Theoretical relationship between maximum value of the post-sunset drift velocity and peak-to-valley ratio of anomaly TEC

Abstract

Theoretical study of electron density distribution in the nighttime equatorial ionosphere shows that linear relationships with statistically significant correlation coefficients exist between the maximum value of the post‐sunset plasma drift velocity and the peak‐to‐valley ratio of anomaly TEC. The study is based on the low‐latitude density model of Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the obtained relationships are valid for the longitudinal sector of Jicamarca incoherent scatter radar whose drift velocity measurements are used. The significance of this finding lies in the fact that the maximum value of the post‐sunset vertical plasma drift velocity is an important parameter for determining both the intensity and the latitudinal distribution of equatorial scintillation. When the parameter is not available from any direct measurement, the linear relationships may be used to estimate it from the measured peak‐to‐valley ratio of anomaly TEC.