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First observational evidence of the modulation of the threshold height h'F c for the occurrence of equatorial spread F by neutral composition changes
Author(s) -
Madhav Haridas M. K.,
Manju G.,
Pant Tarun Kumar
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9402
pISSN - 2169-9380
DOI - 10.1002/jgra.50331
Subject(s) - thermosphere , longitude , ionosonde , zonal and meridional , atmospheric sciences , latitude , f region , ionosphere , altitude (triangle) , solar cycle , low latitude , climatology , physics , environmental science , geology , electron density , solar wind , mathematics , plasma , geophysics , astronomy , geometry , quantum mechanics
In the present study, the seasonal and solar activity variations of the threshold height for equatorial spread F occurrence irrespective of the polarity of the meridional winds during magnetically disturbed period are presented for the first time. The modulation of the seasonal pattern of the threshold height by the seasonal mean O/N 2 values is also examined. The Ionosonde data of magnetic equatorial location Trivandrum (8.5°N, 76.5°E) and low latitude station SHAR (13.7°N, 80.2°E) in the Indian longitude sector during equinoxes, winter, and summer seasons of 2002 to 2006 and the corresponding Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics/GUVI (Global Ultra Violet Imager) O/N 2 data are used for the study. The important findings that have emerged from this study are (i) the substantial increase of threshold height with magnetic activity for all the seasons and (ii) the modulation of h'F c by neutral density changes, irrespective of season, solar, or magnetic activity.