Articles | Volume 40, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-40-299-2022
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-40-299-2022
Regular paper
 | 
13 May 2022
Regular paper |  | 13 May 2022

Ionospheric plasma flows associated with the formation of the distorted nightside end of a transpolar arc

Motoharu Nowada, Adrian Grocott, and Quan-Qi Shi

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Cited articles

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Short summary
We report that the ionospheric plasma flow patterns associated with the J-shaped transpolar arc (a type of nightside distorted TPA), detected by the SuperDARN radar, reveal the formation process of the nightside distortion of a TPA. Equatorward flows at the TPA growth point were observed flowing out of the polar cap and then turning toward the pre-midnight main auroral oval along the TPA nightside distortion. These ionospheric flow patterns would cause the distortion at the TPA nightside end.
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