Intermittency and Passive Scalar Nature of Electron Density Fluctuations in the High-Latitude Ionosphere at Swarm Altitude

Abstract

Some physical processes due to Sun-Earth interaction can influence the configuration and the dynamics of the high-latitude ionospheric plasma, particularly during geomagnetically disturbed periods. A possible consequence of this interaction is the occurrence of turbulent fluctuations that can be observed both in magnetic and electric fields and plasma density. Here, we focus on the intermittent nature of high-latitude ionospheric electron density fluctuations during geomagnetically disturbed periods as observed by one of the satellites of the ESA-Swarm constellation. The most obvious finding emerging from this study is the strong intermittent character of electron density fluctuations and the existence of an agreement between the anomalous scaling features of electron density fluctuations and those expected from a passive scalar quantity in fluid turbulence. This latter result supports the view of a passive scalar behavior of electron density in the high-latitude ionosphere that can have significant implications in the field of SpaceWeather studies.