Open AccessA THEORY OF MW-LATITUDE IONOSPHERIC IRREGULARITIES PRODUCED BY ATMO-SPHERIC GRAVITY WAVES
Author(s) -
Chao-Song Huang,
Jun Li,
M. C. Kelley
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
wuli xuebao
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.199
H-Index - 47
ISSN - 1000-3290
DOI - 10.7498/aps.43.1476
Subject(s) - ionosphere , physics , instability , gravity wave , amplitude , gravitational wave , plasma , geophysics , latitude , atmospheric sciences , mechanics , astrophysics , optics , astronomy , quantum mechanics
Basic properties of large scale irregularities in the rnid-latitude ionospheric F region and their relationship with atmospheric gravity waves are studied. The temporal evolution of the plasma Perkins instability is analyzed. It is found that the instability saturates at a small amplitude. The coupling between the Perkins instability and gravity waves is discussed and it is shown that gravity waves can initiate the plasma instability in the mid-latitude F region. The plasma instability initiated by gravity waves can evolve into steady-state perturbations, large amplitude wave-like structures, and spatially and temporally modulated irregularities. The theory indicates the production mechanism of the large scale irregularities in the mid-latitude ionosphere.