Journal
SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS
Volume 168, Issue 1-4, Pages 419-440Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s11214-011-9816-6
Keywords
Ionospheric irregularities; Low-latitude ionosphere; Mid-latitude ionosphere; Rayleigh-Taylor instability; Perkins instability
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Funding
- National Science Foundation [ATM-09-40253]
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan [20684021]
- Directorate For Geosciences
- Div Atmospheric & Geospace Sciences [0940253] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
- Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research [22403011, 20244080, 20684021] Funding Source: KAKEN
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We present a review of the current state of understanding regarding two classes of irregularities causing mesoscale structuring (hundreds of kilometers) in the nighttime ionosphere at low- and mid-latitudes. Additionally, current state of understanding of equatorial plasma bubbles at low latitudes, and medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances at mid latitudes and their relationship to possible seeding from lower altitudes are described. In each case, well-developed linear theories exist to explain the general properties of the irregularities. However, these linear theories have growth rates too low to explain the actual observations, giving rise to the need to invoke seeding mechanisms. We describe the observational databases that have been compiled over the decades and discuss possible coupling and seeding mechanisms that would overcome the low growth rate and explain the observed structuring at the mesoscale. Future research directions are also briefly discussed.
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