Long-Term Variations of Ionization Drift Velocities over the South of Eastern Siberia

Abstract

Based on statistical analysis of a large array of archival experimental data on the dynamic regime of the ionosphere over Irkutsk, statistical long-term characteristics of the horizontal drift of ionization irregularities over the region of the south of Eastern Siberia have been obtained. The measurements were carried out by the radiophysical spaced-receiver method with a small base of the radio signal reflected from the ionosphere during vertical ground-based radio sounding in 1958–1982. The analysis of the data of long-term measurements confirmed the obvious differences in the nature of the dynamic regime of the lower and upper ionosphere. It is shown that the motion of ionization in the zonal direction is more regular than the meridional drift. The characteristic seasonal features of variations in the amplitudes and directions of horizontal drift motions at altitudes of the ionosphere regions E and F are determined.