Work

A Dynamical System Analysis of Electric Field Fluctuations Inside Equatorial Plasma Bubbles: A Case Study Using CSES‐01 Observations

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This study investigates the spectral and dynamic characteristics of turbulent fluctuations in the electric field within equatorial plasma bubbles using data from the Electric Field Detector aboard the China Seismo‐Electromagnetic Satellite‐01. We applied a novel analysis method, developed within the framework of dynamical systems theory, to high‐resolution electric field data, allowing us to resolve spatial scales down to just a few meters. This method evaluates the system's persistence in specific states and the instantaneous dimension of fluctuations. Our findings reveal a significant increase in the instantaneous dimension and a decrease in the extremal index , which measures local persistence, within the plasma bubbles. These results suggest a complex interplay of structures at different scales driven by turbulent dynamics characterizing these ionospheric plasma depletions. This study provides new insights into the turbulent processes within equatorial plasma bubbles, advancing our understanding of their underlying mechanisms.

Source: Geophysical Research Letters

DOI: 10.1029/2024gl113821

Authors: P. De Michelis, V. Quattrociocchi, T. Alberti, E. Papini, G. Consolini

Institutions: Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology, National Institute for Astrophysics

Language: English

Topic: Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics

Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,190

Funders: Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia