On the occurrence of equatorial F-region irregularities during solar minimum using radio occultation measurements

摘要: [1] The technique of radio occultation (RO) is demonstrated to be a powerful tool for studying equatorial F-region irregularities (EFIs) associated with plasma bubbles. The extensive 4.9 year RO dataset the Constellation Observing System Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) satellites was employed in this study contains EFI observations under wide variety solar geomagnetic conditions. From an analysis occurrence dependence on season/longitude, it found that statistics largely match those reported previously, exception equinoctial maximum American sector absent from previous studies. It revealed due enhanced near South Atlantic anomaly, where EFIs are expected suppressed by particle precipitation. An investigation into activity characteristics significant increases range local times latitudes most longitude sectors seasons. Finally, suppression enhancement effects storm-time electric fields also investigated using COSMIC data.