Skip to main content
Earth, Planets and Space
Download PDF

Volume 61 Supplement 4

Special Issue: Coupling Processes in the Equatorial Atmosphere (CPEA)

Equatorial GPS ionospheric scintillations over Kototabang, Indonesia and their relation to atmospheric waves from below

Earth, Planets and Space volume 61, pages 397–410 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Using Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, we have been conducting equatorial ionospheric scintillation observations at Kototabang, Indonesia since January 2003. Scintillations caused by equatorial plasma bubbles appear between 2000 and 0100 LT in equinoctial months with a seasonal asymmetry, and their activity decreases with decreasing solar activity. A comparison between scintillation index (S4) and Earth’s brightness temperature (Tbb) variations suggests that the scintillation activity can be related to tropospheric disturbances over the Indian Ocean to the west of Kototabang. To understand better the reasons of day-to-day variability of S4, we analyze S4, Tbband lower thermospheric neutral wind () data. The results show that S4 fluctuates with periods of about 2.5, 5, 8, 14 and 25 days, possibly due to atmospheric waves from below and that similar periods are also found in the Tbband variations. Using a general circulation model, we made numerical simulations to determine the behavior of neutral wind in the equatorial thermosphere. The results indicate the following: (1) 2- to 20-day waves dissipate rapidly above about an altitude of 125 km, and 0.5- to 3-hour waves become predominant above 100 km, (2) zonal winds above 200 km altitude are, on the whole, eastward during sunset-sunrise, (3) zonal wind patterns due to short-period (1–4 h) atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) above 120 km altitude change day by day, exhibit wavy structures with scale lengths of about 30–1000 km and, as a whole, move eastward at about 100−1 while changing patterns over time. These simulations suggest that the Rayleigh-Taylor instability responsible for plasma bubble generation can be seeded by AGWs with short periods of about 0.5–3 h, and that background conditions necessary for this instability are modulated by planetary-scale atmospheric waves propagating up to an altitude of about 120 km from below.

References

  • Abdu, M. A., Outstanding problems in the equatorial ionosphere-thermosphere electrodynamics relevant to spread F, J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phys., 63, 869–884, 2001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abdu, M. A., P. P. Batista, I. S. Batista, C. G. M. Brum, A. J. Carrasco, and B. W. Reinisch, Planetary wave oscillations in mesospheric winds, equatorial evening prereversal electric field and spread F, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L07107, doi:10.1029/2005GL024837, 2006a.

