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AGU: Journal of Geophysical Research, Space Physics

 
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Abstract

An Almost Two-Dimensional Approach to Type 2 Irregularities in the Equatorial Electrojet

J. M. Albert

Geophysics Directorate, Phillips Laboratory, Hanscom Field, Massachusetts

P. L. Similon

Applied Physics Department, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut

R. N. Sudan

Laboratory of Plasma Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

A recently developed theory of ‘almost two-dimensional’ turbulence (Albert et al., 1990) is applied to E×Bfluctuations in the E region equatorial electrojet. This theory of plasma turbulence in an external magnetic field extends strictly two-dimensional theory (e.g., Sudan and Keskinen, 1979) to include weak phase variations along the magnetic field. Based on the direct interaction approximation of Kraichnan (1959), it describes the tendency of spectral energy to transfer nonlinearly towards modes with high k despite strong linear damping of these modes. Here, we discuss application of this theory to the aspect angle k /k of fluctuations at 3-m scales, for which radar backscatter measurements have been made (Kudeki and Farley, 1989). Allowing for uncertainty in characterizing the plasma turbulence, we find good agreement except at the lowest altitudes of the electrojet.

Received 29 March 1991; accepted 6 June 1991; .

Citation: Albert, J. M., P. L. Similon, and R. N. Sudan (1991), An Almost Two-Dimensional Approach to Type 2 Irregularities in the Equatorial Electrojet, J. Geophys. Res., 96(A9), 16,015–16,020.

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