First Zonal Drift Velocity Measurement of Equatorial Plasma Bubbles (EPBs) From a Geostationary Orbit Using GOLD Data

Abstract

AbstractThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Global‐scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) satellite takes far‐ultraviolet images of the Earth from geostationary orbit. GOLD observes the complete structure of equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs). Since there are repeated observations of the same regions of the Earth, the zonal drift velocities of EPBs are derived using GOLD data. EPBs observed within 60–25°W longitudes on 27–29 November 2018 are considered in the present analysis. The drift velocities obtained on 27 November 2018 are 116 ± 4, 118 ± 6, and 105 ± 9 m/s at the North and South crests of equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) and the magnetic equator, respectively. While on 29 November the velocities 107 ± 10, 106 ± 8, and 110 ± 4 m/s are in agreement with the 27th (within the uncertainties), on 28 November the velocities are substantially lower: 80 ± 3, 95 ± 7, and 88 ± 11 m/s. This is the first simultaneous measurement of EPB zonal drift velocities at both crests of EIA and the magnetic equator. On 27–29 November 2018, the average spacing between adjacent EPBs is found to be ~377, 526, and 442 km, respectively.