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Equatorial Ionospheric Drifts

Abstract

A NUMBER of authors1–3 have shown that near the magnetic equator ionospheric drifts occur, in both the E and F regions, which are mainly westwards by day and mainly eastwards by night. Results for F region drifts at Ibadan have been given by Skinner, Lyon and Wright1 for the International Geophysical Year (IGY) (1957–58). These show that for quiet days during equinox periods at sunspot maximum, the median velocity of drift reached a value of about 100 m/sec eastwards at midnight and a value of about 76 m/sec westwards at noon. The changes in direction occurred rather rapidly at about 0700 in the morning and at about 2000 in the evening.

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References

  1. Skinner, N. J., Lyon, A. J., and Wright, R. W., The Ionosphere, 301 (Institute of Physics and Physical Society, London, 1963).

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  2. Purslow, B. W., Nature, 181, 35 (1958)

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  3. Rao, A. S., and Rao, B. R., J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 26, 399 (1964).

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  4. Martyn, D. F., The Physics of the Ionosphere, 163 (Physical Society, London, 1955).

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  5. Osborne, D. G., and Skinner, N. J., J. Geophys. Res., 68, 2441 (1963).

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  6. Briggs, B. H., and Spencer, M., Physics of the Ionosphere, 123 (Physical Society, London, 1955).

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MORRISS, R., LYON, A. Equatorial Ionospheric Drifts. Nature 210, 617–618 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/210617b0

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