5:15 PM - 6:30 PM
[PEM03-P14] Plasma Depletion Bays in the Equatorial Ionosphere Observed by TIMED and FORMOSAT3/COSMIC during 2007-2015
Keywords:FORMOSAT3/COSMIC, TIMED/GUVI, IONOSPHERE
depletion bays over the magnetic equator is for the first time found in airglow
emissions of 135.6 nm by TIMED/GUVI in May (January) of 2007. Electron density
profiles derived from FORMOSAT3/COSMIC are further used to study diurnal,
altitude, seasonal, longitudinal, and solar activity variations of the plasma depletion
bays. Results show that the plasma depletion bays become the most prominent at
250-300 km altitude around the midnight during the low solar activity year. The three
(one) bays appear between 60W-180E (80W-150W) during April-September,
especially May (October-March). Model simulations suggest that the trans-equatorial
neutral wind in the thermosphere should play an important role.