Radio‐tomographic images of postmidnight equatorial plasma depletions. Issue 1 (15th January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hei, Matthew A.; Bernhardt, Paul A.; Siefring, Carl L.; Wilkens, Matthew R.; Huba, Joseph D.; Krall, Jonathan F.; Valladares, Cesar E.; Heelis, Roderick A.; Hairston, Marc R.; Coley, W. Robin; Chau, Jorge L.; De La Jara, Cesar
• Is Part Of: Geophysical research letters. Volume 41:Issue 1(2014:Jan.)
• Page Start: 13
• Page End: 19
• Publication Date: 2014-01-15
• Subjects: Geophysics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Periodicals; Lunar geology -- Periodicals; 550
• DOI: 10.1002/2013GL056112
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-8276

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>[1] For the first time, equatorial plasma depletions (EPDs) have been imaged in the longitude‐altitude plane using radiotomography. High‐resolution (~10 km) reconstructions of electron density were derived from total electron content (TEC) measurements provided by a receiver array in Peru. TEC data were obtained from VHF/UHF signals transmitted by the Coherent Electromagnetic Radio Tomography (CERTO) beacon on the C/NOFS satellite. EPDs generated premidnight were observed near dawn. On one night, the bubble densities were highly reduced, 100–1000 km wide, and embedded within a layerlike ionosphere. Three nights later, the EPDs exhibited similar features but were embedded in a locally uplifted ionosphere. The C/NOFS in situ instruments detected a dawn depletion where the reconstruction showed lifted EPDs, implying that the postmidnight electric fields raised sections of ionosphere to altitudes where embedded/reactivated fossil EPDs were detected as dawn depletions. Satellites flying under domelike distortions of the ionosphere may observe these distortions as broad plasma decreases (BPDs).</p> </abstract>