edu.ucar.opensky::articles:23423 UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact 2025-12-25T15:09:30.836410 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata - Part 2: Extensions for Imagery and Gridded Data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d76q21gp Climatology of the equatorial plasma bubbles captured by FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC 2020-05-16T00:00:00Z publication https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d76q21gp https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA027680 Chou, Min-Yang author Wu, Qian author Pedatella, Nicholas M. author Cherniak, Iurii author Schreiner, William S. author Braun, John J. author UCAR/NCAR - Library publisher The FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC (F3/C) satellites are used to study the climatology of equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) during the low to moderate solar flux years (2008-2013). We use the F3/C total electron content to identify the presence of EPBs and investigate the background conditions for the initiation of EPBs. The results reveal that the EPB activities have strong solar dependence. The longitudinal and seasonal trends of EPBs are highly correlated to the angle between the dusk solar terminator and magnetic field lines near the magnetic equator. Asymmetries of EPBs between solstices and equinoxes exist and could be due partly to the asymmetry of equatorial ionization anomaly structures, which result in longitudinal differences as well. EPBs extend to higher altitudes and latitudes during the ascending phase of Solar Cycle 24 (2011-2013) due mainly to the increase of background electron density. However, an altitudinal asymmetry of EPBs occurs in moderate solar flux years, which is likely due to the suppression or lower growth and occurrence rates of EPBs. In addition to vertical drift, tidal forcing also contributes to the longitudinal and seasonal distributions of EPBs. Upwellings and precursor waves preceding the EPBs are observed climatologically, which likely play a vital role in initiating the EPBs. This study also reveals a vertical connection between the equatorial ionospheric irregularities and atmospheric forcing on a climatological basis. UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact PDF Text theme Resource Type 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z publication Copyright 2020 American Geophysical Union. None eng geoscientificInformation