Abstract. The nonlinear evolution of equatorial F-region plasma bubbles under varying ambient ionospheric conditions and gravity wave seeding perturbations in the bottomside F-layer is studied. To do so, the gravity wave propagation from the convective source region in the lower atmosphere to the thermosphere is simulated using a model of gravity wave propagation in a compressible atmosphere. The wind perturbation associated with this gravity wave is taken as a seeding perturbation in the bottomside F-region to excite collisional-interchange instability. A nonlinear model of collisional-interchange instability (CII) is implemented to study the influences of gravity wave seeding on plasma bubble formation and development. Based on observations during the SpreadFEx campaign, two events are selected for detailed studies. Results of these simulations suggest that gravity waves can play a key role in plasma bubble seeding, but that they are also neither necessary nor certain to do so. Large gravity wave perturbations can result in deep plasma bubbles when ionospheric conditions are not conducive by themselves; conversely weaker gravity wave perturbations can trigger significant bubble events when ionospheric conditions are more favorable. But weak gravity wave perturbations in less favorable environments cannot, by themselves, lead to strong plasma bubble responses.

In this paper, we report the evolution (generation, amplification, and dissipation) of optically observed mesoscale field-aligned irregularity structures (FAIs) (~150 km) associated with a medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbance (MSTID) event. There have not been observations of mesoscale FAIs of airglow before. The mesoscale FAIs were generated in an airglow-depleted front of southwestward propagating MSTIDs that were simultaneously observed by an all-sky imager, a GPS monitor, and a digisonde around Xinglong (40.4°N, 30.5°magnetic latitude), China, on 17/18 February 2012. A normalized cross-correlation method has been used to obtain the velocities of mesoscale FAIs and MSTIDs. The mesoscale FAIs had an obvious northwestward relative velocity to main-body MSTIDs (about 87.0 m/s on average). The direction of this relative velocity was roughly parallel to the depleted fronts. Furthermore, the evolution of the mesoscale FAIs was mostly controlled by the intensity of the depleted fronts. Occurred in a highly elevated ionosphere that had a total electron content depletion associated with large negative airglow perturbations (À25%), the mesoscale FAIs grew rapidly when they experienced southeastward wind, which had a speed of about 100 m/s and were measured by a Fabry-Perot interferometer. A northeastward polarization electric field within a depleted airglow front can play a controlling role in the development of the mesoscale FAIs. The electric field can significantly elevate the ionosphere and move the mesoscale FAIs northwestward by the E × B drift. The processes for the generation and development of the polarization electric field and the mesoscale FAIs, however, need further study. Hemisphere, a northwestward (NW) preferable propagation of nighttime MSTIDs was found [Candido et al., 2008;Pimenta et al., 2008;Amorim et al., 2011]. In the statistical analyses cited above, Kubota et al. [2011] recently showed that the SW propagating MSTIDs in Alaska are atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs), whereas SUN ET AL.FAIS OF AIRGLOW ASSOCIATED WITH MSTIDS 9839 PUBLICATIONS Key Points:• An evolution of medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) is presented • Mesoscale field-aligned irregularity structures (FAIs) (~150 km) of airglow are firstly presented • We first find the mesoscale FAIs had a northwestward relative velocity to main-body MSTIDs (2015), Mesoscale field-aligned irregularity structures (FAIs) of airglow associated with medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs), J. Geophys.

Abstract. A two-stage VS-30 Orion rocket was launched from the equatorial rocket launching station in Alcântara, Brazil, on 8 December 2012 soon after sunset (19:00 LT), carrying a Langmuir probe operating alternately in swept and constant bias modes. At the time of launch, ground equipment operated at equatorial stations showed rapid rise in the base of the F layer, indicating the pre-reversal enhancement of the F region vertical drift and creating ionospheric conditions favorable for the generation of plasma bubbles. Vertical profiles of electron density estimated from Langmuir probe data showed wave patterns and small-and mediumscale plasma irregularities in the valley region (100-300 km) during the rocket upleg and downleg. These irregularities resemble those detected by the very high frequency (VHF) radar installed at Jicamarca and so-called equatorial quasiperiodic echoes. We present evidence suggesting that these observations could be the first detection of this type of irregularity made by instruments onboard a rocket.

No abstract