HR: 0830h
AN: SA41B-0435    [PDF]
TI: Low-Latitude Ionospheric Plasma Depletions: Imaging, Modeling, and Interpretation Using Space-Based Ultraviolet Measurements
AU: * Comberiate, J M
EM: comberia@uiuc.edu
AF: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1308 W. Main, Urbana, IL 61801 United States
AU: Kamalabadi, F
EM: farzadk@uiuc.edu
AF: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1308 W. Main, Urbana, IL 61801 United States
AU: Paxton, L
EM: larry.paxton@jhuapl.edu
AF: Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 JOHNS HOPKINS RD, Laurel, MD 20723 United States
AU: Kil, H
EM: hyosub.kil@jhuapl.edu
AF: Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 JOHNS HOPKINS RD, Laurel, MD 20723 United States
AB: Modeling and characterization of ionospheric structures and dynamics are important issues in space weather research. Recently the Global Ultraviolet Imager (GUVI) on-board the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) satellite has detected far ultraviolet (FUV) images of plasma depletions in the low latitude and equatorial ionosphere. A model of GUVI observation geometry was developed to simulate radiance observations of a model ionosphere. The model has been refined to incorporate geomagnetic coordinates and to allow plasma depletions to be aligned with magnetic field lines. We report on new results in reconstructing multi-dimensional electron density profiles from GUVI brightness measurements through the use of statistical inversion techniques and modeling studies. These results include three-dimensional images of field-aligned depletion structures. Case studies and comparisons with overlapping data sets are presented as a means of validation of these results.
DE: 2415 Equatorial ionosphere
DE: 2439 Ionospheric irregularities
DE: 2447 Modeling and forecasting
DE: 2494 Instruments and techniques
DE: 6982 Tomography and imaging
SC: SPA - Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting