Role of F-region east-west drifts on the developments of equatorial anomaly in the American, African and Asian sectors

Abstract

The role of F-region east-west drifts on the vertical velocity overhead the American, African and Asian magnetic equators has been studied to search for longitudinal differences in the developments of equatorial anomaly. It is shown that the vertical velocity in F-region has a part determined by (<i>k</i>_1i/<i>k</i>_2i) V_y. Longitudinal differences in <i>k</i>_1i/<i>k</i>₂ ratio give rise to different ion velocities at these sectors. This is likely to cause different equatorial F-layer fountain magnitudes resulting in different developments of the equatorial anomaly.