Physical mechanism for the temporary intensification of wintertime sporadic E layers in 2009

Abstract

Abstract This study provides a physical mechanism for the temporary intensification of wintertime sporadic E layers (EsLs) in 2009. It is widely accepted that vertical wind shears control EsL formations. EsL intensity is minimal in winter, partially because of the weakened vertical wind shears. Despite the wintertime minimum EsL intensity, temporary intensifications of EsLs occurred for 10–30 days in some winters, the cause of which remains unclear. In this study, we conducted month-long EsL simulations in 2009 and 2011, the years when both wintertime EsL (WiEsL) intensification and sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) occurred, and when neither did, respectively. The simulations aimed to reveal the physical mechanisms of the WiEsL intensification in 2009. We succeeded in reproducing the occurrence and non-occurrence of temporary WiEsL intensification in 2009 and 2011, respectively, observed by an ionosonde at Kokubunji, Japan, although day-to-day variations in WiEsL intensity were not reproduced well. Evidently, the temporary WiEsL intensification is attributed to vertical ion convergence (VIC) intensification at altitudes of 100–120 km between 4 and 8 local time (LT) and particularly after 15 LT. The VIC intensification is caused primarily by the vertical wind shears of SW2 tides, westward propagating semi-diurnal tides with wavenumber 2. The SW2 intensification is driven by the major SSW in January–February 2009. Additionally, 6–8-day planetary waves can also affect the WiEsL intensification superposed on the SW2 amplification effects. Graphical Abstract

Keywords

• Sporadic E layer
• Ionosphere
• Simulation
• Atmospheric tides
• Sudden stratospheric warming
• Mid-laitudes