Ionosphere Influenced From Lower-Lying Atmospheric Regions

Abstract

The ionosphere represents part of the upper atmosphere. Its variability is observed on a wide-scale temporal range from minutes, or even shorter, up to scales of the solar cycle and secular variations of solar energy input. Ionosphere behavior is predominantly determined by solar and geomagnetic forcing. However, the lower-lying atmospheric regions can contribute significantly to the resulting energy budget. The energy transfer between distant atmospheric parts happens due to atmospheric waves that propagate from their source region up to ionospheric heights. Experimental observations show the importance of the involvement of the lower atmosphere in ionospheric variability studies in order to accurately capture small-scale features of the upper atmosphere. In the Part I Coupling, we provide a brief overview of the influence of the lower atmosphere on the ionosphere and summarize the current knowledge. In the Part II Coupling Evidences Within Ionospheric Plasma—Experiments in Midlatitudes, we demonstrate experimental evidence from mid-latitudes, particularly those based on observations by instruments operated by the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences. The focus will mainly be on coupling by atmospheric waves.

Anomalous Responses of the F2 Layer Over the Brazilian Equatorial Sector During a Counter Electrojet Event: A Case Study

“…As mentioned by Koucká Knížová et al. (2021), the ionospheric variability can be observed at a wide‐scale temporal range that varies from minutes, or even shorter time scales, up to scales of the solar cycle and the secular variations of solar energy input. Although the general behavior of the ionosphere can be determined predominantly by the solar and geomagnetic forcings, the propagation of the lower atmospheric waves up to the ionosphere can contribute significantly to this variability.…”

Anomalous responses of the F 2 layer over the Brazilian equatorial sector during a counter electrojet event: a case study

“…The vertically propagating atmospheric waves have an important role in the coupling of the atmosphere-ionosphere system through wave saturation-dissipation processes since they carry energy and momentum, changing the background neutral wind and temperature (Vadas and Fritts, 2006;Yiğit and Medvedev, 2010) and consequently affecting the ionosphere (Vadas and Liu, 2009). As mentioned by Koucká Knížová et al (2021), the ionospheric variability can be observed at a wide-scale temporal range that varies from minutes, or even shorter time scales, up to scales of the solar cycle and the secular variations of solar energy input. Although the general behavior of the ionosphere can be determined predominantly by the solar and geomagnetic forcings, the propagation of the lower atmospheric waves up to the ionosphere can contribute significantly to this variability.…”

Ionospheric Disturbances Generated by the 2015 Calbuco Eruption: Comparison of GITM‐R Simulations and GNSS Observations

“…It is known that explosive events can generate acoustic‐gravity waves (AGWs) that propagate, by virtue of the atmosphere's density profile, to thermospheric heights and influence the ionosphere in a way detectable by dual frequency Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) (Calais et al., 1998; Cheng & Huang, 1992; Hines, 1960; C. Y. Huang et al., 2019; Klobuchar, 1985; Komjathy et al., 2012; Koucká Knížová et al., 2021). Kanamori et al.…”