A linear theory of the convergent instability (CI) of ionospheric plasma associated with the nonuniform nature of its regular motion is examined. The conditions under which CI appears in the E- and F-layers for vertical ion motion caused by various physical factors are analyzed. The possibility of small-scale strongly geomagnetic-field-aligned nonuniformities of electron concentration (lmin ∼ 10–30 m) is demonstrated. The altitude dependence of collision frequency is shown to play a large role in CI.