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The first coordinated ground‐ and space‐based optical observations of equatorial plasma bubbles
Author(s) -
Kelley Michael C.,
Makela Jonathan J.,
Paxton Larry J.,
Kamalabadi Farzad,
Comberiate Joseph M.,
Kil Hyosub
Publication year - 2003
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 - 10.1029/2003gl017301
Subject(s) - equator , ionosphere , geology , satellite , instability , rayleigh–taylor instability , geophysics , radar , electron density , physics , latitude , plasma , geodesy , astronomy , mechanics , telecommunications , quantum mechanics , computer science
We report on ionospheric optical emissions detected by the GUVI instrument on the TIMED satellite. As the satellite crosses the equatorial zone the bright Appleton Anomaly region is imaged. Often these bright zones are interrupted by regions slanted from west to east as the equator is approached forming a backwards ‘C’‐shape in the image. To explain this feature we use simultaneous ground‐based observations looking equatorward from Hawaii using the 777.4‐nm emission. We also compare these optical observations to inverted electron density maps, as well as to those made by radar and to numerical simulations of the Rayleigh‐Taylor instability. The characteristic shape is a result of a shear in the eastward plasma flow velocity, which peaks near the F peak at the equator and decreases both above and below that height. The ability to detect these unstable and usually turbulent ionospheric regions from orbit provides a powerful global remote sensing capability for an important space weather process.