Statistical analysis of C/NOFS planar Langmuir probe data

E Costa,J O Ballenthin,P A Roddy

doi:10.5194/angeo-32-773-2014

E Costa, J O Ballenthin + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-32-773-2014

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Abstract

Abstract. The planar Langmuir probe (PLP) onboard the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite has been monitoring ionospheric plasma densities and their irregularities with high resolution almost seamlessly since May 2008. Considering the recent changes in status of the C/NOFS mission, it may be interesting to summarize some statistical results from these measurements. PLP data from 2 different years (1 October 2008–30 September 2009 and 1 January 2012–31 December 2012) were selected for analysis. The first data set corresponds to solar minimum conditions and the second one is as close to solar maximum conditions of solar cycle 24 as possible at the time of the analysis. The results from the analysis show how the values of the standard deviation of the ion density which are greater than specified thresholds are statistically distributed as functions of several combinations of the following geophysical parameters: (i) solar activity, (ii) altitude range, (iii) longitude sector, (iv) local time interval, (v) geomagnetic latitude interval, and (vi) season.

Highlights

The Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite was launched on 16 April 2008 into a low inclination (13◦), elliptical orbit
In continuation of the initial studies related to deep solar-minimum conditions, Huang et al (2011) investigated the generation and evolution of plasma bubbles and broad plasma depletions based on three different evenings of C/NOFS observations
The totals of 11 085 676 and 12 990 898 samples of Ni relative frequency x = k/n is approximately defined by resulted from the C/NOFS planar Langmuir probe (PLP) measurements during the evening hours of the www.ann-geophys.net/32/773/2014/

Summary

Introduction

The Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite was launched on 16 April 2008 into a low inclination (13◦), elliptical orbit (perigee and apogee approximately equal to 400 and 850 km, respectively). The detailed Introduction by Nishioka et al (2011) summarized these findings, with direct links to the original references They discussed apparently contradictory observations of plasma density irregularities and VHF scintillation activity at Ancon, Peru, with the additional support of simultaneous data from a groundbased GPS network, a digisonde, and the Jicamarca incoherent scatter radar. In continuation of the initial studies related to deep solar-minimum conditions, Huang et al (2011) investigated the generation and evolution of plasma bubbles and broad plasma depletions based on three different evenings of C/NOFS observations. They proposed a new mechanism through which a series of plasma bubbles are created in the evening sector by the Rayleigh–Taylor instability. The plasma bubbles are quenched through their fillings with newly produced particles generated by photoionization processes near dawn

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