Identification

Title

Ionospheric and thermospheric variations associated with prompt penetration electric fields

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive modeling investigation of ionospheric and thermospheric variations during a prompt penetration electric field (PPEF) event that took place on 9 November 2004, using the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Mesosphere Electrodynamic General Circulation Model (TIMEGCM). The simulation results reveal complex latitudinal and longitudinal/local-time variations in vertical ion drift in the middle- and low-latitude regions owing to the competing influences of electric fields and neutral winds. It is found that electric fields are the dominant driver of vertical ion drift at the magnetic equator; at midlatitudes, however, vertical ion drift driven by disturbance meridional winds exceeds that driven by electric fields. The temporal evolution of the UT-latitude electron density profile from the simulation depicts clearly a super-fountain effect caused by the PPEF, including the initial slow-rise of the equatorial F-layer peak height, the split of the F-layer peak density, and the subsequent downward diffusion of the density peaks along magnetic field lines. Correspondingly, low-latitude total electron content (TEC) becomes bifurcated around the magnetic equator. The O/N₂ column density ratio, on the other hand, shows very little variations during this PPEF event, excluding composition change as a potential mechanism for the TEC variations. By using realistic, time-dependent, high-latitude electric potential and auroral precipitation patterns to drive the TIMEGCM, the model is able to successfully reproduce the large vertical ion drift of ~120 m/s over the Jicamarca incoherent radar (IS) in Peru, which is the largest daytime ion drift ever recorded by the radar. The simulation results are validated with several key observations from IS radars, ground GPS-TEC network, and the TIMED-GUVI O/N₂ column density ratio. The model-data intercomparison also reveals some deficiencies in the TIMEGCM, particularly the limitations imposed by its upper boundary height as well as the prescribed O+ flux.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7r2124n

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

geoscientificInformation

Keywords

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keyword value

Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Geographic location

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East bounding longitude

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Temporal reference

Temporal extent

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End position

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2012-08-10T00:00:00Z

Frequency of update

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Conformity

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version of format

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Use constraints

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

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