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Abstract Using NASA's Global‐scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) imager, we report nightside ionospheric changes during the G5 super geomagnetic storm of 10 and 11 May 2024. Specifically, the nightside southern crest of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) was observed to merge with the aurora near the southern tip of South America. During the storm, the EIA southern crest was seen moving poleward as fast as 450 m/s. Furthermore, the aurora extended to mid‐latitudes reaching the southern tips of Africa and South America. The poleward shift of the equatorial ionospheric structure and equatorward motion of the aurora means there was no mid‐latitude ionosphere in this region. These observations offer unique insights into the ionospheric response to extreme geomagnetic disturbances, highlighting the complex interplay between solar activity and Earth's upper atmosphere.more » « less
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Abstract A coronal mass ejection erupted from the Sun on 21 April 2023 and created a G4 geomagnetic storm on 23 April. NASA's global‐scale observations of the limb and disk (GOLD) imager observed bright equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) crests at ∼25° Mlat, ∼11° poleward from their average locations, computed by averaging the EIA crests during the previous geomagnetic quiet days (18–22 April) between ∼15°W and 5°W Glon. ReversedC‐shape equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) were observed reaching ∼±36° Mlat (∼40°N and ∼30°S Glat) with apex altitudes ∼4,000 km and large westward tilts of ∼52°. Using GOLD's observations EPBs zonal motions are derived. It is observed that the EPBs zonal velocities are eastward near the equator and westward at mid‐latitudes. Model‐predicted prompt penetration electric fields indicate that they may have affected the postsunset pre‐reversal enhancement at equatorial latitudes. Zonal ion drifts from a defense meteorological satellite program satellite suggest that westward neutral winds and perturbed westward ion drifts over mid‐latitudes contributed to the observed latitudinal shear in zonal drifts.more » « less
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Abstract. In March 2014 an all-sky imager (ASI) was installed at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory (11.95°S, 76.87°W; 0.3°S MLAT). We present results of equatorial spread F (ESF) characteristics observed at Jicamarca and at low latitudes. Optical 6300 and 7774Å airglow observations from the Jicamarca ASI are compared with other collocated instruments and with ASIs at El Leoncito, Argentina (31.8°S, 69.3°W; 19.8°S MLAT), and Villa de Leyva, Colombia (5.6°N, 73.52°W; 16.4°N MLAT). We use Jicamarca radar data, in incoherent and coherent modes, to obtain plasma parameters and detect echoes from irregularities. We find that ESF depletions tend to appear in groups with a group-to-group separation around 400–500km and within-group separation around 50–100km. We combine data from the three ASIs to investigate the conditions at Jicamarca that could lead to the development of high-altitude, or topside, plumes. We compare zonal winds, obtained from a Fabry–Pérot interferometer, with plasma drifts inferred from the zonal motion of plasma depletions. In addition to the ESF studies we also investigate the midnight temperature maximum and its effects at higher latitudes, visible as a brightness wave at El Leoncito. The ASI at Jicamarca along with collocated and low-latitude instruments provide a clear two-dimensional view of spatial and temporal evolution of ionospheric phenomena at equatorial and low latitudes that helps to explain the dynamics and evolution of equatorial ionospheric/thermospheric processes.more » « less
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