Plasma transport process in the equatorial/low-latitude ionosphere

• Published in: Advances in space research 2019-03, Vol.63 (5), p.1619-1633
• Main Authors: Adebesin, Babatunde Olufemi, Adekoya, Bolarinwa John, David, Timothy Wemimo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chapman scale height; Magnetic activities; NmF2; Transport term; Vertical plasma drift
• ISSN: 0273-1177; 1879-1948
• DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2018.11.013

•The transport term serves as a seeding mechanism for measuring low-latitude ionospheric irregularities.•F2 plasma distribution evolved from combined forces of electrodynamics action and thermospheric circulation.•Spatial and temporal variations in F2 plasma are latitudinally and seasonally dependent. The behaviour of the equatorial/low-latitude ionosphere and the transport processes during magnetic disturbed and quiet periods of a high solar activity year, 2014, in the American sector are investigated. Parameters used include vertical drift (Vz), transport term (W), NmF2, hmF2 and scale-height (H). The F2 plasma variations followed the diurnal local solar pattern, being higher at daytime. The sunset maximum and sunrise minimum peaks of hmF2 were directly opposite to the scale height (H) pattern. The plasma distribution was basically controlled by combined actions of the electrodynamic convection/thermospheric composition, which is geomagnetic activity dependent. The annual, semi-annual and winter-anomalies of the F2 parameters were higher at the dip equator in comparison with the low-latitude. The Vz pre-reversal peak magnitude coincided with hmF2 peak and the effects are more pronounced during geomagnetic disturbed conditions. The transport term pattern was similar to that of the scale height and it is suggested as a proxy parameter for quantifying low-latitude plasma irregularities and distribution of thermospheric composition.