Influence of the semidiurnal lunar tide in the equatorial plasma bubble zonal drifts over Brazil

Using OI6300 airglow images collected over São João do Cariri (7.4∘ S, 36.5∘ W) from 2000 to 2007, the equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) zonal drifts were calculated. A strong day-to-day variability was observed in the EPB zonal drifts, which is directly associated with the very complex dynamics of the nighttime thermosphere–ionosphere system near the Equator. The present work investigated the contribution of the semidiurnal lunar tide M2 for the EPB zonal drifts. The M2 presented an amplitude of 3.1 m s−1 in the EPB zonal drifts, which corresponds to 5.6 % of the average drifts. The results showed that the M2 amplitudes in the EPB zonal drifts were solar cycle and seasonally dependent. The amplitude of the M2 was stronger during the high solar activity, reaching over 10 % of the EPB zonal drift average. Regarding the seasons, during the Southern Hemisphere summer, the M2 amplitude was twice as large (12 %) compared to the equinox ones. The seasonality agrees with other observations of the M2 in the ionospheric parameters such as vertical drifts and electron concentration, for instance. On the other hand, the very large M2 amplitudes found during the high solar activity agree with previous observations of the lunar tide in the ionospheric E region.

Influence of the semidiurnal lunar tide on the equatorial plasma bubble zonal drifts over Brazil

Using OI6300 airglow images collected over São João do Cariri (7.4° S, 36.5° W) from 2000 to 2007, the equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) zonal drifts were calculated. A strong day-to-day variability was observed in the EPB zonal drifts due to the complexity in the dynamics of the nighttime thermosphere-ionosphere system near the equator. The present work investigated the contribution of the semidiurnal lunar tide M2 for the EPB zonal drifts. On average, the M2 contributes 5.6 % to the variability of the EPB zonal drifts, presenting an amplitude of 3.1 m/s. The results showed that the M2 amplitudes in the EPB zonal drifts were solar cycle and seasonal dependents. The amplitude of the M2 was stronger during the high solar activity reaching over 10 % of the EPB zonal drift average. Regarding the seasons, during the southern hemisphere summer, the M2 amplitude was twice larger (12 %) compared to the equinox ones. The seasonality agrees with other observations of the M2 in the ionospheric parameters such as vertical drifts and electron concentration, for instance. On the other hand, the very large M2 amplitudes found during the high solar activity must be further investigated.

Semimonthly oscillation observed in the start times of equatorial plasma bubbles

Using airglow data from an all-sky imager deployed at São João do Cariri (7.4∘ S, 36.5∘ W), the start times of equatorial plasma bubbles was studied in order to investigate the day-to-day variability of this phenomenon. Data from a period over 10 years were analyzed from 2000 to 2010. Semimonthly oscillations were clearly observed in the start times of plasma bubbles from OI6300 airglow images during this period of observation, and four case studies (September 2003, September–October 2005, November 2005 and January 2008) were chosen to show in detail this kind of modulation. Since the airglow measurements are not continuous in time, more than one cycle of oscillation in the start times of plasma bubbles cannot be observed from these data. Thus, data from a digisonde at São Luís (2.6∘ S, 44.2∘ W) in November 2005 were used to corroborate the results. Technical/climate issues did not allow one to observe the semimonthly oscillations simultaneously by the two instruments, but from October to November 2005 there was a predominance of this oscillation in the start times of the irregularities over Brazil. Besides, statistical analysis for the data in the whole period of observation has shown that the lunar tide, which has semimonthly variability, is likely the main forcing for the semimonthly oscillation in the start times of equatorial plasma bubbles. The presence of this oscillation can contribute to the day-to-day variability of equatorial plasma bubbles.

Geomagnetic field variations due to Solar and Lunar tides in the Brazilian Sector

<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p>Geomagnetic field variations in 2018 due to solar and lunar tides in the Brazilian sector were studied using data provided by magnetometers installed at São José dos Campos (23.21<sup>o</sup>S, 0345.97<sup>o</sup>W; Dip latitude 20.9<sup>o</sup>S), Eusébio, Ceará (3.89° S, 38.46° W) and São Luís, Maranhão (2.53° S, 44.30° W). Variations associated with these tides were identified using the horizontal component of the geomagnetic field, H(nT). Least square fit method was employed in determining the monthly amplitudes and phases of the diurnal, semidiurnal and ter-diurnal solar tides. The monthly amplitudes and phases of the lunar tide were then calculated using the residual measurements (obtained after subtracting the solar tidal components from each day), converting the solar local time to lunar time and subjecting the residuals to harmonic analysis. The maximum solar tide amplitude recorded was 23.96nT(diurnal) in March, at Eusébio whereas the minimum amplitude was 0.45nT(terdiurnal) recorded in December at São José dos Campos. The lunar tide recorded a maximum amplitude of 4.33nT(semidiurnal) in February, at São Luís and a minimum amplitude of 0.13nT(diurnal) in August, at Eusébio.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>: Solar tides, Lunar tides, Geomagnetic field, Magnetometer.</p><p> </p>

Earth as a Gravitational-Wave Interferometr

Based on the principle of Equivalence of Gravitating Masses (EGM) and tectonostratigraphic model of the Earth outer shell structure (the Earth crust and upper mantle), the average depth of the lunar mass gravitational influence on the Earth was calculated as ~1600 km. The developed model is based on the mechanism of rocks tectonic layering of the Earth crust-mantle shell as an oscillatory system with dynamic conditions of a standing wave, regularly excited by the lunar tide and immediately passing into the damping mode. After comparing the average depth of solid lunar tide impact of ~1600 km with the height of the solid lunar tide “hump” on the Earth surface of 0.5 m, a “tensile strain” was calculated with an amplitude only one order of magnitude larger than the amplitude of the gravitational wave recorded by the Advanced LIGO interferometer: A≈10-18 m (the merger result of a black holes pair ca 1.3 Ga ago). The results of the present study suggest that the crust-mantle shell of the Earth may be used as a gravitational-wave interferometer.

On the variability of the semidiurnal solar and lunar tides of the equatorial electrojet during sudden stratospheric warmings

The variabilities of the semidiurnal solar and lunar tides of the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) are investigated during the 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2013 major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events in this study. For this purpose, ground-magnetometer recordings at the equatorial observatories in Huancayo and Fúquene are utilized. Results show a major enhancement in the amplitude of the EEJ semidiurnal lunar tide in each of the four warming events. The EEJ semidiurnal solar tidal amplitude shows an amplification prior to the onset of warmings, a reduction during the deceleration of the zonal mean zonal wind at 60∘ N and 10 hPa, and a second enhancement a few days after the peak reversal of the zonal mean zonal wind during all four SSWs. Results also reveal that the amplitude of the EEJ semidiurnal lunar tide becomes comparable or even greater than the amplitude of the EEJ semidiurnal solar tide during all these warming events. The present study also compares the EEJ semidiurnal solar and lunar tidal changes with the variability of the migrating semidiurnal solar (SW2) and lunar (M2) tides in neutral temperature and zonal wind obtained from numerical simulations at E-region heights. A better agreement between the enhancements of the EEJ semidiurnal lunar tide and the M2 tide is found in comparison with the enhancements of the EEJ semidiurnal solar tide and the SW2 tide in both the neutral temperature and zonal wind at the E-region altitudes.