Traveling ionospheric disturbance as a diagnostic tool for thermospheric dynamics

We report some observational results of traveling ionospheric disturbances. The experiment continuously monitors the wave polarization of signals transmitted by the geostationary satellite ATS 3. One year of single-station data has been compiled for synoptic study. When observed at three stations, in addition to the period of the wave, the horizontal phase velocity can be determined. An attempt has been made to link the experimentally determined ionospheric parameters with the neutral atmospheric parameters by using a crude theory. The result suggests that a better theory should be developed so that the diagnosis of these thermospheric parameters can be made by making traveling disturbance observations. In doing so, many previously ignored factors should be re-examined, especially the effect produced by high thermospheric winds.