Vertical motion of ionization induced by the linear interaction of tides with planetary waves

Abstract. Experimental findings have shown that travelling planetary waves modulate the occurrence of mid-latitude sporadic-E-layers. Using a simple quantitative model, we analyse the effects of the linear interaction between tides and planetary waves on ion motion. Besides an expected variation of the dumping height, it is found that the boundaries of the oscillations induced by the descending semidiurnal tide are significantly modified by the presence of the planetary wave. The height variations of the ionisation cause planetary wave modulations of the metallic ion content in the background plasma density. This could explain the long-term variation found in the occurrence of strong E_s layers. The fact that the dumping height variations are strongly influenced by the tidal phase velocity and amplitude, together with the variability of the metallic ion content, could contribute to the understanding of the sporadic nature of the E-layers.

Key words. Ionosphere (Ionosphere-atmosphere interactions; Mid-latitude ionosphere)