Modulation of Ionospheric Dynamo by Quasi-6 Day Rossby and Kelvin Waves

Planetary waves have been identified as one of the significant sources of ionospheric modulation. These atmospheric waves propagate vertically upward and interact nonlinearly with the E-region electric field via ionospheric dynamo. An offshoot of such interaction is the modulation of the mapping between the E and F region. Due to its large amplitude, quasi-6-day planetary waves (Q6DWs) are significant in the ionospheric dynamo process – a vertical atmosphere-ionosphere coupling that is yet to be well understood. Using temperature, ionospheric and solar observations from January 2002 to December 2018, this study seek to identify Q6DWs signatures in the ionosphere. These observations were retrieved using NASA’s Thermosphere Ionosphere and Mesosphere Electric Dynamics/Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (TIMED/SABER) instrument, Global Positioning System (GPS) total electron content (TEC), F10.7 and Planetary Kp-Index. Plus, this study allows us to look at the efficiency of Q6DWs in producing signatures in the ionosphere. The outcome of this study will be an important new consideration for the interactions and dynamics of the lower, neutral, and charged layers of the whole atmosphere.