L. C. A. Resende

Competition between winds and electric fields in the formation of blanketing sporadic E layers at equatorial regions

In the present work, we analyze the competition between tidal winds and electric fields in the formation of blanketing sporadic E layers (Esb) over São Luís, Brazil (2° 31′ S, 44° 16′ W), a quasi-equatorial station. To investigate this competition, we have used an ionospheric E region model (MIRE) that is able to model the Esb layers taking into account the E region winds and electric fields. The model calculates the densities for the main molecular and metallic ions by solving the continuity and momentum equations for each of the species. Thus, the main purpose of this analysis is to verify the electric fields role in the occurrence or disruption of Esb layers through simulations. The first results of the simulations show that the Esb layer is usually present when only the tidal winds were considered. In addition, when the zonal component of the electric field is introduced in the simulation, the Esb layers do not show significant changes. However, the simulations show the disruption of the Esb layers when the vertical electric field is included. In this study, we present two specific cases in which Esb layers appear during some hours over São Luís. We can see that these layers appear when the vertical electric field was weak, which means that the tidal components were more effective during these hours. Therefore, the vertical component of the electric field is the main agent responsible for the Esb layer disruption.

E region electric field dependence of the solar activity

We have being studying the zonal and vertical E region electric field components inferred from the Doppler shifts of type 2 echoes (gradient drift irregularities) detected with the 50 MHz backscatter coherent radar set at Sao Luis, Brazil (SLZ, 2.3°S, 44.2°W) during the solar cycle 24. In this report we present the dependence of the vertical and zonal components of this electric field with the solar activity, based on the solar flux F10.7. For this study we consider the geomagnetically quiet days only (Kp ≤ 3+). A magnetic field-aligned-integrated conductivity model was developed for proving the conductivities, using the IRI-2007, the MISIS-2000, and the IGRF-11 models as input parameters for ionosphere, neutral atmosphere, and Earth magnetic field, respectively. The ion-neutron collision frequencies of all the species are combined through the momentum transfer collision frequency equation. The mean zonal component of the electric field, which normally ranged from 0.19 to 0.35 mV/m between the 8 and 18 h (LT) in the Brazilian sector, show a small dependency with the solar activity. Whereas the mean vertical component of the electric field, which normally ranges from 4.65 to 10.12 mV/m, highlights the more pronounced dependency of the solar flux.

Climatological study of the daytime occurrence of the 3-meter EEJ plasma irregularities over Jicamarca close to the solar minimum (2007 and 2008)

We have developed algorithms for conducting a seasonal statistical study of the occurrence of plasma irregularities in the Peruvian sector as a function of height and local time, covering two years of data (2007 and 2008) close to the solar minimum. This study was performed based on radar measurements carried out at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory (JRO), which is located in Lima–Peru (11.57°S, 76.52°W, dip: 2°N), under the magnetic equator. The statistical analysis runs over daily Range Time Intensity (RTI) maps obtained with the radar operating in the Jicamarca Unattended Long-term Investigations of the Ionosphere and Atmosphere (JULIA) mode. Our results revealed relevant features of the diurnal variation of the plasma irregularities embedded in the equatorial electrojet, such as: a more often occurring presence of the 3-m irregularities during equinox, and a descent of the scattering profile in the morning hours, followed by its ascent in the afternoon.

Equatorial sporadic E -layer abnormal density enhancement during the recovery phase of the December 2006 magnetic storm: A case study

Sporadic layers appear in the equatorial region (Esq) between 90 and 130 km mainly due to irregularities in the electrojet equatorial (EEJ) current. In the present work, we have analyzed the behavior of the frequency parameters associated with these sporadic layers, covering the days before, during, and subsequent to, the intense magnetic storm that occurred on December 14, 2006. The parameters used in our analyses are the top frequency (ftEs) and blanketing frequency (fbEs) of the Es layer as measured over São Luís, Brazil (2.33°S, 44.2°W, dip: −4.5°) by digital ionosonde. A tentative association between these parameters and X-ray data measured by sensors on board the GOES satellite was carried out. Also, we investigated the effects on the dynamics of the equatorial electrojet using magnetometer data related to the presence of these Es layers. Our analyses show that there are notable changes in the fbEs, which are characterized by the occurrence of peaks that exceed the ambient background values.

Equatorial E region electric fields at the dip equator: 1. Variabilities in eastern Brazil and Peru

The equatorial electrojet (EEJ) is an intense eastward ionospheric electric current centered at about 105 km of altitude along the dip equator, set up by the global neutral wind dynamo that generates the eastward zonal (Ey) and the daytime vertical (Ez) electric fields. The temporal variation of the EEJ is believed to be well understood. However, the longitudinal variability of the Ey and Ez between 100 and 110 km is still quite scarce. Due to their importance overall phenomenology of the equatorial ionosphere, we investigate the variabilities of the Ey and Ez inferred from measurements of the Doppler frequency of Type II echoes provided by coherent backscatter radars installed in locations close to the magnetic equator in the eastern Brazil (2.33°S, 44.20°W) and Peru (11.95°S, 76.87°W). This study is based on long-term (609 days for both systems) radar soundings collected from 2001 to 2010. The variabilities of the electric fields are studied in terms of the position of the soundings with respect to the dip equator and the magnetic declination angle. Among the results, Ey and Ez show longitudinal dependence, being higher in Peru than east Brazil. Under quiet geomagnetic activity, the mean diurnal variations of Ey ranged from 0.21 to 0.35 mV/m between 8 and 18 h (LT) in Brazil and from 0.23 mV/m to 0.45 mV/m in Peru, while the mean diurnal variations of the Ez ranges from 7.09 to 8.80 mV/m in Brazil and from 9.00 to 11.18 mV/m in Peru.