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SAMI3/WACCM‐X simulations find meridional wind variations initiate equatorial plasma bubbles, suggesting new mechanisms for bubble formation.
We report results from SAMI3/WACCM‐X simulations that small‐scale (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 B drifts that can initiate EPBs. The spatial dependence of the meridional wind variations can also determine the longitudinal spacing of EPBs.
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Huba et al. (2026) studied this question.
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