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Ann. Geophys., 24, 1311-1316, 2006
www.ann-geophys.net/24/1311/2006/
© European Geosciences Union 2006
F-region Pedersen conductivity deduced using the TIMED/GUVI limb retrievals
H. Kil, M. DeMajistre, L. J. Paxton, and Y. Zhang
Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
Abstract. As a proxy of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth rate for equatorial
plasma bubbles, we investigate the flux-tube integrated F-region
Pedersen conductivity (ΣPF) using the electron density profiles
(EDPs) provided by the Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) on board the
Thermosphere Ionosphere and Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED)
satellite. The investigation is conducted using the EDPs obtained in the
Atlantic sector at 19:00-22:00 LT during 4–17 August and 6-16 December 2002. The
seasonal difference of the strength and location of the equatorial ionization
anomalies (EIAs) induces a significant difference in the deduced
ΣPF. Much stronger EIAs are created at higher altitudes and
latitudes in December rather than in August. At 19:00–20:00 LT, the peak value of the
ΣPF has 23 mhos at 1100 km apex height during 14–16 December and
18mhos at 600 km during 15–17 August. The ΣPF decreases as
local time progresses. Therefore, ΣPF provides a preferred
condition for the growth of bubbles to higher altitudes at 19:00-20:00 LT than at
later hours, in December rather than in August in the Atlantic sector.
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