Abstract
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH,
VOL. 114,
A12314,
19 PP., 2009
doi:10.1029/2008JA014022
A new aspect of ionospheric E region electron density morphology
A new aspect of ionospheric E region electron density morphology
Yen-Hsyang Chu
Institute of Space Science, National Central University, Chung-Li, Taiwan
Kong-Hong Wu
Institute of Space Science, National Central University, Chung-Li, Taiwan
Ching-Lun Su
Institute of Space Science, National Central University, Chung-Li, Taiwan
From global measurements of ionospheric electron density profiles made by the FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC satellites, the morphology
of E region electron density is investigated. Seasonal, latitudinal, and diurnal variations in daytime E region electron density are well described by the Chapman theory, and the E layer peak electron density NmE and its peak height hmE are governed by the solar zenith angle χ in accordance with relations NmE
$\propto$(cosχ)p and hmE
$\propto$ln(secχ), respectively. However, it is revealed that there are three geomagnetic latitude regions where striking enhancements of
the E region electron density occur. One of them is located at the geomagnetic equator with relatively narrow latitude extent of
about 6°–10°, and the other two with much wider latitude extent of about 10°–20° appear on both sides of the geomagnetic equator
in latitude regions ±20°–30°, respectively. The locations of these E region density enhancements are asymmetrical about the geomagnetic equator in solstice seasons, and they have a salient tendency
to shift toward (away from) the summer (winter) hemisphere. The off-equator E region electron density enhancements are closely connected with the bottomside of the F region equatorial anomaly crests, where the component of the electron density parallel to the magnetic field line is maximum.
It appears that the off-equator E region electron density enhancements are very likely the footprints of the F region equatorial anomaly crests. The morphologies of the exponent n and coefficient K in the power law relation between χ and foE (E region critical frequency) are also examined. There is a tendency for the n and K values to be larger in local winter than in local summer seasons in the latitudinal regions the same as the off-equator electron
density enhancements. In addition, it is found that a minor peak in the K values is nearly continuously present in all seasons over the geomagnetic equator. A comparison shows significant discrepancies
in the E region electron density morphologies between COSMIC measurement and IRI model prediction. Furthermore, compelling evidence
is provided to show the presences of longitudinal wave number 3 and 4 structures of the electron density in the height region
100–200 km, which are in coincident with the longitudinal structures of equatorial electrojet. It is believed that these longitudinal
3- and 4-peak structures are very likely associated with nonmigrating diurnal tides propagating eastward in ionospheric E region.
Received 26
December
2008;
accepted 10
August
2009;
published 22
December
2009.
Citation: Chu, Y.-H., K.-H. Wu, and C.-L. Su
(2009),
A new aspect of ionospheric E region electron density morphology,
J. Geophys. Res.,
114,
A12314,
doi:10.1029/2008JA014022.