Hybrid simulations of coupled Farley-Buneman/gradient drift instabilities in the equatorial E region ionosphere

Abstract

Plasma irregularities in the equatorial E region ionosphere are classified as Type I or Type II, based on coherent radar spectra. Type I irregularities are attributed to the Farley-Buneman instability and Type II to the gradient drift instability that cascades to meter-scale irregularities detected by radars. This work presents the first kinetic simulations of coupled Farley-Buneman and gradient drift turbulence in the equatorial E region ionosphere for a range of zeroth-order vertical electric fields, using a new approach to solving the electrostatic potential equation. The simulation models a collisional quasi-neutral plasma with a warm, inertialess electron fluid and a distribution of NO+ ions. A 512 m wave with a maximum/minimum of ±0.25 of the background density perturbs the plasma. The density wave creates an electrostatic field that adds to the zeroth-order vertical and ambipolar fields, and drives Farley-Buneman turbulence even when these fields are below the instability threshold. Wave power spectra show that Type II irregularities develop in all simulation runs and that Type I irregularities with wavelengths of a few meters develop in the trough of the background wave in addition to Type II irregularities as the zeroth-order electric field magnitude increases. Linear fluid theory predicts the growth of Type II irregularities reasonably well, but it does not fully capture the simultaneous growth of Type I irregularities in the region of peak total electric field. The growth of localized Type I irregularities represents a parametric instability in which the electric field of the large-scale background wave drives pure Farley-Buneman turbulence. These results help explain observations of meter-scale irregularities advected by kilometer-scale waves.