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Volume 61 Supplement 4

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

Relative effects of electric field and neutral wind on positive ionospheric storms

Earth, Planets and Space volume 61, pages 439–445 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

The paper studies the relative importance of penetrating eastward electric field (PEEF) and direct effects of equatorward neutral wind in leading to positive ionospheric storms at low-mid latitudes using observations and modeling. The observations show strong positive ionospheric storms in total electron content (TEC) and peak electron density (Nmax) at low-mid latitudes in Japan longitudes (≈125°E–145°E) during the first main phase (started at sunrise on 08 November) of a super double geomagnetic storm during 07–11 November 2004. The model results obtained using the Sheffield University Plasmashpere Ionosphere Model (SUPIM) show that the direct effects of storm-time equatorward neutral wind (that reduce poleward plasma flow and raise the ionosphere to high altitudes of reduced chemical loss) can be the main driver of positive ionospheric storms at low-mid latitudes except in Nmax around the equator. The equatorward wind without PEEF can also result in stronger positive ionospheric storms than with PEEF. Though PEEF on its own is unlikely to cause positive ionospheric storms, it can lead to positive ionospheric storms in the presence of an equatorward wind.

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Author notes

  1. N. Balan

    Present address: Department of Physics, University of Kerala, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Control and Systems Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK

    N. Balan & H. Alleyne

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

    Y. Otsuka

  3. Department of Physics, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, 695581, India

    D. Vijaya Lekshmi

  4. Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences, Utah State University, Utah, 84322-0500, USA

    B. G. Fejer

  5. Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, OX11 0QX, UK

    I. McCrea

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  3. Y. Otsuka
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  4. D. Vijaya Lekshmi
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  5. B. G. Fejer
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Balan, N., Alleyne, H., Otsuka, Y. et al. Relative effects of electric field and neutral wind on positive ionospheric storms. Earth Planet Sp 61, 439–445 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03353160

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03353160

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