Separating contributions to plasma vorticity in the high-latitude ionosphere from large-scale convection and meso-scale turbulence

Chisham, G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1151-5934; Freeman, M.P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8653-8279. 2023 Separating contributions to plasma vorticity in the high-latitude ionosphere from large-scale convection and meso-scale turbulence. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 128 (9), e2023JA031885. 13, pp. 10.1029/2023JA031885

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Abstract/Summary

Measurements of ionospheric flow vorticity can be used for studying ionospheric plasma transport processes, such as convection and turbulence, over a wide range of spatial scales. Here, we analyse probability density functions (PDFs) of ionospheric vorticity for selected regions of the northern hemisphere high-latitude ionosphere as measured by the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) over a six-year interval (2000-2005 inclusive). Subdividing these PDFs for opposite polarities of the By component of the prevailing Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) allows the separation into two distinct components: (1) A single-sided Weibull distribution which relates to the large-scale convection driven by magnetic reconnection; (2) A double-sided and symmetric q-exponential distribution which arises from meso-scale plasma flow related to processes such as turbulence.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1029/2023JA031885
Additional Keywords:	Ionospheric vorticity, Ionospheric convection, Ionospheric flow turbulence, SuperDARN
Date made live:	30 Aug 2023 16:49 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/535410

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