TY - JOUR A1 - Wan, Xin A1 - Xiong, Chao A1 - Rodriguez-Zuluaga, Juan A1 - Kervalishvili, Guram N. A1 - Stolle, Claudia A1 - Wang, Hui T1 - Climatology of the Occurrence Rate and Amplitudes of Local Time Distinguished Equatorial Plasma Depletions Observed by Swarm Satellite JF - Journal of geophysical research : Space physics N2 - In this study, we developed an autodetection technique for the equatorial plasma depletions (EPDs) and their occurrence and depletion amplitudes based on in situ electron density measurements gathered by Swarm A satellite. For the first time, comparisons are made among the detected EPDs and their amplitudes with the loss of Global Positioning System (GPS) signal of receivers onboard Swarm A, and the Swarm Level-2 product, Ionospheric Bubble Index (IBI). It has been found that the highest rate of EPD occurrence takes place generally between 2200 and 0000 magnetic local time (MLT), in agreement with the IBI. However, the largest amplitudes of EPD are detected earlier at about 1900-2100 MLT. This coincides with the moment of higher background electron density and the largest occurrence of GPS signal loss. From a longitudinal perspective, the higher depletion amplitude is always witnessed in spatial bins with higher background electron density. At most longitudes, the occurrence rate of postmidnight EPDs is reduced compared to premidnight ones; while more postmidnight EPDs are observed at African longitudes. CHAMP observations confirm this point regardless of high or low solar activity condition. Further by comparing with previous studies and the plasma vertical drift velocity from ROCSAT-1, we suggest that while the F region vertical plasma drift plays a key role in dominating the occurrence of EPDs during premidnight hours, the postmidnight EPDs are the combined results from the continuing of former EPDs and newborn EPDs, especially during June solstice. And these newborn EPDs during postmidnight hours seem to be less related to the plasma vertical drift. KW - equatorial plasma depletion KW - swarm LP KW - depletion amplitude KW - climatology KW - postmidnight Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JA025072 SN - 2169-9380 SN - 2169-9402 VL - 123 IS - 4 SP - 3014 EP - 3026 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Rodriguez-Zuluaga, Juan A1 - Stolle, Claudia A1 - Yamazaki, Yosuke A1 - Lühr, H. A1 - Park, J. A1 - Scherliess, L. A1 - Chau, J. L. T1 - On the balance between plasma and magnetic pressure across equatorial plasma depletions JF - Journal of geophysical research : Space physics N2 - In magnetized plasmas such as the ionosphere, electric currents develop in regions of strong density gradients to balance the resulting plasma pressure gradients. These currents, usually known as diamagnetic currents decrease the magnetic pressure where the plasma pressure increases, and vice versa. In the low‐latitude ionosphere, equatorial plasma depletions (EPDs) are well known for their steep plasma density gradients and adverse effect on radio wave propagation. In this paper, we use continuous measurements of the magnetic field and electron density from the European Space Agency's Swarm constellation mission to assess the balance between plasma and magnetic pressure across large‐scale EPDs. The analysis is based on the magnetic fluctuations related to diamagnetic currents flowing at the edges of EPDs. This study shows that most of the EPDs detected by Swarm present a decrease of the plasma pressure relative to the ambient plasma. However, EPDs with high plasma pressure are also identified mainly in the vicinity of the South Atlantic magnetic anomaly. From the electron density measurements, we deduce that such an increase in plasma pressure within EPDs might be possible by temperatures inside the EPD as high as twice the temperature of the ambient plasma. Due to the distinct location of the high‐pressure EPDs, we suggest that a possible heating mechanism might be due to precipitation of particle from the radiation belts. This finding corresponds to the first observational evidence of plasma pressure enhancements in regions of depleted plasma density in the ionosphere. KW - equatorial plasma depletions KW - spread F KW - plasma pressure KW - magnetic pressure KW - diamagnetic currents Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA026700 SN - 2169-9402 VL - 124 IS - 7 SP - 5936 EP - 5944 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Rodriguez-Zuluaga, Juan A1 - Stolle, Claudia T1 - Interhemispheric field-aligned currents at the edges of equatorial plasma depletions JF - Scientific reports N2 - A comprehensive description of electromagnetic processes related to equatorial plasma depletions (EPDs) is essential for understanding their evolution and day-to-day variability. Recently, field-aligned currents (FACs) flowing at both western and eastern edges of EPDs were observed to be interhemispheric rather than anti-parallel about the dip equator, as suggested by previous theoretical studies. In this paper, we investigate the spatial and temporal variability of the FACs orientation using simultaneous measurements of electron density and magnetic field gathered by ESA’s Swarm constellation mission. By using empirical models, we assess the role of the Pedersen conductance in the preference of the FACs to close either in the northern or southern magnetic hemisphere. Here we show that the closure of the FACs agrees with an electrostatic regime determined by a hemispherical asymmetry of the Pedersen conductance. That is, the EPD-related FACs close at lower altitudes in the hemisphere with the highest conductivity. The evidence of this conclusion stands on the general agreement between the longitudinal and seasonal variability of both the conductivity and the FACs orientation. Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-37955-z SN - 2045-2322 VL - 9 PB - Nature Publ. Group CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Park, Jaeheung A1 - Lühr, Hermann A1 - Stolle, Claudia A1 - Rodriguez-Zuluaga, Juan A1 - Knudsen, David J. A1 - Burchill, Johnathan K. A1 - Kwak, Young-Sil T1 - Statistical survey of nighttime midlatitude magnetic fluctuations: Their source location and Poynting flux as derived from the Swarm constellation JF - Journal of geophysical research : Space physics N2 - This is the first statistical survey of field fluctuations related with medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs), which considers magnetic field, electric field, and plasma density variations at the same time. Midlatitude electric fluctuations (MEFs) and midlatitude magnetic fluctuations (MMFs) observed in the nighttime topside ionosphere have generally been attributed to MSTIDs. Although the topic has been studied for several decades, statistical studies of the Poynting flux related with MEF/MMF/MSTID have not yet been conducted. In this study we make use of electric/magnetic field and plasma density observations by the European Space Agency's Swarm constellation to address the statistical behavior of the Poynting flux. We have found that (1) the Poynting flux is directed mainly from the summer to winter hemisphere, (2) its magnitude is larger before midnight than thereafter, and (3) the magnitude is not well correlated with fluctuation level of in situ plasma density. These results are discussed in the context of previous studies. Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JA023408 SN - 2169-9380 SN - 2169-9402 VL - 121 SP - 11235 EP - 11248 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Rodriguez-Zuluaga, Juan A1 - Stolle, Claudia A1 - Park, J. T1 - On the direction of the Poynting flux associated with equatorial plasma depletions as derived from Swarm JF - Geophysical research letters N2 - Magnetic and electric field observations from the European Space Agency Swarm mission are used to report the direction of electromagnetic energy flux associated with equatorial plasma depletions. Contrary to expectations, the observations suggest a general interhemispheric Poynting flux rather than concurrent flows at both hemispheres toward or away from the equator. Of high interest is a particular behavior noticed over the region with the largest variation in the magnetic declination. This is a Poynting flux flowing mainly into the southern magnetic hemisphere about between 60 degrees W and 30 degrees E and into the northern magnetic hemisphere between 110 degrees W and 60 degrees W. The abrupt change in the flow direction at 60 degrees W is suggested to be caused by an asymmetry between the hemispheres on the ionospheric conductivity, likely due to the influence of thermospheric winds and the presence of the South Atlantic Anomaly. Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL073385 SN - 0094-8276 SN - 1944-8007 VL - 44 SP - 5884 EP - 5891 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER -