Observation of nonlinear interactions in large-scale density enhancements of the high-latitude ionosphere

Arnaud Masson (1) , Franqois Lefeuvre (2) , Zheng y Zhao (2) , Dominique Lagoutte (3) , Jean-Louis Rauch (2)

1 ESTEC - European Space Research and Technology Centre
2 LPCE - Laboratoire de physique et chimie de l'environnement
3 LPC2E - Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace

Simultaneous measurements of electron density and ELF electric field by the AUREOL-3 satellite have allowed Cerisier et al. [1985] to point out the existence of large-scale density irregularities in the high-latitude topside F region and to establish the role of the gradient drift instability in the plasma structuring. High-resolution spectra of the density and field fluctuations show the presence of low-frequency peaks linked by relationships such that fm q-fn = fm+n. Bispectral analyses point out nonlinear interactions between waves at 7.8 and 15.6 Hz and density irregularities at 5.85 Hz. The consistency of the results with regard to instability models is discussed. The existence of an interaction process involving Schumann resonances is suggested.

Domains: Space Physics [physics.space-ph]; Geophysics [physics.geo-ph]

Arnaud Masson, Franqois Lefeuvre, Zheng y Zhao, Dominique Lagoutte, Jean-Louis Rauch. Observation of nonlinear interactions in large-scale density enhancements of the high-latitude ionosphere. Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics, 1999, 104 (A10), pp.22499-22521. ⟨10.1029/1999JA900200⟩. ⟨insu-02879940⟩