Theories of high-latitude ionospheric irregularities: A review

Abstract : We present, in this paper, an overview of theories of naturally occurring high latitude E and F region ionospheric irregularities. (For a review of artificially-induced irregularities, e.g., from ionospheric 'heating' experiments, see Fejer 1979.) Emphasis is placed on recent results, particularly with regard to sources of high latitude irregularities. Physical mechanisms are stressed with extensive mathematical analysis avoided. Expertise in plasma physics has not been assumed. We summarize the recent and previous theoretical literature dealing with F region irregularities, and we concentrate on E region irregularity phenomena.

[1]  A. Volosevich,et al.  Generation of small-scale inhomogeneities in a turbulent plasma and radio auroras , 1974 .

[2]  B. Kadomtsev,et al.  Instability of the positive column in a magnetic field and the `anomalous' diffusion effect , 1960 .

[3]  R. Greenwald,et al.  Diffuse radar aurora: Spectral observations of non‐two‐stream irregularities , 1975 .

[4]  A. Rogister,et al.  two‐dimensional nonlinear processes associated with ‘type 1’ irregularities in the equatorial electrojet , 1975 .

[5]  Sidney L. Ossakow,et al.  Plasma cloud late time striation spectra , 1976 .

[6]  Michael C. Kelley,et al.  The effects of a conducting E layer on classical F region cross‐field plasma diffusion , 1982 .

[7]  J. St.‐Maurice,et al.  Estimates of plasma wave amplitudes in the turbulent high‐latitude E region using electron temperature measurements , 1982 .

[8]  Charles F. Kennel,et al.  Topside current instabilities , 1971 .

[9]  D. H. Clark,et al.  The global morphology of irregularities in the topside ionosphere, as measured by the total ion current probe on ESRO-4 , 1976 .

[10]  R. Sudan.  Nonlinear theory of type I irregularities in the equatorial electrojet , 1983 .

[11]  R. Greenwald,et al.  Radar observations of auroral electrojet currents , 1975 .

[12]  A. Simon.  Instability of a Partially Ionized Plasma in Crossed Electric and Magnetic Fields , 1963 .

[13]  W. Ecklund,et al.  VHF power spectra of the radar aurora , 1972 .

[14]  F. Primdahl,et al.  Backscatter from a postulated plasma instability in the polar cap ionosphere and the direct measurement of a horizontal E region current , 1974 .

[15]  R. Greenwald,et al.  A new look at radar auroral motions , 1975 .

[16]  J. Winningham,et al.  Top side ionospheric spread F and particle precipitation in the day side magnetospheric clefts , 1974 .

[17]  S. Basu.  Ogo 6 observations of small‐scale irregularity structures associated with subtrough density gradients , 1978 .

[18]  L. Linson,et al.  Formation of striations in ionospheric plasma clouds , 1970 .

[19]  Michael C. Kelley,et al.  The temperature gradient drift instability at the equatorward edge of the ionospheric plasma trough , 1976 .

[20]  S. Ossakow,et al.  Nonlinear evolution of convecting plasma enhancements in the auroral ionosphere: 2. Small scale irregularities , 1983 .

[21]  J. St.‐Maurice,et al.  Anomalous heating of the polar E region by unstable plasma waves - 2. Theory , 1981 .

[22]  J. Huba,et al.  Generation of lower hybrid waves by inhomogeneous electron streams , 1983 .

[23]  J. St.‐Maurice.  On a mechanism for the formation of VLF electrostatic emissions in the high latitude F-region , 1978 .

[24]  D. Moorcroft.  Dependence of radio aurora at 398 MHz on electron density and electric field , 1979 .

[25]  J. St.‐Maurice,et al.  Anomalous heating of the polar E region by unstable plasma waves 1. Observations , 1981 .

[26]  S. Ossakow,et al.  Current convective instability in the diffuse aurora , 1979 .

[27]  D. Moorcroft,et al.  Rapid scan Doppler velocity maps of the UHF diffuse radar aurora , 1978 .

