Nightside Neutral Density Disturbances Collocated With Equatorial Plasma Irregularities Above 450 km: GRACE and GRACE‐FO Observations in 2002–2022

Abstract We investigate the climatology of Neutral Density Disturbances (NDDs) collocated with Equatorial Plasma Irregularities (EPIs) at altitudes above 450 km by using 20 years of data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE‐FO satellites. Electron density data are used...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hosub Song, Jaeheung Park, Chao Xiong, Jose van den IJssel, Daehee Lee, Jaejin Lee, Yu Yi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-12-01
Series:Space Weather
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003851
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832575424729710592
author Hosub Song
Jaeheung Park
Chao Xiong
Jose van den IJssel
Daehee Lee
Jaejin Lee
Yu Yi
author_facet Hosub Song
Jaeheung Park
Chao Xiong
Jose van den IJssel
Daehee Lee
Jaejin Lee
Yu Yi
author_sort Hosub Song
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We investigate the climatology of Neutral Density Disturbances (NDDs) collocated with Equatorial Plasma Irregularities (EPIs) at altitudes above 450 km by using 20 years of data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE‐FO satellites. Electron density data are used to detect EPIs, and thermospheric neutral density measured onboard the same spacecraft serves to identify EPI‐related NDDs. A detailed analysis focused on the morphological similarity between electron and neutral densities. To examine the relationship between EPI and NDD, statistical dependences of EPIs and NDDs on season/longitude (S/L), Magnetic Latitude (MLAT), Magnetic Local Time (MLT), and solar activity have been checked. As a first step, we confirmed that the EPI climatology in GRACE satellite data is consistent with previous reports. Then, it is found that the lower the neutral density in the background upper thermosphere, the higher the probability that EPI can accompany NDDs. We suggest that the vertical plasma advection surrounding EPI can result in neutral density disturbance, of which the efficiency depends on the background neutral scale height or temperature. The colder the thermosphere, the shorter its vertical scale height (or the lower the background neutral density), which can make the plasma advection leave measurable imprints on the neutral density.
format Article
id doaj-art-7684bc5f8f4f44b38bc303efc453cf0c
institution Kabale University
issn 1542-7390
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Space Weather
spelling doaj-art-7684bc5f8f4f44b38bc303efc453cf0c2025-02-01T08:10:32ZengWileySpace Weather1542-73902024-12-012212n/an/a10.1029/2023SW003851Nightside Neutral Density Disturbances Collocated With Equatorial Plasma Irregularities Above 450 km: GRACE and GRACE‐FO Observations in 2002–2022Hosub Song0Jaeheung Park1Chao Xiong2Jose van den IJssel3Daehee Lee4Jaejin Lee5Yu Yi6Space Science Division Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) Daejeon South KoreaSpace Science Division Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) Daejeon South KoreaDepartment of Space Physics Electronic Information School Wuhan University Wuhan ChinaFaculty of Aerospace Engineering Delft University of Technology Delft The NetherlandsSpace Science Division Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) Daejeon South KoreaSpace Science Division Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) Daejeon South KoreaDepartment of Astronomy Space Science and Geology Chungnam National University (CNU) Daejeon South KoreaAbstract We investigate the climatology of Neutral Density Disturbances (NDDs) collocated with Equatorial Plasma Irregularities (EPIs) at altitudes above 450 km by using 20 years of data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE‐FO satellites. Electron density data are used to detect EPIs, and thermospheric neutral density measured onboard the same spacecraft serves to identify EPI‐related NDDs. A detailed analysis focused on the morphological similarity between electron and neutral densities. To examine the relationship between EPI and NDD, statistical dependences of EPIs and NDDs on season/longitude (S/L), Magnetic Latitude (MLAT), Magnetic Local Time (MLT), and solar activity have been checked. As a first step, we confirmed that the EPI climatology in GRACE satellite data is consistent with previous reports. Then, it is found that the lower the neutral density in the background upper thermosphere, the higher the probability that EPI can accompany NDDs. We suggest that the vertical plasma advection surrounding EPI can result in neutral density disturbance, of which the efficiency depends on the background neutral scale height or temperature. The colder the thermosphere, the shorter its vertical scale height (or the lower the background neutral density), which can make the plasma advection leave measurable imprints on the neutral density.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003851neutral density disturbancesequatorial plasma irregularitiesGRACE/GRACE‐FOadvectionelectron densityneutral scale heights
spellingShingle Hosub Song
Jaeheung Park
Chao Xiong
Jose van den IJssel
Daehee Lee
Jaejin Lee
Yu Yi
Nightside Neutral Density Disturbances Collocated With Equatorial Plasma Irregularities Above 450 km: GRACE and GRACE‐FO Observations in 2002–2022
Space Weather
neutral density disturbances
equatorial plasma irregularities
GRACE/GRACE‐FO
advection
electron density
neutral scale heights
title Nightside Neutral Density Disturbances Collocated With Equatorial Plasma Irregularities Above 450 km: GRACE and GRACE‐FO Observations in 2002–2022
title_full Nightside Neutral Density Disturbances Collocated With Equatorial Plasma Irregularities Above 450 km: GRACE and GRACE‐FO Observations in 2002–2022
title_fullStr Nightside Neutral Density Disturbances Collocated With Equatorial Plasma Irregularities Above 450 km: GRACE and GRACE‐FO Observations in 2002–2022
title_full_unstemmed Nightside Neutral Density Disturbances Collocated With Equatorial Plasma Irregularities Above 450 km: GRACE and GRACE‐FO Observations in 2002–2022
title_short Nightside Neutral Density Disturbances Collocated With Equatorial Plasma Irregularities Above 450 km: GRACE and GRACE‐FO Observations in 2002–2022
title_sort nightside neutral density disturbances collocated with equatorial plasma irregularities above 450 km grace and grace fo observations in 2002 2022
topic neutral density disturbances
equatorial plasma irregularities
GRACE/GRACE‐FO
advection
electron density
neutral scale heights
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003851
work_keys_str_mv AT hosubsong nightsideneutraldensitydisturbancescollocatedwithequatorialplasmairregularitiesabove450kmgraceandgracefoobservationsin20022022
AT jaeheungpark nightsideneutraldensitydisturbancescollocatedwithequatorialplasmairregularitiesabove450kmgraceandgracefoobservationsin20022022
AT chaoxiong nightsideneutraldensitydisturbancescollocatedwithequatorialplasmairregularitiesabove450kmgraceandgracefoobservationsin20022022
AT josevandenijssel nightsideneutraldensitydisturbancescollocatedwithequatorialplasmairregularitiesabove450kmgraceandgracefoobservationsin20022022
AT daeheelee nightsideneutraldensitydisturbancescollocatedwithequatorialplasmairregularitiesabove450kmgraceandgracefoobservationsin20022022
AT jaejinlee nightsideneutraldensitydisturbancescollocatedwithequatorialplasmairregularitiesabove450kmgraceandgracefoobservationsin20022022
AT yuyi nightsideneutraldensitydisturbancescollocatedwithequatorialplasmairregularitiesabove450kmgraceandgracefoobservationsin20022022