Ionospheric response to winter stratosphere/lower mesosphere jet stream in the Northern Hemisphere as derived from vertical radio sounding data

Abstract We study the effects of the middle atmosphere dynamics on the mid-latitude and subauroral ionosphere during the winter jet stream that occurred at the stratosphere/lower mesosphere heights in the Northern Hemisphere over 2008–2013. The used ionospheric data were obtained from measurements taken at the vertical sounding ionosonde chain covering the entire Eurasian continent. We reveal regional features of the F2 -layer ionospheric response to dynamic processes during the winter circumpolar vortex evolution in the strato-mesosphere. The variations in the ionospheric parameters observed at different longitudes in the Northern Hemisphere significantly depended on the ionosonde position relative to the jet stream zone in the strato-mesosphere. The difference in critical frequency values for the ionosondes spaced longitudinally by only 15–20° could reach about 1.5–2 MHz, depending on the observation point location under the jet stream or off the latter. We consider the molecular gas upwelling/downwelling to/from the lower thermosphere in active regions of circulation as a mechanism for the underlying atmosphere impact on the ionosphere. Irregular variations in the ionospheric parameters could also be caused by wave disturbances of various spatial and temporal scales (including internal gravity waves) propagating into the thermosphere from the underlying atmosphere. The mesoscale wave generation source at the strato-mesospheric heights was associated with baroclinic instabilities in the spatially non-uniform, high-velocity winter jet stream.