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Atmospheric gravity waves generated in the high‐latitude ionosphere: A review
Author(s) -
Hunsucker Robert D.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
reviews of geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.087
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1944-9208
pISSN - 8755-1209
DOI - 10.1029/rg020i002p00293
Subject(s) - ionosphere , incoherent scatter , gravity wave , thermosphere , geophysics , atmospheric sciences , physics , f region , latitude , radar , gravitational wave , astronomy , telecommunications , computer science
A review of theoretical and observational results describing atmospheric gravity wave (AGW)/traveling ionospheric disturbance (TID) phenomena at high latitudes is presented. Some recent experimental studies of AGW's using the Chatanika incoherent scatter radar and other geophysical sensors are reported. Specifically, the following features are described in detail: (1) cause/effect relations between aurorally generated AGW's and TID's detected at mid‐latitudes, including probable ‘source signature’ identification, (2) AGW source phenomenology, particularly a semiquantitative assessment of the relative importance of Joule heating, Lorentz forces, intense particle precipitation, and other mechanisms in generating AGW's, and (3) detection of TID's in the auroral ionosphere. Several instances of F region electron density, temperature, and plasma periodicities accompanied by horizontal plasma velocities which were consistent with theoretical AGW/TID models are documented.