Equatorial broad plasma depletions associated with the enhanced fountain effect

Abstract

Broad plasma depletions (BPDs), plasma depletions whose longitudinal width is over several hundred kilometers, have been detected in the equatorial F region by low-earth-orbit satellites during both magnetically quiet and magnetically disturbed periods. A few hypotheses were suggested to explain the creation of BPDs, but the underlying mechanism of this phenomenon is still under debate. We investigate the origin of BPDs by analyzing the simultaneous in situ and optical observations of the ionosphere on 30 May 2003 (Kp = 8+), 24 April 2012 (Kp = 7-), and 31 October 2012 (Kp = 0+). BPDs on 30 May 2003 were detected by the Republic of China Satellite-1 at an altitude of 600 km, and BPDs on the other days were detected by the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System satellite near an altitude of 400 km. Our results show that the detection of BPDs is closely associated with background ionospheric morphology; BPDs are detected on the days when the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) is intense and the crests of the EIA have moved poleward. Measurements of upward plasma motion support the existence of ionospheric uplift at BPD locations. These observations and the detection of BPDs near the magnetic equator lead to the interpretation that the satellite detection of BPDs during those 3 days is likely related to the uplift of the F peak height above the satellite orbits. Key Points Broad plasma depletions (BPDs) appear when the EIA is strengthened. BPDs are associated with the uplift of the F region. Bubbles are not a pre-requisite for BPDs. ©2013. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.