NUMERICAL STUDY OF DRIFT-DISSIPATIVE INSTABILITY IN THE REGION OF EQUATORIAL PLASMA BUBBLES FOR DIFFERENT GEOPHYSICAL CONDITIONS

In the paper, we study the dependences of the linear increment of drift-dissipative instability in the equatorial region of the Earth ionosphere on helio-geomagnetic conditions, ionospheric parameters, and characteristics of equatorial plasma bubbles, on the fronts of which small-scale plasma inhomogeneities can develop. In the works of both the authors of the article and numerous studies by other authors, a high degree of correlation of the F-scattering phenomenon with the presence of plasma bubbles in the equatorial F-region of the ionosphere has been revealed. The classical explanation of F-scattering is related to the appearance and development of small-scale inhomogeneities on the fronts of equatorial plasma bubbles. The time period favorable for the generation and development of equatorial plasma bubbles is from one to two hours. The study was carried out in the form of a series of computational experiments, using the original two–dimensional mathematical and numerical model of Rayleigh-Taylor instability development developed earlier by the authors. Numerical simulations were performed for geophysical conditions favorable for the development of equatorial plasma bubbles in the equatorial F-region of the Earth ionosphere. This work is a continuation of the authors’ research. In contrast to the previous works of the authors, this paper examines the features of the increment of drift-dissipative instability depending on a wide range of conditions and parameters of the low-latitude ionosphere.

ionosphere, mathematical modeling, numerical simulation, drift-dissipative instability, Rayleigh-Taylor instability, equatorial plasma bubble, F-scattering