holes. 

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