Abstract
Different wind models are used as input to the equivalent circuit model and their contributions to the ionospheric electric fields in the equatorial region are discussed. The dependencies of the electric field variations on altitude, season and solar activity are presented. The separate contributions of the southward and eastward components of the winds are derived and it is found that the global southward winds are the main contributors to the electric fields and currents in the equatorial ionosphere. It is confirmed that the prereversal enhancement of the eastward electric field is produced by the F region dynamo. The solar cycle variations in the strength of this enhancement seem to be controlled by the F region ion density. The tidal winds of Forbes and Gillette (1982 [A compendium of theoretical atmospheric tidal structure, part I, model description and explicit structure due to realistic thermal and gravitational excitation, AFGL-TR-82-0173(I)]) reproduce most features of the Jicamarca incoherent scatter experiment and of the AE-E and DE-2 satellite observations of the electric fields. The HWM90 empirical wind model failed to produce the observed electric field and it seems the semidiurnal wind is too strong in that model.
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