Abstract
We investigate the short-term fluctuations in the period range from 15 to 180 minutes in the electron density variations of the F region ionosphere. Electron density profiles obtained at the ionospheric stations of Pruhonice (49.9° N, 14.5° E) and Ebro (40.8° N, 0.5° E) at five minute time sampling have been used for this analysis. The diurnal changes of the activity of the acoustic gravity wave fluctuations (AGW) show a clear enhancement during and several hours after sunrise. The periods of such AGW's are about 60 to 75 minutes and these waves propagates vertically through the ionosphere from a source located at an altitude of 180-220 km. The most likely source for these events seems to be passage of the Solar terminator.
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Boška, J., Šauli, P., Altadill, D. et al. Diurnal Variation of Gravity Wave Activity at Midlatitudes in the Ionospheric F Region. Studia Geophysica et Geodaetica 47, 579–586 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024763618505
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024763618505