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Ionospheric Irregularities and Acoustic/Gravity Wave Activity Above Low‐Latitude Thunderstorms
Author(s) -
Lay Erin H.
Publication year - 2018
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 - 10.1002/2017gl076058
Subject(s) - ionosphere , thunderstorm , tec , atmospheric sciences , latitude , lightning (connector) , environmental science , magnitude (astronomy) , f region , diurnal temperature variation , daytime , geology , meteorology , physics , geophysics , geodesy , astrophysics , power (physics) , quantum mechanics
Ionospheric irregularities due to plasma bubbles, scintillation, and acoustic/gravity waves are studied in the low‐latitude ionosphere in relation to thunderstorm activity. Ionospheric total electron content (TEC) measurements from the Low Latitude Ionospheric Sensor Network and lightning measurements from the World‐Wide Lightning Location Network are compared during two summer months and two winter months in 2013. Large amplitude fluctuations in TEC are found to have a strongly peaked diurnal pattern in the late evening and nighttime summer ionosphere. The maximum magnitude and coverage area of these fluctuations increases as thunderstorm area increases. Summertime midamplitude fluctuations do not exhibit the same diurnal variation but do increase in magnitude and coverage area as thunderstorm area increases. Wintertime ionospheric fluctuations do not appear to be related to thunderstorm activity. These findings show that thunderstorms have an observable effect on magnitude and coverage area of ionospheric fluctuations.