    Google Scholar 

  • Abdu, M. A., T. K. Ramkumar, I. S. Batista, C. G. M. Brum, H. Takahashi, B. W. Reinisch, and J. H. Sobral, Planetary wave signatures in the equatorial atmosphere-ionosphere system, and mesosphere-E- an F-region coupling, J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phys., 68, 509–522, 2006b.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basu, Su. and S. Basu, Equatorial scintillations: Advances since ISEA-6, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 47, 753–768, 1985.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basu, Su., S. Basu, J. P. MuClure, W. B. Hanson, and H. E. Whitney, High resolution topside in situ data of electron densities and VHF/GHz scintillations in the equatorial region, J. Geophys. Res., 88, 403–415, 1983.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basu, S., E. MacKenzie, and Su. Basu, Ionospheric constraints of VHF/UHF communications links during solar maximum and minimum periods, Radio Sci., 23, 363–378, 1988.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beach, T. L. and P. M. Kintner, Simultaneous Global Positioning System observations of equatorial scintillations and total electron content fluctuations, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 22,553–22,565, 1999.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burke, W. J., C. Y. Huang, L. C. Gentile, and L. Bauer, Seasonal-longitudinal variability of equatorial plasma bubbles, Ann. Geophys., 22, 3089–3098, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farley, D. T., E. Bonelli, B. G. Fejer, and M. F. Larsen, The prereversal of the zonal electric field in the equatorial ionosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 91, 13,723–13,728, 1986.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forbes, J. M., Planetary waves in the thermosphere-ionosphere system, J. Geomag. Geoelectr., 48, 91–98, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fukao, S., Y. Ozawa, T. Yokoyama, M. Yamamoto, and R. T. Tsunoda, First observations of the spatial structure of F region 3-m-scale field-aligned irregularities with Equatorial Atmosphere Radar in Indonesia, J. Geophys. Res., 109, A02304, doi:10.1029/2003JA010096, 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fukao, S., T. Yokoyama, T. Tayama, M. Yamamoto, T. Maruyama, and S. Saito, Eastward traverse of equatorial plasma plumes observed with the Equatorial Atmosphere Radar in Indonesia, Ann. Geophys., 24, 1411–1418, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gentile, L. C., W. J. Burke, and F. J. Rich, A global climatology for equatorial plasma bubbles in the topside ionosphere, Ann. Geophys., 24, 163–172, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hocke, K. and T. Tsuda, Gravity waves and ionospheric irregularities over tropical convection zones observed by GPS/MET radio occultation, Geophys. Res. Lett., 28, 2815–2818, 2001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hysell, D. L. and E. Kudeki, Collisional shear instability in the equatorial F region ionosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 109, A11301, doi:10. 1029/2004JA010636, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hysell, D. L., M. C. Kelley, W. E. Swartz, and R. F. Woodman, Seeding and layering of equatorial spread F by gravity waves, J. Geophys. Res., 95, 17,253–17,260, 1990.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hysell, D. L., J. Chun, and J. L. Chau, Bottom-type scattering layers and equatorial spread F, Ann. Geophys., 22, 4061–4069, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hysell, D. L., M. F. Larsen, C. M. Swenson, and T. F. Wheeler, Shear flow effects at the onset of equatorial spread F, J. Geophys. Res., 111, A11317, doi:10.1029/2006JA011963, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, M. C., M. F. Larsen, C. LaHoz, and J. P. McClure, Gravity wave initiation of equatorial spread F: A case study, J. Geophys. Res., 86, 9087–9100, 1981.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kudeki, E. and S. Bhattacharyya, Postsunset vortex in equatorial F-region plasma drifts and implications for bottomside spread-F, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 28,163–28,170, 1999.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laštovička, J., Forcing of the ionosphere by waves from below, J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phys., 68, 479–497, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, C. S., T. J. Immel, H. C. Yeh, S. B. Mende, and J. L. Burch, Simultaneous observations of equatorial plasma depletion by IMAGE and ROCSAT-1 satellites, J. Geophys. Res., 110, A06304, doi:10.1029/2004JA010774, 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maruyama, T. and N. Matuura, Longitudinal variability of annual changes in activity of equatorial spread F and plasma bubbles, J. Geophys. Res., 89, 10,903–10,912, 1984.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McClure, J. P., S. Singh, D. K. Bamgboye, F. S. Johnson, and H. Kil, Occurrence of equatorial F region irregularities: Evidence for tropospheric seeding, J. Geophys. Res., 103, 29,119–29,135, 1998.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miyoshi, Y., Temporal variation of nonmigrating diurnal tide and its relation with the moist convective activity, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L11815, doi:10.1029/2006GL026702, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miyoshi, Y. and H. Fujiwara, Excitation mechanism of intraseasonal oscillation in the equatorial mesosphere and lower thermosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 111, D14108, doi:10.1029/2005JD006993, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miyoshi, Y. and H. Fujiwara, Gravity waves in the thermosphere simulated by a general circulation model, J. Geophys. Res., 113, D01101, doi: 10.1029/2007JD008874, 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ogawa, T., E. Sagawa, Y. Otsuka, K. Shiokawa, T. J. Immel, S. B. Mende, and P. Wilkinson, Simultaneous ground- and satellite-based airglow observations of geomagnetic conjugate plasma bubbles in the equatorial anomaly, Earth Planets Space, 57, 385–392, 2005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ogawa, T., Y. Otsuka, K. Shiokawa, A. Saito, and M. Nishioka, Ionospheric disturbances over Indonesia and their possible association with atmospheric gravity waves from the troposphere, J. Meteor. Soc. Jpn., 84A, 327–342, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Otsuka, Y., K. Shiokawa, T. Ogawa, and P. Wilkinson, Geomagnetic conjugate observations of equatorial airglow depletions, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29(15), doi:10.1029/2002GL015347, 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  • Otsuka, Y., K. Shiokawa, T. Ogawa, T. Yokoyama, M. Yamamoto, and S. Fukao, Spatial relationship of equatorial plasma bubbles and field-aligned irregularities observed with an all-sky airglow imager and the Equatorial Atmosphere Radar, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L20802, doi:10.1029/2004GL020869, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Otsuka, Y., K. Shiokawa, and T. Ogawa, Equatorial ionospheric scintillations and zonal irregularity drifts observed with closely-spaced GPS receivers in Indonesia, J. Meteor. Soc. Jpn., 84A, 343–351, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prakash, S., Production of electric field perturbations by gravity wave winds in the E region suitable for initiating equatorial spread F, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 10,051–10,069, 1999.