Plasma bubble zonal drift characteristics observed by airglow images over Brazilian tropical region

Using airglow images observed at São João do Cariri (7.4ºS, 36.5ºW; dip angle: -11ºS) from September 2000 to April 2007, plasma bubblezonal drifts for ninety-seven geomagnetically quiet nights (Dst index higher than -30 nT) were calculated. The plasma bubble eastward averaged drifts presented an increase from 18:00 to 22:00 local time (LT), and followed by a deceleration. The plasma bubbles observed during high solar activity were faster after 22:00 LT. Eastward drifts observed during the summer, after 21:00 LT, were higher than drifts observed during the equinox months. Few nights had plasma bubble eastward drifts higher than 100 m/s and almost all bubbles disappeared after 02:00 LT. Averaged zonal drifts observed between -9.5 and -5.5ºS were almost constant, primarily,around 23:00 LT.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Paulino,Igo, Medeiros,Amauri Fragoso de, Buriti,Ricardo Arlen, Takahashi,Hisao, Sobral,José Humberto Andrade, Gobbi,Delano
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Sociedade Brasileira de Geofísica 2011
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-261X2011000200003
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