Ionospheric Irregularity (2nd Edition)
A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Upper Atmosphere".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 June 2025 | Viewed by 19
Special Issue Editors
Interests: ionospheric physics; mesosphere and low thermosphere; radiowave propagation and application
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: ionospheric irregularity; space weather; radiowave propagation and application
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue is a follow-up of the first Special Issue, entitled “The Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/atmosphere/special_issues/W6BGZL75MS) published in Atmosphere.
Ionospheric irregularities are plasma density disturbances within the ionosphere that significantly affect the propagation of radio waves, satellite communications, and other forms of electromagnetic radiation. These irregularities have been detected using both ground-based and satellite instruments, covering spatial scales from meters to thousands of kilometers. Key phenomena include sporadic E (Es) layers, spread F (SF) in ionograms, field-aligned irregularities (FAIs), plasma bubbles observed in radar and optical imagery, traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs), and perturbations in total electron content (TEC) maps.
The formation of ionospheric irregularities is predominantly governed by plasma instability mechanisms. For Es layers, the wind shear theory serves as the primary explanation, whereas E-region FAIs at equatorial and low latitudes result from the two-stream instability (TSI) and gradient-drift instability (GDI). At mid-latitudes, E-region FAIs are driven by atmospheric gravity waves, Es-layer instabilities, GDI, and Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities (KHIs). In contrast, plasma bubbles and equatorial SF are primarily attributed to Rayleigh–Taylor (R-T) instability, while mid-latitude SF and medium-scale TIDs (MSTIDs) are influenced by the breaking of atmospheric gravity waves and Perkins instability.
The development and variability of ionospheric irregularities are further modulated by external factors. Lower atmospheric phenomena, such as sudden stratospheric warming and typhoon activity, introduce disturbances that propagate upward, coupling with ionospheric processes. Similarly, magnetospheric energy inputs, including geomagnetic storms and auroral substorms, drive significant enhancements in ionospheric irregularity intensity. These interactions highlight the complex coupling between the ionosphere, atmosphere, and magnetosphere, necessitating comprehensive observational and modeling efforts.
Authors are encouraged to submit original papers that include but are not limited to observations, modeling, and instrumentation. Review papers and technical notes are also welcome.
Dr. Qiong Tang
Dr. Yi Liu
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- ionospheric irregularities
- coupling between the ionosphere, atmosphere, and magnetosphere
- sudden stratospheric warming
- typhoon
- geomagnetic storms
- auroral substorms
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