Analyzing the behavior of mid-latitude upper atmosphere ionospheric plasma and airglow I₆₃₀ from IS radar and Fabry—Perot interferometer data

The dynamics of the parameters of ionized and neutral components of Earth’s upper atmosphere at midlatitudes near the equinox was studied for several days under quiet geomagnetic conditions. The ionospheric parameters were obtained by an incoherent scatter radar; the parameters of the neutral atmosphere at ionospheric altitudes, from characteristics of the atomic oxygen glow at a wavelength of 630 nm with a Fabry—Perot interferometer. Synchronous variations similar in relative amplitudes were detected in the glow intensity and plasma concentration, the nature of which was explained using numerical modeling, as well as a combination of model and empirical data. It is shown that the vertical wind effect is of decisive importance for the vertical transport of plasma and the enhancement of the atomic oxygen glow in the period of time considered. The phenomenon under study was associated with the midnight temperature maximum, which was first observed at 52° N. A method for calibrating optical measurements using radiophysical data is presented in the approximation of the dominant role of plasma parameter variations over neutral atmosphere parameter variations.