[28]  J. Huba,et al.  Linear theory of the E×B instability with an inhomogeneous electric field , 1983 .

[29]  R. Tsunoda,et al.  on a crossed field two-stream plasma instability in the auroral plasma , 1975 .

[30]  R. Sagalyn,et al.  High-latitude irregularities in the top side ionosphere based on Isis 1 Thermal Ion Probe data , 1974 .

[31]  S. Ossakow,et al.  The current convective instability as applied to the auroral ionosphere , 1981 .

[32]  F. Mozer,et al.  Electric field and plasma density oscillations due to the high‐frequency Hall current two‐stream instability in the auroral E region , 1973 .

[33]  L. Harang,et al.  Scattered Reflections of Radio Waves from a Height of more than 1,000 km , 1938, Nature.

[34]  S. Ossakow,et al.  Nonlinear stabilization of the current convective instability in the diffuse aurora. Memorandum report , 1979 .

[35]  J. Huba,et al.  Influence of magnetic shear on the current convective instability in the diffuse aurora. Memorandum report , 1980 .

[36]  Tetsuya Sato.  STABILIZATION OF THE TWO-STREAM INSTABILITY IN THE EQUATORIAL ELECTROJET. , 1972 .

[37]  R. Greenwald.  Studies of Currents and Electric Fields in the Auroral Zone Ionosphere using Radar Auroral Backscatter , 1979 .

[38]  F. W. Perkins,et al.  Deformation and striation of plasma clouds in the ionosphere: 2. Numerical simulation of a nonlinear two‐dimensional model , 1973 .

[39]  M. Rosenbluth,et al.  Anomalous Diffusion Arising from Microinstabilities in a Plasma , 1962 .

[40]  D. T. Farley,et al.  Microinstabilities and the production of short-wavelength irregularities in the auroral F region , 1975 .

[41]  F. Primdahl,et al.  Farley instability in the polar cap E region , 1975 .

[42]  C. Hines.  INTERNAL ATMOSPHERIC GRAVITY WAVES AT IONOSPHERIC HEIGHTS , 1960 .

[43]  R. Schunk,et al.  Ion velocity distributions in the high-latitude ionosphere , 1979 .

[44]  F. Primdahl,et al.  Electrostatic Waves Observed in an Unstable Polar Cap Ionosphere , 1978 .

[45]  J. Huba,et al.  Influence of velocity shear on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Memorandum report , 1981 .

[46]  R. Greenwald.  Diffuse radar aurora and the gradient drift instability , 1974 .

[47]  F. Primdahl,et al.  Rocket‐borne wave, field, and plasma observations in unstable polar cap E‐region , 1976 .

[48]  D. T. Farley.  A plasma instability resulting in field‐aligned irregularities in the ionosphere , 1963 .

[49]  P. Weaver.  Backscatter echoes from field‐aligned irregularities in the F region , 1965 .

[50]  Tetsuya Sato,et al.  Self‐consistent studies of two‐dimensional large‐scale (∼100 m) electrojet irregularities , 1976 .

[51]  S. Ossakow,et al.  Nonlinear evolution of diffuse auroral f region ionospheric irregularities. Memorandum report , 1980 .

[52]  P. Dyson.  Direct measurements of the size and amplitude of irregularities in the topside ionosphere , 1969 .

[53]  J. Fejer.  Ionospheric instabilities and fine structure , 1979 .

[54]  G. L. Hower,et al.  Comparison of HF radar echoes and high‐latitude spread‐F measurements , 1966 .

[55]  C. Hanuise,et al.  Spectral studies of F region irregularities in the auroral zone , 1981 .

[56]  A. G. McNamara.  Double‐doppler radar investigations of aurora , 1955 .

[57]  C. Carlson,et al.  Observations of intense velocity shear and associated electrostatic waves near an auroral arc , 1977 .

[58]  T. Ogawa,et al.  Rocket observations of electron density irregularities in the Antarctic auroral E region , 1976 .

