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Ionospheric signatures of acoustic waves generated by transient tropospheric forcing
Author(s) -
Zettergren M. D.,
Snively J. B.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2013gl058018
Subject(s) - ionosphere , thermosphere , gravity wave , geophysics , mesosphere , acoustic wave , geology , gravitational wave , troposphere , forcing (mathematics) , atmosphere (unit) , amplitude , atmospheric sciences , radar , physics , meteorology , acoustics , optics , stratosphere , telecommunications , astrophysics , computer science
Acoustic waves generated by tropospheric sources may attain significant amplitudes in the thermosphere and overlying ionosphere. Although they are weak precursors to gravity waves in the mesosphere below, acoustic waves may achieve temperature and vertical wind perturbations on the order of approximately tens of Kelvin and m/s throughout the E and F regions. Their perturbations to total electron content are predicted to be detectable by ground‐based radar and GPS receivers; they also drive field‐aligned currents that may be detectable in situ via magnetometers. Although transient and short lived, ionospheric signatures of acoustic waves may provide new and quantitative insight into the forcing of the upper atmosphere from below.