A Study of the Topside Plasma Blob and Adjacent Bubble Near Sunrise in Low-Latitude Ionosphere During the Main Phase of August 2003 Storm

Ying Xiong,Lingsen Geng

doi:10.1109/access.2021.3079144

Ying Xiong, Lingsen Geng

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2021.3079144

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Abstract

In this paper, a plasma blob and an adjacent plasma bubble in low-latitude region at 245°E region near sunrise recorded by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F13 satellite around 840 km on 18 August 2003 were presented. On the previous local night, the blob and adjacent bubble at 265°E region were also detected by the first satellite of the Republic of China (ROCSAT-1) at about 600 km. Total Electron Content (TEC) derived from ground-global positioning system (GPS) measurements also showed both the evident enhancements and the decreases adjacent to the enhancements, at one low-latitude station near 265°E region. Based on the characteristics of the blob, we conclude that the blob and adjacent bubble near sunrise recorded by DMSP were the remnant of the blob and bubble formed on the previous night, which were detected by ROCSAT-1 satellite and ground-based TEC variations. The long duration of the blob and bubble during storm main phase may be related to the prompt penetration electric field.

Highlights

There are the occurrences of F-region irregularities at the nighttime in the equatorial and low-latitude ionosphere, manifesting as plasma density depletions and plasma density enhancements which referred as plasma bubbles and plasma blobs, respectively [1], [2]
It can be concluded that the blob and the adjacent bubble near sunrise observed by Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F13 would be the remnant of the blob and bubble occurred on the previous night, which were detected by ROCSAT-1 on local pre-midnight of 17 August
In this paper, a plasma blob and an adjacent plasma bubble in low-latitude region near sunrise detected by DMSP F13 during the main phase of 17-18 August 2003 storm were reported, and the source of the occurrence of the daytime blob and bubble was investigated from observations by Challenging Mini-satellite Payload (CHAMP), Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), ROCSAT-1, and global positioning system (GPS) Total Electron Content (TEC)

Summary

INTRODUCTION

There are the occurrences of F-region irregularities at the nighttime in the equatorial and low-latitude ionosphere, manifesting as plasma density depletions and plasma density enhancements which referred as plasma bubbles and plasma blobs, respectively [1], [2]. Geng: Study of the Topside Plasma Blob and Adjacent Bubble Near Sunrise in Low-Latitude Ionosphere detection of mid-latitude plasma depletion during daytime (magnetic latitudes: 25◦ ∼ 30◦) from the Swarm and Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites [14], which later has been confirmed to be related to the rocket exhaust [15]. The observations near 265◦E sector from the first satellite of the Republic of China (ROCSAT-1), GRACE and Challenging Mini-satellite Payload (CHAMP), and Total Electron Content (TEC) derived from one ground-based GPS station at Puerto Ayora, Ecuador (−0.743◦N, 269.69◦E; Magnetic latitude: 9.71◦N) are presented during the previous nighttime, to investigate the possible mechanism leading to the occurrence of the plasma blob and bubble near sunrise

INSTRUMENTS AND DATA

DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION