New method for tracking the movement of ionospheric plasma

Benton, Christopher; Mitchell, Cathryn N.

doi:10.1029/2012ja017836

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…The technique was developed for studying tongues of ionisation, but not other phenomena. Another approach, using optical flow constrained by an ionospheric model, generates a velocity field for the whole image area from a time series of vTEC images (Benton and Mitchell, 2012). The methods discussed in this paragraph all attempt to determine plasma motion in general, not the motion of plasma patches as discrete entities.…”

Section: R Burston Et Al: Automated Identification and Tracking Of mentioning

confidence: 99%

Automated identification and tracking of polar-cap plasma patches at solar minimum

et al. 2014

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Abstract.A method of automatically identifying and tracking polar-cap plasma patches, utilising data inversion and feature-tracking methods, is presented. A well-established and widely used 4-D ionospheric imaging algorithm, the Multi-Instrument Data Assimilation System (MIDAS), inverts slant total electron content (TEC) data from groundbased Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers to produce images of the free electron distribution in the polar-cap ionosphere. These are integrated to form vertical TEC maps. A flexible feature-tracking algorithm, TRACK, previously used extensively in meteorological storm-tracking studies is used to identify and track maxima in the resulting 2-D data fields. Various criteria are used to discriminate between genuine patches and "false-positive" maxima such as the continuously moving day-side maximum, which results from the Earth's rotation rather than plasma motion. Results for a 12-month period at solar minimum, when extensive validation data are available, are presented. The method identifies 71 separate structures consistent with patch motion during this time. The limitations of solar minimum and the consequent small number of patches make climatological inferences difficult, but the feasibility of the method for patches larger than approximately 500 km in scale is demonstrated and a larger study incorporating other parts of the solar cycle is warranted. Possible further optimisation of discrimination criteria, particularly regarding the definition of a patch in terms of its plasma concentration enhancement over the surrounding background, may improve results.

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Section: R Burston Et Al: Automated Identification and Tracking Of mentioning

confidence: 99%

Automated identification and tracking of polar-cap plasma patches at solar minimum

et al. 2014

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“…Hosokawa et al, 2006) and Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers (e.g. Benton and Mitchell, 2012) can track ionospheric irregularities to estimate plasma drift velocity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating along-track plasma drift speed from electron density measurements by the three Swarm satellites

et al. 2015

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Abstract. Plasma convection in the high-latitude ionosphere provides important information about magnetosphereionosphere-thermosphere coupling. In this study we estimate the along-track component of plasma convection within and around the polar cap, using electron density profiles measured by the three Swarm satellites. The velocity values estimated from the two different satellite pairs agree with each other. In both hemispheres the estimated velocity is generally anti-sunward, especially for higher speeds. The obtained velocity is in qualitative agreement with Super Dual Auroral Radar Network data. Our method can supplement currently available instruments for ionospheric plasma velocity measurements, especially in cases where these traditional instruments suffer from their inherent limitations. Also, the method can be generalized to other satellite constellations carrying electron density probes.

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New method for tracking the movement of ionospheric plasma

Cited by 2 publications

References 42 publications

Automated identification and tracking of polar-cap plasma patches at solar minimum

Automated identification and tracking of polar-cap plasma patches at solar minimum

Estimating along-track plasma drift speed from electron density measurements by the three Swarm satellites

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