Open AccessEquatorial Plasma Bubble Detection Using Vertical TEC From Altimetry Satellite
Author(s) -
Tang Long,
Chen Gefa
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
space weather
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.254
H-Index - 56
ISSN - 1542-7390
DOI - 10.1029/2022sw003142
Subject(s) - vtec , tec , geology , geodesy , crest , altimeter , latitude , satellite , anomaly (physics) , total electron content , scale (ratio) , satellite altimetry , geophysics , geography , ionosphere , cartography , astronomy , biochemistry , chemistry , physics , escherichia coli , quantum mechanics , condensed matter physics , gene
In this study, we detect the equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) using vertical total electron content (vTEC) from altimetry satellite for the first time. The Jason‐2 vTEC data during the high solar activity year of 2014 are employed to investigate the characteristics of EPB. The latitudinal and temporal variations of EPB are analyzed first and the results are consistent to those of previous reported studies, suggesting the observed EPB events are reliable. Furthermore, due to the features of vTEC, the zonal scale and vertical depth of EPB are also obtained: the zonal scale varies mainly with small scope of 0.5 ∼ 1.5° and seems to be independent of latitude, whereas the vertical depth is related to latitude with large value located in the crest region of the equatorial anomaly. The results show the altimetry satellite vTEC is feasible for EPB detection and can serve as a new tool for EPB monitoring.