On the Seeding of Equatorial Plasma Bubbles by Longitudinal Variations in the Meridional Wind

J. D. Huba; N. Pedatella; H. L. Liu

doi:10.1029/2025GL120025

On the Seeding of Equatorial Plasma Bubbles by Longitudinal Variations in the Meridional Wind

J. D. Huba
, N. Pedatella
, H. L. Liu

Geospace Frontiers

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We report results from SAMI3/WACCM-X simulations that small-scale ((Formula presented.) few 100 km) longitudinal variations in the meridional wind provide seeds to initiate equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs). The meridional wind variations generate variations in the ion density along the magnetic field via ion-neutral collisions. This in turn leads to longitudinal variations in the Pedersen conductivity and conductance producing localized E (Formula presented.) B drifts that can initiate EPBs. The spatial dependence of the meridional wind variations can also determine the longitudinal spacing of EPBs.

Original language	English
Article number	e2025GL120025
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	53
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL120025
State	Published - Jan 28 2026

Keywords

equatorial ionosphere
equatorial plasma bubbles
generalized Rayleigh-Taylor instability
longitudinal variations
neutral wind

Access to Document

10.1029/2025GL120025

Cite this

@article{7941e5db37b74b008a5b087bfdff9bda,

title = "On the Seeding of Equatorial Plasma Bubbles by Longitudinal Variations in the Meridional Wind",

abstract = "We report results from SAMI3/WACCM-X simulations that small-scale ((Formula presented.) few 100 km) longitudinal variations in the meridional wind provide seeds to initiate equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs). The meridional wind variations generate variations in the ion density along the magnetic field via ion-neutral collisions. This in turn leads to longitudinal variations in the Pedersen conductivity and conductance producing localized E (Formula presented.) B drifts that can initiate EPBs. The spatial dependence of the meridional wind variations can also determine the longitudinal spacing of EPBs.",

keywords = "equatorial ionosphere, equatorial plasma bubbles, generalized Rayleigh-Taylor instability, longitudinal variations, neutral wind",

author = "Huba, \{J. D.\} and N. Pedatella and Liu, \{H. L.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2026. The Author(s).",

year = "2026",

month = jan,

day = "28",

doi = "10.1029/2025GL120025",

language = "English",

volume = "53",

journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",

issn = "0094-8276",

publisher = "John Wiley and Sons Inc.",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - On the Seeding of Equatorial Plasma Bubbles by Longitudinal Variations in the Meridional Wind

AU - Huba, J. D.

AU - Pedatella, N.

AU - Liu, H. L.

PY - 2026/1/28

Y1 - 2026/1/28

N2 - We report results from SAMI3/WACCM-X simulations that small-scale ((Formula presented.) few 100 km) longitudinal variations in the meridional wind provide seeds to initiate equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs). The meridional wind variations generate variations in the ion density along the magnetic field via ion-neutral collisions. This in turn leads to longitudinal variations in the Pedersen conductivity and conductance producing localized E (Formula presented.) B drifts that can initiate EPBs. The spatial dependence of the meridional wind variations can also determine the longitudinal spacing of EPBs.

AB - We report results from SAMI3/WACCM-X simulations that small-scale ((Formula presented.) few 100 km) longitudinal variations in the meridional wind provide seeds to initiate equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs). The meridional wind variations generate variations in the ion density along the magnetic field via ion-neutral collisions. This in turn leads to longitudinal variations in the Pedersen conductivity and conductance producing localized E (Formula presented.) B drifts that can initiate EPBs. The spatial dependence of the meridional wind variations can also determine the longitudinal spacing of EPBs.

KW - equatorial ionosphere

KW - equatorial plasma bubbles

KW - generalized Rayleigh-Taylor instability

KW - longitudinal variations

KW - neutral wind

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105028370006

U2 - 10.1029/2025GL120025

DO - 10.1029/2025GL120025

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105028370006

SN - 0094-8276

VL - 53

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 2

M1 - e2025GL120025

ER -

On the Seeding of Equatorial Plasma Bubbles by Longitudinal Variations in the Meridional Wind

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this