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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 33, L15805, doi:10.1029/2006GL025820, 2006

Tomographic imaging of equatorial plasma bubbles

J. M. Comberiate

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA


F. Kamalabadi

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA


L. Paxton

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, USA


Abstract

Recently the Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) on-board the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) satellite has detected far ultraviolet (FUV) images of plasma depletions in the low-latitude and equatorial ionosphere. A model of GUVI observation geometry was developed to simulate radiance observations of a model ionosphere. We report on results in reconstructing multi-dimensional electron density profiles from GUVI brightness measurements through the use of statistical inversion techniques. These results enable the global observation and characterization of the structure of plasma bubbles and provide a means to quantify the level of depletion in the structures. Results are compared with corresponding JULIA observations for validation. The ability to globally image and characterize equatorial plasma bubbles provides a powerful tool for understanding this elusive space weather phenomenon.

Received 24 January 2006; accepted 22 June 2006; published 4 August 2006.

Index Terms: 2415 Ionosphere: Equatorial ionosphere; 2439 Ionosphere: Ionospheric irregularities; 6929 Radio Science: Ionospheric physics (1240, 2400); 6982 Radio Science: Tomography and imaging (7270, 8180); 6994 Radio Science: Instruments and techniques (1241).

Subscriber Access to Full Article (Nonsubscribers may purchase for $9.00, Includes print PDF, file size: 1014710 bytes)

Citation: Comberiate, J. M., F. Kamalabadi, and L. Paxton (2006), Tomographic imaging of equatorial plasma bubbles, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L15805, doi:10.1029/2006GL025820.