Investigation on Chasing and Interaction of Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances Based on Multi‐Instrument

Abstract

AbstractIn this study, we use multi‐instrument observations (all‐sky imager (ASI), global navigation satellite system (GPS) receivers, digisonde) to study the interaction of nighttime medium‐scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) on 13 November 2018. The most attractive aspect of this event is that the interaction appeared between two dark bands both propagated southwestward. The airglow observations show that the latter band moved faster and caught up with the former, and these two bands merged into a new one. The propagating characteristics and morphology of the MSTIDs changed during the interaction process. The simulations from the Thermosphere‐Ionosphere‐Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIEGCM) suggested that the ionospheric background zonal winds and electron density distributions could play essential roles in the interaction of the MSTIDs. Moreover, the merging process might be associated with the electrostatic reconnection.