The evolution of the multiple bubbles generally expected is described here by a two-dimensional model rather than the more computationally intensive three-dimensional model [Retterer, JGR 2010]. The structure in the equatorial plane is calculated explicitly, while the densities off the equator are assumed to vary as the ambient model density does.
- Bubble history: Overall summary of the evolution of the bubble, showing mass conservation (top panel), max (over altitude) density deviation (second panel), extrema and average vertical velocity (third panel), and extrema and average zonal velocity (bottom panel).
- Spectral Profiles: A series of plots showing the spectral density of the density irregularities for one West-East wavelength per plot, as a function of time and altitude. The wavelength is indicated in the title caption for the plot, the quantity ky, which is the inverse wavelength in 1/km.
- Parameter Profiles: The variation of various quantities as a function of apex altitude, stepping through time.
The top panel gives the mean density in the equatorial plane, averaged over East-West coordinate (solid line), the corresponding density from the ambient model (dashed line), and the root-mean-squared density perturbations (dotted line).
The second panel gives the field-line integrated conductances, in mhos.
The solid black line is the total Pedersen conductance, the black dashed line is the corresponding conductance from the ambient background model, while the dotted black line is the contribution from the F-region plasma that is dynamically evolved in this calculation.
The purple curves are the contributions from the molecular ions in the E region to the Pedersen and Hall conductances, while the green curves are the F-region contribution (lower curve), and the total Hall conductance (usually close in magnitude to the E-region contribution).
The third panel gives the zonal average of the zonal plasma drift from the dynamo equation. The dashed curve is the result from the ambient density distribution.
The bottom panel gives the zonal averages of the currents due to non-electric forces (i.e., the drivers in the current-continuity equation for the electric potential, in micro-amps per square m, for the vertical current (red) and zonal current (blue).
- Bubble Turbulence: The first set of plots give the spectral density of total electron content (TEC) irregularities as a function of time and wavenumber stepping through latitudinal distance from the geomagnetic equator, for Fourier analysis in the East-West direction (top), and vertical direction (bottom).
The next picture gives the maximum (top) and rms (bottom) TEC, as a function of time and latitude.
The next picture gives the zonal integral of the squared perturbation in TEC (top) and the k-integral of the spectrum of TEC irregularities (bottom), which by Parseval's theorem should be equal.
The next plot gives the tabulated spectral density at 50 km wavelength (top) and the extrapolated spectral density at 1 km wavelength (bottom), as a function of latitude and time.
The plot gives the parameters of a power-law fit to the TEC spectrum; the exponent (top) and a measure of the goodness of fit (bottom), as a function of latitude and time.
The final plot gives the max and rms density perturbation at 600 km altitude, as a function of latitude and time.
- Equatorial Density: This animation gives the plasma density in the equatorial plane (altitude and zonal position), stepping through time.
- Equatorial Vertical V: This animation gives the vertical component of the plasma drift in the equatorial plane (altitude and zonal position), stepping through time. Note that to cover the wide dynamic range, the color bar range may shift from frame to frame, and the color pallette may shift as well: when the drifts are all of one sign, a roygbiv color bar is used, while if both positive and negative drifts are present, a white-blue-black-red-white color bar is used.
- Equatorial Zonal V: This animation gives the zonal component of the plasma drift in the equatorial plane (altitude and zonal position), stepping through time. The comments concerning color bar from the vertical drift also apply here.