Equatorial Plasma Bubbles

An enduring challenge in characterizing ionospheric intermediate-scale irregularity structure is generating a three-dimensional model.  In-situ measurements provide one-dimensional scans, which must be reconciled with a higher dimensional model.  Physics-based three-dimensional realizations of the development of equatorial plasma bubbles have been used for some time, but until recent work by Tatsuhiro Yokoyama .  Tasuhiro has generously made his high-resolution simulations available for structure characterization.  The results are presented in a published paper.

The image below shows a perspective view of the three-dimensional structure at a late phase in the development.  The stochastic structure is confined to two-dimensional slice planes that intercept the field lines that terminate at low altitudes in opposite hemispheres.

Stochastic structure models typically assume an-isotropic structure in three dimensions.   However, at some point, the quasi-deterministic field-aligned structure structure become important, which will be addressed in a later blog.

The classification in the paper is confined to time and height dependence as measured in slice planes.  A graphic examples of the structure development is show in the movie.

About Chuck

Retired research engineer. Recently published book "The Theory of Scintillation with Applications in Remote Sensing," John Wiley IEEE Press, 201
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