Strong evidence for the tidal control on the longitudinal structure of the ionospheric F‐region

This paper presents for the first time the global latitude structure and seasonal variability of the ionospheric response to the forced from below DE3 and DE2 tides during the period of time January 2008–March 2009. The COSMIC hmF2 and SABER temperature data have been utilized in order to define the ionospheric DE3 and DE2 tidal response to the DE3 and DE2 temperature tides propagating from below. The COSMIC DE3 and DE2 hmF2 tidal oscillations are derived by the same method as the tides seen the SABER temperatures. It has been shown that the longitude wave‐4 and wave‐3 hmF2 structures observed respectively in September and May 2008 are forced mainly by DE3 (wave‐4) and DE2 (wave‐3) temperature tides coming from below. The longitude wave‐3 hmF2 structure observed in January 2008 however is forced by the combined action of the DE2 temperature tide coming from below and the SPW3 probably generated in‐situ.