Identification

Title

Gravity wave and tidal influences on equatorial spread F based on observations during the Spread F Experiment (SpreadFEx)

Abstract

The Spread F Experiment, or SpreadFEx, was performed from September to November 2005 to define the potential role of neutral atmosphere dynamics, primarily gravity waves propagating upward from the lower atmosphere, in seeding equatorial spread F (ESF) and plasma bubbles extending to higher altitudes. A description of the SpreadFEx campaign motivations, goals, instrumentation, and structure, and an overview of the results presented in this special issue, are provided by Fritts et al. (2008a). The various analyses of neutral atmosphere and ionosphere dynamics and structure described in this special issue provide enticing evidence of gravity waves arising from deep convection in plasma bubble seeding at the bottomside F layer. Our purpose here is to employ these results to estimate gravity wave characteristics at the bottomside F layer, and to assess their possible contributions to optimal seeding conditions for ESF and plasma instability growth rates. We also assess expected tidal influences on the environment in which plasma bubble seeding occurs, given their apparent large wind and temperature amplitudes at these altitudes. We conclude 1) that gravity waves can achieve large amplitudes at the bottomside F layer, 2) that tidal winds likely control the orientations of the gravity waves that attain the highest altitudes and have the greatest effects, 3) that the favored gravity wave orientations enhance most or all of the parameters influencing plasma instability growth rates, and 4) that gravity wave and tidal structures acting together have an even greater potential impact on plasma instability growth rates and plasma bubble seeding.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7z038c6

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

geoscientificInformation

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

East bounding longitude

North bounding latitude

South bounding latitude

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

End position

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2008-10-21T00:00:00Z

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

Lineage

Conformity

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact