Lidar Observations of Thermosphere-Ionospheric Ca plus at Beijing (116.02°E, 40.42°N), China

2026-05-12

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Jing Jiao *

Hongwei Jia

Xun, Yuchang *

DOI：10.1029/2025JA034560

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This study focuses on the statistical analysis of nocturnal thermosphere-ionosphere Ca+ (TICa+) events observed at Beijing (40.42 degrees N, 116.02 degrees E) using an all-solid-state optical parametric oscillator (OPO)/amplifier (OPO/optical parametric amplifier) LiDAR system. A total of 263 nights of data collected from June 2020 to June 2023 were processed, revealing 73 nights with TICa+ events. The events primarily occurred in the altitude range of 120-300 km, showing distinct seasonal and diurnal variations. The occurrence rate peaked in summer, especially in July, and TICa+ was frequently observed around midnight and prior to dawn. The morphological characteristics of TICa+ events were categorized into four types: M type, Dawn type, Ca+ cloud type, and I type. Vertical transport induced by neutral winds and electric fields was identified as the primary formation mechanism for all types. Strong correlations between TICa+ and ionospheric irregularities such as sporadic E (Es) and spread F (SF) were found, suggesting TICa+ as an effective tracer for studying ionospheric dynamics. Additionally, the influence of solar and auroral activities on TICa+ formation was discussed based on the correlation with the Auroral Electrojet (AE) index.

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Lidar Observations of Thermosphere-Ionospheric Ca plus at Beijing (116.02°E, 40.42°N), China

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