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Polar patches and the “tongue of ionization”
Author(s) -
Steele D. P.,
Cogger L. L.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
radio science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1944-799X
pISSN - 0048-6604
DOI - 10.1029/96rs00369
Subject(s) - ionosonde , physics , ionosphere , polar , ionogram , ionization , sky , interplanetary magnetic field , convection , f region , geology , geodesy , magnetic field , astrophysics , optics , plasma , geophysics , astronomy , solar wind , meteorology , electron density , ion , quantum mechanics
Optical images of [O I] 630.0‐nm emission from drifting F region polar patches acquired with a sensitive all‐sky imager have been analyzed to infer the ionospheric convection velocity over a period of 9 hours on December 8, 1993. The drift vectors agree well in both direction and magnitude with simultaneous measurements from a nearby digital ionosonde. The delay between interplanetary magnetic field B y changes measured at IMP 8 and changes in the convection direction at the pole is estimated. A montage of the optical emission from the patches observed over the period is presented to illustrate the range of optical patch shapes, sizes, and spacings observed.