Analysis of controlling factors leading to the development of R-T instability in equatorial ionosphere

作者：Luo Wei Hua; Xu Ji Sheng; Xu Liang

来源：Chinese Journal of Geophysics, 2009, 52(4): 849-858.

DOI：10.3969/j.issn.0001-5733.2009.04.001

• Ionosphere
• Irregularity
• R-T instability
• Linear growth rate
• Gradient of electric field
• Gradient of thermospheric wind

In this paper the effect of the spatial gradients of the electric field and the neutral wind on the linear growth of the plasma R-T instability and its growth rate are analyzed. based on the quality and the charge conservation equation. The, results reveal that both electric field spatial gradients and neutral wind spatial gradients can promote or restrain the growth of R-T instability remarkably. which depends on the orientation of the electric field and the neutral wind as well as the polarity of their gradients; and the degree of the influence depends on the magnitude Of their spatial gradients and the ratio of the parallel to Pedersen conductance and the ratio of the parallel to transverse wave number for the. transverse gradients of the electric field and the neutral wind. Numerical result, show that, for the typical ionospheric background condition. the electric field gradients and neutral wind gradients can make the growth rate of R-T instability increase or decrease 10% to 120% for different scale lengths.

• 出版日期2009-4
• 单位武汉大学