Preface: Studies on mesosphere, thermosphere and ionosphere from equatorial to mid latitudes – Recent investigations and improvements – Part 2

Abstract

This is the second part of a special issue which obtained a significant success: in fact Part 1 (vol. 60(8), 2017) is formed by 29 papers while this part is formed by 28 papers, but the total number of submitted papers was higher than 100. This means that the subjects of research related to mesosphere, thermosphere and ionosphere, from equatorial to mid latitudes, represent hot topics, especially in light of the consequences they have on both ground-based and satellite-based technologies which have by now a crucial role in our life. As it was for Part 1, a rigorous review process has been carried out for each of the papers forming Part 2 of the special issue with most of the manuscripts reviewed by more than two reviewers. Topics investigated were again various: the variability of the plasma during quiet and disturbed conditions, the equatorial ionospheric anomaly, the plasma vertical drift over the equatorial region, multiple stratifications of the F layer, the E region variation under different geomagnetic conditions, the variability of the sporadic E layer, traveling ionospheric disturbances, the ionospheric scintillation variability, the response of the lower ionosphere when artificially disturbed, thermospheric wind changes during geomagnetic disturbed conditions, the mesopause sodium and potassium layer variability, the variability of the midnight values of the OH* temperature in the mesopause region, whistlers and co-seismic ionospheric perturbations.