Multiscale equatorial electrojet turbulence for GNSS disruption physics

Abstract:

 

The spatial and spectral characteristics of the turbulent plasma density and electric fields are modeled in ionospheric E region using a new set of nonlinear plasma fluid equations. The fluid model combines both Farley-Buneman (Type-I) and Gradient-Drift (Type-II) plasma instabilities in the equatorial electrojet region. The unified model of the plasma instabilities includes the ion viscosity in the ion momentum equation and electron inertia in the electron momentum equation. Electron heating from the electrojet currents is included. Nonlinear simulations in 2D and 3D in massively parallel codes for the coupled equations are run on TACC and NERSC computers. Rising plumes and falling spikes of high-density plasma are ubiquitous as in earlier 2D simulations. 3D movies of structures like TIDs are shown. The simulation results show some agreement with a number of features of rocket and radar observations as reported in Hassan et al. JGR 2015.

At sunset, the strong electric fields driven both by neutral thermosphere winds and the dynamo electric field the turbulence are severe. The source field aligned currents [FACs] is the solar wind dynamo electric field. During periods of magnetospheric storms and substorms these plasma currents surge to large values producing ionospheric storms. The turbulent fluctuations in the ionosphere are intrinsic part of the dynamics of ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling. The plasma fluctuations are a source of multipath GNSS rays and loss-of-lock. Monitoring of ionosphere irregularities is used as a diagnostic tool for the state of the ionosphere for GNSS disruption and space weather issues. The theoretical/simulation model of ionospheric irregularities is based on advanced nonlinear plasma physics.