[59]  E. Myasnikov,et al.  The spectral form of small-scale plasma turbulence in the auroral ionosphere , 1981 .

[60]  E. J. Weber,et al.  Polar cap F‐layer auroras , 1981 .

[61]  Michael C. Kelley,et al.  On the origin and spatial extent of high-latitude F region irregularities , 1982 .

[62]  J. Weinstock,et al.  NONLINEAR THEORY OF MACROINSTABILITIES AND ENHANCED TRANSPORT IN PLASMAS. , 1971 .

[63]  Alan D. R. Phelps,et al.  Plasma density irregularities in the high-latitude top side ionosphere , 1976 .

[64]  Robert D. Hunsucker,et al.  Atmospheric gravity waves generated in the high‐latitude ionosphere: A review , 1982 .

[65]  C. Rino,et al.  The Anisotropy of High Latitude Nighttime F-Region Irregularities. , 1982 .

[66]  P. Chaturvedi.  Collisional ion cyclotron waves in the auroral ionosphere , 1976 .

[67]  Richard F. Post,et al.  ELECTROSTATIC INSTABILITIES IN FINITE MIRROR-CONFINED PLASMAS , 1966 .

[68]  P. Kintner,et al.  Evidence for two-dimensional inertial turbulence in a cosmic-scale low-beta plasma. [polar magnetosphere dynamics , 1978 .

[69]  D. T. Farley,et al.  GENERATION OF SMALL-SCALE IRREGULARITIES IN THE EQUATORIAL ELECTROJET. , 1973 .

[70]  K. Davies.  Review of recent progress in ionospheric predictions , 1981 .

[71]  R. Schunk,et al.  ION VELOCITY DISTRIBUTIONS IN THE AURORAL IONOSPHERE. , 1972 .

[72]  J. Weinstock,et al.  Nonlinear saturation of ‘type I’ irregularities in the equatorial electrojet , 1972 .

[73]  Y. Kamide,et al.  Relationship of radar aurora, visual aurora, and auroral electrojets in the evening sector , 1976 .

[74]  P. A. Forsyth,et al.  Ion-acoustic waves and aspect sensitivity in radio aurora , 1972 .

[75]  O. Buneman,et al.  EXCITATION OF FIELD ALIGNED SOUND WAVES BY ELECTRON STREAMS , 1963 .

[76]  J. Aarons,et al.  The scintillation boundary , 1969 .

[77]  M. Rees,et al.  Auroral ionization and excitation by incident energetic electrons , 1963 .

[78]  M. Rosenbluth,et al.  High‐Frequency Electrostatic Plasma Instability Inherent to ``Loss‐Cone'' Particle Distributions , 1965 .

[79]  N. D’angelo,et al.  Type II irregularities in the equatorial electrojet , 1970 .

[80]  R. Tsunoda,et al.  Evidence of East-West Structure in Large-Scale F-Region Plasma Enhancements in the Auroral Zone. , 1982 .

[81]  A. Rogister.  Nonlinear theory of cross‐field instability with application to the equatorial electrojet , 1972 .

[82]  D. Moorcroft.  Radio‐auroral aspect sensitivity and the two‐stream instability , 1972 .

[83]  C. Rino,et al.  A persistent subauroral scintillation enhancement observed in Alaska , 1977 .

[84]  N. D’angelo.  Type III spectra of the radar aurora , 1973 .

[85]  S. Ossakow,et al.  Nonlinear evolution of plasma enhancements in the auroral ionosphere 1. Long wavelength irregularities , 1981 .

[86]  A. Rogister.  Nonlinear theory of ‘type I’ irregularities in the equatorial electrojet , 1971 .

[87]  Charles L Rino,et al.  Chatanika/Triad observations of unstable ionization enhancements in the auroral F‐region , 1980 .

[88]  C. Rino,et al.  Evidence for sheet‐like auroral ionospheric irregularities , 1978 .

[89]  C. Rino,et al.  Simultaneous rocket probe, scintillation, and incoherent scatter radar observations of irregularities in the auroral zone ionosphere , 1980 .