Anomalous variations in the structure of the ionospheric F 2 region at geomagnetic midlatitudes of the Southern and Northern hemispheres in going from summer to winter conditions at high solar activity

Abstract

The structure and dynamics of the ionosphere and plasmasphere at high solar activity under quiet geomagnetic conditions of June 2–3, 1979, and January 5–6, 1980, over Millstone Hill station and Argentine Islands ionosonde, the locations of which are approximately magnetically conjugate, have been theoretically calculated. The plasma drift velocity, determined by comparing the calculated and measured heights of the F2 layer maximum (hmF2), and the correction of [N2] and [O2], found in the NRLMSISE-00 model, make it possible to coordinate the electron densities (NmF2) calculated at the hmF2 height and the measured anomalous variations in NmF2 over the Argentine Islands ionosonde as well as the calculated and measured NmF2 and electron temperature at the hmF2 height over Millstone Hill station. It has been shown that, if the interference of the diffusion velocities of O+(4S) and H+ ions is taken into account, the additional heating of plasmaspheric electrons leads to an increase in the flux of O+(4S) ions from the topside ionosphere to lower F2 layer altitudes, as a result of which an anomalous nighttime increase in NmF2 6, observed on January 6, 1980, over Millstone Hill station, is mainly produced. The second component of the formation of anomalous night-time NmF2 is the plasma drift along the magnetic field caused by the neutral wind, which shifts O+(4S) ions to higher altitudes where the recombination rate of O+(4S) with N2 and O2 is lower and slows down a decrease in NmF2 in the course of time. It has been shown that the influence of electronically excited O+ ions and vibrationally excited N2 and O2 molecules on electron density (Ne) considerably differs under winter and summer conditions. This difference forms significant part of the winter anomaly in Ne at heights of the F2 region and topside ionosphere over Millstone Hill station.