On nonstationarity and rippling of the quasiperpendicular zone of the Earth bow shock: Cluster observations

A new method for remote sensing of the quasiperpendicular part of the bow shock surface is presented. The method is based on analysis of high frequency electric field fluctuations corresponding to Langmuir, upshifted, and downshifted oscillations in the electron foreshock. Langmuir waves usually have maximum intensity at the upstream boundary of this region. All these waves are generated by energetic electrons accelerated by quasiperpendicular zone of the shock front. Nonstationary behavior of the shock, in particular due to rippling, should result in modulation of energetic electron fluxes, thereby giving rise to variations of Langmuir waves intensity. For upshifted and downshifted oscillations, the variations of both intensity and central frequency can be observed. For the present study, WHISPER measurements of electric field spectra obtained aboard Cluster spacecraft are used to choose 48 crossings of the electron foreshock boundary with dominating Langmuir waves and to perform for the first time a statistical analysis of nonstationary behavior of quasiperpendicular zone of the Earth's bow shock. Analysis of hidden periodicities in plasma wave energy reveals shock front nonstationarity in the frequency range 0.33 <I>f<sub>Bi</sub><f<f<sub>Bi</sub></I>, where <I>f<sub>Bi</sub></I> is the proton gyrofrequency upstream of the shock, and shows that the probability to observe such a nonstationarity increases with Mach number. The profiles observed aboard different spacecraft and the dominating frequencies of the periodicities are usually different. Hence nonstationarity and/or rippling seem to be rather irregular both in space and time rather than resembling a quasiregular wave propagating on the shock surface

Solar zenith angle dependencies of F1-layer, <i>Nm</i>F2 negative disturbance, and G-condition occurrence probabilities

International audienceExperimental data acquired by the Ionospheric Digital Database of the National Geophysical Data Center, Boulder, Colorado, from 1957 to 1990, are used to study the dependence of the G condition, F1-layer, and NmF2 negative disturbance occurrence probabilities on the solar zenith angle during summer, winter, spring, and autumn months in latitude range 1 (between - 10° and + 10° of the geomagnetic latitude, 8), in latitude range 2 (10° 30°), in latitude range 3 (30° 45°, 30° 45°), in latitude range 4 (45° 60°, 45° 60°), and in latitude range 5 (60° 90°), where j is the geographic latitude. Our calculations show that the G condition is more likely to occur during the first half of a day than during the second half of a day, at all latitudes during all seasons for the same value of the solar zenith angle. The F1-layer occurrence probability is larger in the first half of a day in comparison with that in the second half of a day for the same value of the solar zenith angle in latitude range 1 for all seasons, while the F1-layer occurrence probability is approximately the same for the same solar zenith angle before and after noon in latitude ranges 4 and 5. The F1-layer and G condition are more commonly formed near midday than close to post sunrise or pre-sunset. The chance that the day-time F1-layer and G condition will be formed is greater in summer than in winter at the given solar zenith angle in latitude ranges 2?5, while the F1-layer occurrence probability is greater in winter than in summer for any solar zenith angle in latitude range 1. The calculated occurrence probability of the NmF2 weak negative disturbances reaches its maximum and minimum values during daytime and night-time conditions, respectively, and the average night-time value of this probability is less than that by day for all seasons in all studied latitude regions. It is shown that the NmF2 normal, strong, and very strong negative disturbances are more frequent on average at night than by day in latitude ranges 1 and 2 for all seasons, reaching their maximum and minimum occurrence probability values at night and by day, respectively. This conclusion is also correct for all other studied latitude regions during winter months, except for the NmF2 normal and strong negative disturbances in latitude range 5. A difference in the dependence of the strong and very strong NmF2 negative disturbance percentage occurrences on the solar zenith angle is found between latitude ranges 1 and 2. Our results provide evidence that the daytime dependence of the G condition occurrence probability on the solar zenith angle is determined mainly by the dependence of the F1-layer occurrence probability on the solar zenith angle in the studied latitude regions for winter months, in latitude range 2 for all seasons, and in latitude ranges 4 and 5 for spring, summer, and autumn months. The solar zenith angle trend in the probability of the G condition occurrence in latitude range 3 arises in the main from the solar zenith angle trend in the F1-layer occurrence probability. The solar zenith angle trend in the probabilities of strong and very strong NmF2 negative disturbances counteracts the identified solar zenith angle trend in the probability of the G condition occurrence

G condition in the F2 region peak electron density: a statistical study

International audienceWe present a study of statistical relationships between the G condition, F1-layer and NmF2 negative disturbance occurrence probabilities and geomagnetic and solar activity indices Kp and F10.7, season, and geomagnetic latitude, busing experimental data acquired by the Ionospheric Digital Database of the National Geophysical Data Center, Boulder, Colorado from 1957 to 1990. It is shown that the dependence of the G condition occurrence probability, yG, on Kp is mainly determined by processes that control the behaviour of the F2 layer with Kp changes. We found that the relationship for log yG versus Kp is very close to the linear one. The G condition occurrence probability decreases from 0.55% to 0.17% as the value of F10.7 increases from low to middle values, reaches its minimum at the middle solar activity level of F10.7 = 144 ? 170, increasing from the minimum value of 0.17% to 0.49% when the F10.7 index increases from the middle solar activity level to F10.7 = 248 ? 274. Interhemispheric asymmetry is found for the G condition occurrence probability in the ionosphere, with a stronger enhancement seen in the magnetic latitude range close to the northern magnetic pole and a deep minimum of the G condition occurrence probability in the low magnetic latitude range from ? 30° to 30°. The measured magnetic latitude variation of the F1-layer occurrence probability is also asymmetrical relative to the geomagnetic equator. Our results provide additional evidence the F1-layer is more likely to be formed in summer than in winter. The Northern Hemisphere peak F1-layer occurrence probability is found to exceed that in the Southern Hemisphere. The G condition occurrence probability has maximum values of 0.91 and 0.75% in summer, and minimum values of 0.01 and 0.05% in winter for the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, respectively