HR: 08:45h
AN: SA21B-04 INVITED    [Abstracts]
TI: Modeling equatorial spread F: New simulation results
AU: * Huba, J D
EM: huba@ppd.nrl.navy.mil
AF: Naval Research Laboratory, Code 6790, Washington, DC 20375, United States
AU: Joyce, G
EM: joyce@ppd.nrl.navy.mil
AF: Icarus Research, Inc., 7113 Exfair Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States
AU: Swisdak, M
EM: swisdak@umd.edu
AF: Icarus Research, Inc., 7113 Exfair Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States
AB: Equatorial spread F (ESF) is a low-latitude ionospheric phenomenon that leads to the development of large scale electron density depletions that adversely affect communications and navigation systems. The development of models to understand and predict the onset and evolution of ESF is therefore critically important to a number of space-based systems. To this end, two new simulation codes have been developed at the Naval Research Laboratory to model equatorial spread F. One code uses an 8th order spatial interpolation scheme and the partial donor cell method as a flux limiter which allow simulation studies with very low numerical diffusion. We present results of the dynamics of equatorial spread F that exhibit multiple bifurcations, secondary structure development, and high speed flows within low density channels. We compare these results to all-sky images and radar data. The second code is based upon the NRL ionosphere model SAMI3 and includes coupling to the E region via field-aligned integrated conducitivities. We show the impact of E region coupling on the evolution of ESF. \medskip
Research supported by ONR.
DE: 2435 Ionospheric disturbances
DE: 2437 Ionospheric dynamics
DE: 2439 Ionospheric irregularities
DE: 2447 Modeling and forecasting
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting