Modeling of multiple effects of atmospheric tides on the ionosphere: An examination of possible coupling mechanisms responsible for the longitudinal structure of the equatorial ionosphere

The most commonly proposed mechanism to explain this is an electrodynamic coupling between tides at E region altitudes and ion drifts at F region altitudes. However, based on both the observational evidence from recent satellite missions such as those of the neutral winds associated with nonmigrating tides at F region altitudes, and considering the theoretical effects of atmospheric tides on the thermosphere and ionosphere, more than one coupling mechanism must be considered.

We use Sami2 is Another Model of the Ionosphere to test a set of electrodynamic and chemical-dynamical coupling mechanisms that could explain the link between tides in the thermosphere and the low-latitude ionosphere. We investigate the possible role of the vertical drifts during the both the day and around sunset, perturbations to the thermospheric neutral density and thermospheric [O]/[N2], and tidal winds at F region altitudes.