Simultaneous Observations of a Sporadic E Layer by Digisonde and SuperDARN HF Radars at Zhongshan, Antarctica

Chen, X. and Liu, J. and Kosch, M.J. and Hu, Z. and Wang, Z. and Zhang, B. and Yang, H. and Hu, H. (2022) Simultaneous Observations of a Sporadic E Layer by Digisonde and SuperDARN HF Radars at Zhongshan, Antarctica. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 127 (2): e2021JA029. ISSN 2169-9402

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Abstract

Sporadic E (Es) layers could be composed of metallic ions and formed, modified, or transported by the action of convective electric fields in the high latitude ionosphere. In this paper, by utilizing simultaneous observations from Digisonde and Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) HF radars at Zhongshan Station (ZHS, 69.4°S, 76.4°E), Antarctica, a thin Es layer, which initially formed in the lower F region and descended into the lower E region, with wavelike structures, was recorded by Digisonde on 14 November 2019. The Es layer-related concurrent ionospheric irregularities were also detected by the SuperDARN ZHS HF radar. By using a global-scale 2-D convection map, combined with images from the Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager instruments onboard Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) spacecraft, it is proposed that the flow shears associated with the duskside convective circulation are responsible for the evolution of the Es layer. Moreover, using the HF radar elevation angle data to measure the scatter height, it is strongly suggested that the Es layer was elongated with convection circulation. The electrodynamic processes responsible for the formation and evolution of the Es layer are discussed.