Premium
Ionospheric turbulence: Interchange instabilities and chaotic fluid behavior
Author(s) -
Huba J. D.,
Hassam A. B.,
Schwartz I. B.,
Keskinen M. J.
Publication year - 1985
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/gl012i001p00065
Subject(s) - physics , instability , attractor , nonlinear system , turbulence , rayleigh–taylor instability , chaotic , convection , classical mechanics , mode coupling , mode (computer interface) , statistical physics , inertia , mechanics , mathematical analysis , mathematics , quantum mechanics , computer science , artificial intelligence , operating system
We develop a set of mode coupling equations which describe the nonlinear evolution of the Rayleigh‐Taylor and gradient drift instabilities which are relevant to the ionosphere. We show that for a three mode system, the nonlinear equations describing these instabilities correspond exactly to the Lorenz equations which approximately describe the Rayleigh‐Benard instability. It is shown that the three mode system can exhibit a strange attractor with chaotic behavior. Ion inertia plays a critical role in this phenomenon in that if it is neglected, as in the collisional limit, the three mode system does not exhibit chaos and a stable convection pattern results.