Numerical Simulation of the Time Evolution of Small-Scale Irregularities in the F-Layer Ionospheric Plasma

Figure 3

The calculated spatial distributions of the relative decrease of the electron concentration, (𝑛₀−𝑛_𝑒)/𝑛₀ in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field. The normalized distances, X/𝜆^0𝐷_𝑒 and Y/𝜆^0𝐷_𝑒, that is, the distances in units of the Debye length, 𝜆^0𝐷_𝑒, from the central point of the simulation region are shown on the horizontal (𝐗) and vertical (𝐘) axes. The results, obtained for the second situation when the temporal evolution of the initially created irregularity was studied, are given for the following moments: (a) 𝑡=0, (b) 𝑡=𝑇_𝑝𝑒, (c) 𝑡=2.2⋅𝑇_𝑝𝑒, (d) 𝑡=3⋅𝑇_𝑝𝑒, (e) 𝑡=4.4⋅𝑇_𝑝𝑒, and (f) 𝑡=14.09⋅𝑇_𝑝𝑒.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)