The gradient instability in bounded ionospheric layers

Whitehead, J. D.

doi:10.1016/0021-9169(70)90058-9

Cited by 13 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…drifting in 'from infinity. ' Whitehead [1970] has derived •he appropriate equations for a bounded layer. In some circumstances, while perturbations do not grow, they nevertheless fail to die away at the rate one would expect oerom diffusion.…”

Section: Instability Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Production and prediction of sporadic E

Whitehead¹

1970

Reviews of Geophysics

232

118

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This is a survey of the experimental observations and theories of formation of all types of sporadic E. The wind‐shear theory is most likely to explain temperate‐zone sporadic E. In the equatorial zone, VHF reflections are most probably due to the two‐stream plasma instability, though gradient instabilities may play a part in producing the irregularities that cause HF vertical‐incidence reflection. In the auroral zone, energetic particles dumped by any one of a variety of mechanisms cause ionization. This ionization has to be moved into thin layers of irregularities to cause auroral sporadic E and radio aurora reflections. Many recommendations are made to further the understanding of and the prediction of sporadic E for communication purposes.

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Section: Instability Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Production and prediction of sporadic E

Whitehead¹

1970

Reviews of Geophysics

232

118

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“…In the real ionosphere, irregularities are limited in length by the existence of a suitable gradient only over a finite height range. Whitehead's [1970] paper in which only stable solutions were obtained for a bounded ionosphere can be interpreted as meaning that the effect of the finite height range is to stabilize what would otherwise be an unstable plasma.…”

Section: Co • 4000mentioning

confidence: 99%

The partially aligned gradient instability in the ionosphere

Whitehead

1976

J. Geophys. Res.

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Ionization irregularities which are almost but not exactly aligned along the magnetic field may grow much more rapidly than purely aligned irregularities in the presence of a background gradient of ionization and current flow. The stability of these irregularities is considered, taking into account the finite thickness of the gradient and shear in the ion motion. It is shown in particular that the normal E region of the ionosphere is usually stable, whereas sporadic E is often unstable, and this may limit the compression of metallic ions to form such layers. The F region may sometimes be unstable. Temperate zone conditions are considered throughout.

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“…On the other hand, Whitehead [1970Whitehead [ , 1971 has argued against the occurrence of the cross-field instability in temperate latitude ionospheric E layers. This ionospheric instability was studied by Tsuda et al [1966], Reid [1967], Whitehead [1967Whitehead [ , 1968 The temperate latitude ionosphere is horizontally stratified in density, while the geomagnetic field penetrates the layers obliquely; hence the medium is essentially three dimensional.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Three‐Dimensional Analysis of the Cross‐Field Instability in the Ionosphere

Sato¹,

Tsuda²

1972

Radio Science

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A three‐dimensional linear analysis is made of the cross‐field instability for a geometry in which the magnetic field lines make an arbitrary angle with the direction of density gradient. A general formula of the growth rate is obtained for a perturbation over whose scale the background quantities do not change appreciably. Applying the formula to the lower ionosphere, we find that the results of an earlier analysis [Tsuda et al., 1966] are recovered as a special case; that is, the present instability is a potential source of small‐scale irregularities in temperate latitude E region, as well as in the equatorial E region.

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The gradient instability in bounded ionospheric layers

Cited by 13 publications

References 8 publications

Production and prediction of sporadic E

Production and prediction of sporadic E

The partially aligned gradient instability in the ionosphere

Three‐Dimensional Analysis of the Cross‐Field Instability in the Ionosphere

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