Tracking the formation and full evolution of polar cap ionization patches in the polar ionosphere, we directly observe the full Dungey convection cycle for southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions. This enables us to study how the Dungey cycle influences the patches' evolution. The patches were initially segmented from the dayside storm enhanced density plume at the equatorward edge of the cusp, by the expansion and contraction of the polar cap boundary due to pulsed dayside magnetopause reconnection, as indicated by in situ Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) observations. Convection led to the patches entering the polar cap and being transported antisunward, while being continuously monitored by the globally distributed arrays of GPS receivers and Super Dual Auroral Radar Network radars. Changes in convection over time resulted in the patches following a range of trajectories, each of which differed somewhat from the classical twin‐cell convection streamlines. Pulsed nightside reconnection, occurring as part of the magnetospheric substorm cycle, modulated the exit of the patches from the polar cap, as confirmed by coordinated observations of the magnetometer at Tromsø and European Incoherent Scatter Tromsø UHF radar. After exiting the polar cap, the patches broke up into a number of plasma blobs and returned sunward in the auroral return flow of the dawn and/or dusk convection cell. The full circulation time was about 3 h.

HI is involved in the pathogenesis of vulvar LS.

A method named total electron content (TEC) keogram is introduced for surveying the large-scale irregularities continuously in the polar ionosphere. The TEC keogram is developed from a movie of TEC maps along various meridian lines from the dayside to the nightside across the magnetic pole, trying to identify and track several types of ionospheric structures. Through two examples, a clear train of polar cap patches are identified from TEC keogram and confirmed by SuperDARN radar observations. The motion speed of these patches estimated from this tool agrees with SuperDARN radar measurements. Then, the motions of patches relative to the background convection through the whole polar cap are statistically studied for the first time. Moreover, the occurrence dependence of fully tracked patches on months, UT hours, and interplanetary magnetic field conditions is generally consistent with previous reports. These results suggest that the TEC keogram offers a power tool for continuous monitoring and studying of large-scale plasma irregularities in the polar ionosphere.

Investigations of the evolution of subauroral polarization streams (SAPS) are important to understand the plasma transport processes in the polar ionosphere. In this article, three cases of SAPS evolution are analyzed using the observations made by the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network mid‐latitude radar chain, Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imagers instrument and Active Magnetosphere and Planetary Electrodynamics Response Experiment. The three cases occur in the main phase, beginning of recovery phase and end of recovery phase of three magnetic storms. The cases last from 1.5 to 2 h during 1800–0300 MLT (magnetic local time). The observations show that the SAPS velocity evolution is strongly controlled by the ring current injection during the storm main phase. The responses of SAPS velocity are prompt and appear first near the dusk side and then expand to the night side. Besides, the SAPS velocity has a good linear correlation (R = −0.85) with SYMH index during the evolution of the magnetic storm. The SAPS velocity also shows dependence on the AE index and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz. The correlations between SAPS velocity and AE/Bz increase with the decay of the magnetic storm. However, the effect of substorm/IMF on SAPS velocity is not strong compared to that of the magnetic storm.