Horizontal ionospheric drifts in the F2-region at equatorial latitudes

Abstract

Ionospheric F2-region drifts have been studied in great detail at a number of high-latitude stations, and the results of these investigations have recently been summarized by Briggs and Spencer. Considerable importance is attached to the drift studies at low-latitude stations in view of the recent theory of the origin of the F2 drifts given by Martyn. This theory predicts a phase reversal of east-west component of drifts at a latitude of 35° and a gradual increase of the magnitude of drift from higher to lower latitudes. These conclusions have been qualitatively confirmed by Purslow, from the analysis of a limited number of observations taken at Singapore (1° 19' N., 103° 49' E. and magnetic lat. 10°S.) over a period of 3 years. In this communication we present the results of our analysis of F2-region drift studies made at Waltair (17° 43' N., 83° 18' E., magnetic lat. 9° 30' N.).