Letter abstract
Nature Geoscience 1, 101 - 105 (2008)
Published online: 27 January 2008 | doi:10.1038/ngeo109
Subject Category: Space physics
Lightning-induced plasma turbulence and ion heating in equatorial ionospheric depletions
Jean-Jacques Berthelier1, Michel Malingre1, Robert Pfaff2, Elena Seran1, Raymond Pottelette1, John Jasperse3, Jean-Pierre Lebreton4 & Michel Parrot5
A wide range of plasma instabilities exist in various regions of the terrestrial ionosphere, leading to the development of plasma turbulence, in particular close to the lower-hybrid frequency—the frequency of a longitudinal oscillation of ions and electrons in a magnetized plasma that must be near perpendicular to the magnetic field. Most observations have been carried out in the auroral regions, where intense lower-hybrid emissions are frequently observed, possibly producing solitary structures1 and ion heating2, 3, 4. Lower-hybrid turbulence with a smaller intensity has also been observed at mid- and low latitudes above thunderstorms5, 6 and was shown to be triggered by the electromagnetic whistler wave generated by the lightning current. Here we present observations of equatorial plasma waves that demonstrate the existence of lower-hybrid solitary structures and the simultaneous occurrence of ion heating in deep, large-scale equatorial plasma depletions that form at night during disturbed geomagnetic conditions. These phenomena follow the development of lower-hybrid turbulence triggered by lightning-induced whistlers, revealing a new coupling process between the troposphere and the ionosphere. Since the energy source of the equatorial solitary structures is different from that involved in the auroral processes, our findings support the idea that the formation of lower-hybrid solitary structures may be a universal mechanism operating in inhomogeneous, magnetized plasma and possibly leading to ion heating and acceleration.
- CETP/IPSL, 4 avenue de Neptune, 94100 Saint-Maur, France
- GSFC/NASA, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
- AFRL, Hanscom AFB, Bedford, Massachusetts 01731, USA
- ESTEC/ESA, Keplerplaan, Noordwijk 2200 AG, The Netherlands
- LPCE, 3 avenue de la Recherche Scientifique, 45045, Orleans Cedex, France
Correspondence to: Jean-Jacques Berthelier1 e-mail: jean-jacques.berthelier@cetp.ipsl.fr
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