An investigation of latitudinal transitions in the SuperDARN Doppler spectral width parameter at different magnetic local times
Latitudinal transitions from low to high Doppler spectral width in backscatter measured by the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) are now routinely used as proxies for the polar cap boundary (PCB) in the cusp-region ionosphere. In this paper we perform a statistical study of the nature...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2004-04-01
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| Series: | Annales Geophysicae |
| Online Access: | https://www.ann-geophys.net/22/1187/2004/angeo-22-1187-2004.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818110781303029760 |
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| author | G. Chisham M. P. Freeman |
| author_facet | G. Chisham M. P. Freeman |
| author_sort | G. Chisham |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Latitudinal transitions from low to high Doppler spectral width in backscatter measured by the Super
Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) are now routinely used as proxies for the polar cap boundary (PCB)
in the cusp-region ionosphere.
In this paper we perform a statistical study of the nature of similar spectral width transitions at other magnetic local
times (MLTs).
This analysis illustrates that these latitudinal spectral width transitions exist at all magnetic local times,
and that the latitude, gradient, and amplitude of the transitions vary systematically with MLT.
In particular, the probability of a transition occurring at any latitude, identified independently in each
MLT sector, is continuous with MLT from the cusp, through the morning sector, to the nightside.
This suggests that the transition represents the PCB, as this is known to be what it represents in the cusp region.
However, the picture in the afternoon sector (12:00-18:00 MLT) is more complex with no clearly preferred transition
latitudes.<br><br>
<b>Key words.</b> Ionosphere (ionosphere-magnetosphere interactions;
instruments and techniques). Magnetospheric
physics (magnetopause, cusp, and boundary layers.) |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T02:52:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7b2f719420f44b8ca0a258b672709c39 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0992-7689 1432-0576 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T02:52:36Z |
| publishDate | 2004-04-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annales Geophysicae |
| spelling | doaj.art-7b2f719420f44b8ca0a258b672709c392022-12-22T01:23:15ZengCopernicus PublicationsAnnales Geophysicae0992-76891432-05762004-04-01221187120210.5194/angeo-22-1187-2004An investigation of latitudinal transitions in the SuperDARN Doppler spectral width parameter at different magnetic local timesG. Chisham0M. P. Freeman1British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UKBritish Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UKLatitudinal transitions from low to high Doppler spectral width in backscatter measured by the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) are now routinely used as proxies for the polar cap boundary (PCB) in the cusp-region ionosphere. In this paper we perform a statistical study of the nature of similar spectral width transitions at other magnetic local times (MLTs). This analysis illustrates that these latitudinal spectral width transitions exist at all magnetic local times, and that the latitude, gradient, and amplitude of the transitions vary systematically with MLT. In particular, the probability of a transition occurring at any latitude, identified independently in each MLT sector, is continuous with MLT from the cusp, through the morning sector, to the nightside. This suggests that the transition represents the PCB, as this is known to be what it represents in the cusp region. However, the picture in the afternoon sector (12:00-18:00 MLT) is more complex with no clearly preferred transition latitudes.<br><br> <b>Key words.</b> Ionosphere (ionosphere-magnetosphere interactions; instruments and techniques). Magnetospheric physics (magnetopause, cusp, and boundary layers.)https://www.ann-geophys.net/22/1187/2004/angeo-22-1187-2004.pdf |
| spellingShingle | G. Chisham M. P. Freeman An investigation of latitudinal transitions in the SuperDARN Doppler spectral width parameter at different magnetic local times Annales Geophysicae |
| title | An investigation of latitudinal transitions in the SuperDARN Doppler spectral width parameter at different magnetic local times |
| title_full | An investigation of latitudinal transitions in the SuperDARN Doppler spectral width parameter at different magnetic local times |
| title_fullStr | An investigation of latitudinal transitions in the SuperDARN Doppler spectral width parameter at different magnetic local times |
| title_full_unstemmed | An investigation of latitudinal transitions in the SuperDARN Doppler spectral width parameter at different magnetic local times |
| title_short | An investigation of latitudinal transitions in the SuperDARN Doppler spectral width parameter at different magnetic local times |
| title_sort | investigation of latitudinal transitions in the superdarn doppler spectral width parameter at different magnetic local times |
| url | https://www.ann-geophys.net/22/1187/2004/angeo-22-1187-2004.pdf |
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