Global‐Scale Observations of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly

Abstract The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Global‐scale Observations of the Limb and Disk ultraviolet spectrograph has been imaging the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA), regions of the ionosphere with enhanced electron density north and south of the magnetic equator, since October...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: R. W. Eastes, S. C. Solomon, R. E. Daniell, D. N. Anderson, A. G. Burns, S. L. England, C. R. Martinis, W. E. McClintock
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-08-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL084199
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850156293996675072
author R. W. Eastes
S. C. Solomon
R. E. Daniell
D. N. Anderson
A. G. Burns
S. L. England
C. R. Martinis
W. E. McClintock
author_facet R. W. Eastes
S. C. Solomon
R. E. Daniell
D. N. Anderson
A. G. Burns
S. L. England
C. R. Martinis
W. E. McClintock
author_sort R. W. Eastes
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Global‐scale Observations of the Limb and Disk ultraviolet spectrograph has been imaging the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA), regions of the ionosphere with enhanced electron density north and south of the magnetic equator, since October 2018. The initial 3 months of observations was during solar minimum conditions, and they included observations in December solstice of unanticipated variability and depleted regions. Depletions are seen on most nights, in contrast to expectations from previous space‐based observations. The variety of scales and morphologies also pose challenges to understanding of the EIA. Abrupt changes in the EIA location, which could be related to in situ measurements of large‐scale depletion regions, are observed on some nights. Such synoptic‐scale disruptions have not been previously identified.
format Article
id doaj-art-b754bdd251d143908cc6f00b5340b995
institution OA Journals
issn 0094-8276
1944-8007
language English
publishDate 2019-08-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-b754bdd251d143908cc6f00b5340b9952025-08-20T02:24:35ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072019-08-0146169318932610.1029/2019GL084199Global‐Scale Observations of the Equatorial Ionization AnomalyR. W. Eastes0S. C. Solomon1R. E. Daniell2D. N. Anderson3A. G. Burns4S. L. England5C. R. Martinis6W. E. McClintock7Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USAHigh Altitude Observatory National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder CO USAIonospheric Physics Stoughton MA USANOAA‐SEC and CIRES University of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USAHigh Altitude Observatory National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder CO USAAerospace and Ocean Engineering Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg VA USACenter for Space Physics Boston University Boston MA USALaboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USAAbstract The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Global‐scale Observations of the Limb and Disk ultraviolet spectrograph has been imaging the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA), regions of the ionosphere with enhanced electron density north and south of the magnetic equator, since October 2018. The initial 3 months of observations was during solar minimum conditions, and they included observations in December solstice of unanticipated variability and depleted regions. Depletions are seen on most nights, in contrast to expectations from previous space‐based observations. The variety of scales and morphologies also pose challenges to understanding of the EIA. Abrupt changes in the EIA location, which could be related to in situ measurements of large‐scale depletion regions, are observed on some nights. Such synoptic‐scale disruptions have not been previously identified.https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL084199equatorial ionosphereionospheric irregularitiesionospheric dynamicsionospheric stormsforecastingairglow and aurora
spellingShingle R. W. Eastes
S. C. Solomon
R. E. Daniell
D. N. Anderson
A. G. Burns
S. L. England
C. R. Martinis
W. E. McClintock
Global‐Scale Observations of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly
Geophysical Research Letters
equatorial ionosphere
ionospheric irregularities
ionospheric dynamics
ionospheric storms
forecasting
airglow and aurora
title Global‐Scale Observations of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly
title_full Global‐Scale Observations of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly
title_fullStr Global‐Scale Observations of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly
title_full_unstemmed Global‐Scale Observations of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly
title_short Global‐Scale Observations of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly
title_sort global scale observations of the equatorial ionization anomaly
topic equatorial ionosphere
ionospheric irregularities
ionospheric dynamics
ionospheric storms
forecasting
airglow and aurora
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL084199
work_keys_str_mv AT rweastes globalscaleobservationsoftheequatorialionizationanomaly
AT scsolomon globalscaleobservationsoftheequatorialionizationanomaly
AT redaniell globalscaleobservationsoftheequatorialionizationanomaly
AT dnanderson globalscaleobservationsoftheequatorialionizationanomaly
AT agburns globalscaleobservationsoftheequatorialionizationanomaly
AT slengland globalscaleobservationsoftheequatorialionizationanomaly
AT crmartinis globalscaleobservationsoftheequatorialionizationanomaly
AT wemcclintock globalscaleobservationsoftheequatorialionizationanomaly