Internal Gravity Waves in the Moving Ionosphere

The influence of wind in the ionosphere on the characteristics of internal gravity waves is considered. It is shown that the ionospheric wind interacts with the geomagnetic field leading to the appearance of the Ampere force, the vertical gradient of which modifies the properties of the waves. Equations of internal gravity waves in a moving ionosphere are derived and their dispersion characteristics are analyzed. Generation of waves by linear and point sources and their propagation in the moving ionosphere are considered. The transformation coefficients of atmospheric internal gravity waves and their reflection from the boundary of the moving ionosphere are found. It is shown that the ionospheric wind leads to an exponential increase in the wave amplitudes in the direction predominantly normal to the wind direction. The characteristics of internal gravity waves are analyzed depending on the ionosphere and wind parameters. The results of the theoretical study are applied to interpret the observed properties of medium-scale moving ionospheric disturbances.