标题：The seasonal and solar cycle variations of electron density gradient scale length, vertical drift and layer height during magnetically quiet days: Implications for Spread F over Trivandrum, India
摘要：A study has been carried out on the behaviour of electron density gradient scale length, L, vertical drift and
layer height, around post sunset hours, during the magnetically quiet days of summer, winter and equinox seasons
of solar maximum (2002) and minimum years (1995), using ionosonde data of Trivandrum (8.5◦N, 76.5◦E, dip
= 0.5◦N) in the Indian longitude sector. The results indicate a clear seasonal and solar cycle variation in all
the three parameters. Further, the seasonal variation of equatorial Spread F (ESF) during the above period is
examined in terms of the relative roles of L, the vertical drift and layer height (of the F layer) in the triggering of
the collisional Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The results, show for the first time, that L also plays an important role,
in controlling the quiet time seasonal and solar cycle variability of ESF; whereas in earlier studies this parameter
had been taken to be constant. The detailed results are presented and discussed.
关键词：Equatorial ionosphere; ionospheric irregularities; plasma instability; equatorial Spread F
