Long term studies of equatorial spread F using the JULIA radar at Jicamarca

Jicamarca unattended long term investigations of the ionosphere and atmosphere radar observations of equatorial spread F (ESF) plasma irregularities made between August 1996 and April 2000 are analyzed statistically. Interpretation of the data is simplified by adopting a taxonomy of echo types which distinguishes between bottom-type, bottomside, topside, and post-midnight irregularities. The data reveal patterns in the occurrence of ESF in the Peruvian sector that are functions of season, solar flux, and geomagnetic activity. We confirm earlier work by Fejer et al. (J. Geophys. Res. 104 (1999) 19,859) showing that the quiet-time climatology of the irregularities is strongly influenced by the climatology of the zonal ionospheric electric field. Under magnetically quiet conditions, increasing solar flux implies greater pre-reversal enhancement amplitudes and, consequently, irregularity appearances at earlier times, higher initial altitudes, and higher peak altitudes. Since the post-reversal westward background electric field also grows stronger with increasing solar flux, spread F events also decay earlier in solar maximum than in solar minimum. Variation in ESF occurrence during geomagnetically active periods is consistent with systematic variations in the electric field associated with the disturbance dynamo and prompt penetration described by Fejer and Scherliess (J. Geophys. Res. 102 (1997) 24,047) and Scherliess and Fejer (J. Geophys. Res. 102 (1997) 24,037). Quiet-time variability in the zonal electric field contributes significantly to variability in ESF occurrence. However, no correlation is found between the occurrence of strong ESF and the time history of the zonal electric field prior to sunset. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.