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Equatorial Plasma Bubble Zonal Drift Velocity Variations in Response to Season, Local Time, and Solar Activity across Southeast Asia
Author(s) -
Sarudin I.,
Hamid N. S. A.,
Abdullah M.,
Buhari S. M.,
Shiokawa K.,
Otsuka Y.,
Yatini C. Y.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9402
pISSN - 2169-9380
DOI - 10.1029/2019ja027521
Subject(s) - solstice , equinox , atmospheric sciences , solar maximum , sunset , environmental science , geodesy , geology , meteorology , climatology , geography , solar cycle , physics , plasma , latitude , astronomy , solar wind , quantum mechanics
This work investigated the zonal drift velocity, V E , of equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) which was calculated from the zonal keogram of the rate of total electron content index obtained using the Global Positioning System data from the Malaysia Real‐Time Kinematics GNSS Network over Southeast Asia across the period 2008 until 2013 (498 nights). In general, a long‐term study on the V E of EPBs and its dependence on the season, local time, and solar activity over Southeast Asia by using Global Positioning System multipoint receivers has never been conducted before. The case study showed that the V E estimated from Malaysia Real‐Time Kinematics GNSS Network was basically within a similar range to that of the 630‐nm airglow images obtained at Kototabang, Indonesia. Furthermore, the V E of EPBs was higher during high solar‐activity period, which was in line with past studies. The time range of the EPB V E peak is more accurately determined compared to previous studies. In high solar activity conditions, a peak of V E was observed at 2130 LT (equinox), 2200 LT (June solstice), and after 2300 LT (December solstice). After this peak, the EPB V E steadily decreased with time during the equinox and was varied throughout the night during June solstice. Moreover, it was found to differ with time from the evening to the postmidnight period during December solstice.