Parametric excitation and suppression of convective plasma instabilities in the high‐latitude F region ionosphere

Parametric coupling processes of a large‐amplitude electromagnetic pump wave with convective plasma fluid instabilities ( E×B gradient drift and current convective) in the high‐latitude F region ionosphere have been studied. We find that a pump wave, with frequency near the upper hybrid frequency and with electric field component perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field, can stabilize or destabilize the E×B gradient drift and/or current convective instability. For parameters typical of the nighttime high‐latitude F region ionosphere we find stabilization or destabilization with a vertically incident O mode carrying a free space incident power density of the order of 10 −4 W/m².