Magnetosphere coupling with equatorial ionosphere

• Grant number: 06/05006-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2007
• End date: December 31, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geophysics
• Principal Investigator: Jose Humberto Andrade Sobral
• Grantee: Vinícius Guimarães Monteiro
• Host Institution: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The research topic of this research project focalizes the coupling between the interplanetary medium and the equatorial ionosphere. This research topic is consequently within the wider field of study generally addressed by the space research community as “Space Weather”. The equatorial ionosphere is subject to considerable dynamical effects due to the coupling between the interplanetary medium and the magnetosphere. Such coupling takes place by means of phenomena such as prompt penetration electric fields of magnetospheric origin and disturbance dynamo electric fields. Most of such couplings occur during geomagnetic storms. Others, such as the HILDCAAs (High Intensity Long Duration AE Activity), do not. The applicant will dedicate during these e12 months of work to get acknowledged with the main concepts of the ionospheric parameters used in this study, most of which are acquired by means of a Digisonde. His work plan comprises the following steps: 1. Undergo training on IINPE´s ionospheric and geomagnetic equipments (data reading and processing); 2. Supervised reading of research topics related with this study; 3. Studies of the interplanetary parameters related with this research; 4.Trainig on the image processing of images obtained by INPE´s airglow imagers. The same with the Digisonde data; 5. Development of the research project; 6. Writing reports due to FAPESP. These 6 itens are described in detail below. Sections 5 and 6 briefly describe the phenomena o ionospheric plasma bubbles and the OI630nm airglow stemming from the nocturnal F-region. Section 7 briefly describes the equipments involved in this research work. Section 8 describes the methodology adopted in this research project. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

TAKAHASHI, H.; TAYLOR, M. J.; PAUTET, P. -D.; MEDEIROS, A. F.; GOBBI, D.; WRASSE, C. M.; FECHINE, J.; ABDU, M. A.; BATISTA, I. S.; PAULA, E.; et al. Simultaneous observation of ionospheric plasma bubbles and mesospheric gravity waves during the SpreadFEx Campaign. Annales Geophysicae, v. 27, n. 4, p. 1477-1487, 2009. (06/05006-3)

TAKAHASHI‚ H.; ABDU‚ MA; TAYLOR‚ M.J.; PAUTET‚ PD; DE PAULA‚ E.; KHERANI‚ EA; MEDEIROS‚ AF; WRASSE‚ CM; BATISTA‚ IS; SOBRAL‚ JHA; et al. Equatorial ionosphere bottom-type spread F observed by OI 630.0 nm airglow imaging. Geophysical Research Letters, v. 37, n. 3, p. L03102, 2010. (06/05006-3)