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Röttger, J., Travelling disturbances in the equatorial ionosphere and their association with penetrative cumulus convection, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 39, 987–998, 1977.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Röttger, J., Equatorial spread-F by electric fields and atmospheric gravity waves generated by thunderstorms, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 43, 453–462, 1981.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saito, S. and T. Maruyama, Large-scale longitudinal variation in ionospheric height and equatorial spread F occurrences observed by ionosondes, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L16109, doi:10.1029/2007GL030618, 2007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shiokawa, K., Y. Otsuka, T. Ogawa, and P. Wilkinson, Time evolution of high-altitude plasma bubbles imaged at geomagnetic conjugate points, Ann. Geophys., 22, 3137–3143, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shiokawa, K., Y. Otsuka, and T. Ogawa, Quasiperiodic southward moving waves in 630-nm airglow images in the equatorial thermosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 111, A06301, doi:10.1029/2005JA011406, 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, S., F. S. Johnson, and R. A. Power, Gravity wave seeding of equatorial plasma bubbles, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 7399–7410, 1997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sridharan, S., T. Tsuda, R. A. Vincent, T. Nakamura, and Effendy, A report on radar observations of 5–8-day waves in the equatorial MLT region, J. Meteor. Soc. Jpn., 84A, 295–304, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sultan, F. J., Linear theory and modeling of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability leading to the occurrence of equatorial spread F, J. Geophys. Res., 101, 26,875–26,891, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi, H., L. M. Lima, C. W. Wrasse, M. A. Abdu, I. S. Batista, D. Gobbi, R. A. Buriti, and P. P. Batista, Evidence on 2–4 day oscillations of the equatorial ionosphere h′F and mesospheric airglow emissions, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L12102, doi:10.1029/2004GL022318, 2005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi, H., C. W. Wrasse, D. Pancheva, M. A. Abdu, I. S. Batista, L. M. Lima, P. P. Batista, B. R. Clemesha, and K. Shiokawa, Signatures of 3–6 day planetary waves in the equatorial mesosphere and ionosphere, Ann. Geophys., 24, 3343–3350, 2006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi, H. et al., Signatures of ultra fast Kelvin waves in the equatorial middle atmosphere and ionosphere, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L11108, doi:10.1029/2007GL029612, 2007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsuda, T. and K. Hocke, Application of GPS radio occultation data for studies of atmospheric waves in the middle atmosphere and ionosphere, J. Meteor. Soc. Jpn., 82, 419–426, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsuda, T., M. Nishida, C. Rocken, and R. H. Ware, A global morphology of gravity wave activity in the stratosphere revealed by the GPS occultation data (GPS/MET), J. Geophys. Res., 105, 7257–7273, 2000.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsunoda, R. T., On the enigma of day-to-day variability in the equatorial spread F, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L08103, doi:10.1029/2005GL022512, 2005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vadas, S. L., Horizontal and vertical propagation and dissipation of gravity waves in the thermosphere from lower atmospheric and thermospheric sources, J. Geophys. Res., 112, A06305, doi:10.1029/2006JA011845, 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vadas, S. L. and D. C. Fritts, Thermospheric responses to gravity waves arising from mesoscale convective complexes, J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phys., 66, 781–804, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vadas, S. L. and D. C. Fritts, Influence of solar variability on gravity wave structure and dissipation in the thermosphere from tropospheric convection, J. Geophys. Res., 111, A10S12, doi:10.1029/2005JA011510, 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodman, R. F. and C. LaHoz, Radar observations of F region equatorial irregularities, J. Geophys. Res., 81, 5447–5466, 1976.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yokoyama, T., S. Fukao, and M. Yamamoto, Relationship of the onset of equatorial F region irregularities with the sunset terminator observed with the Equatorial Atmosphere Radar, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L24804, doi:10.1029/2004GL021529, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Tadahiko Ogawa

    Present address: National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8795, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory, Nagoya University, Toyokawa Aichi, 442-8507, Japan

    Tadahiko Ogawa, Yuichi Otsuka & Kazuo Shiokawa

  2. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8581, Japan

    Yasunobu Miyoshi

  3. Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan

    Takuji Nakamura

Authors
  1. Tadahiko Ogawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yasunobu Miyoshi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yuichi Otsuka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Takuji Nakamura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Kazuo Shiokawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Open Access  This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made.

The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder.

To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ogawa, T., Miyoshi, Y., Otsuka, Y. et al. Equatorial GPS ionospheric scintillations over Kototabang, Indonesia and their relation to atmospheric waves from below. Earth Planet Sp 61, 397–410 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03353157

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03353157

Key words