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Ionospheric plasma dynamics and instability caused by upward currents above thunderstorms
Author(s) -
Kuo C. L.,
Lee L. C.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9402
pISSN - 2169-9380
DOI - 10.1002/2014ja020767
Subject(s) - ionosphere , thunderstorm , electric field , instability , plasma , lightning (connector) , physics , current (fluid) , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , geophysics , mechanics , power (physics) , quantum mechanics , thermodynamics
Thunderstorms are electric generators, which drive currents upwardly into the ionosphere. In this paper, we examine the effects of thunderstorm upward current on the ionosphere. We use a thunderstorm model to calculate the three‐dimensional current flows in the atmosphere and to simulate the upward current above the thunderstorm with the tripole‐charge structure. The upward current flows into the ionosphere, while the associated electric field causes the plasma E × B motion. The caused plasma motion redistributes the plasma density, leading to ionospheric density variations. In the nighttime ionosphere, the E × B motion may also cause the formation of plasma bubbles.