A statistical analysis of conjugate equatorial plasma bubbles based on 630 nm airglow observations

Using the observations of the 630-nm all-sky imagers(ASIs)located in the geomagnetic conjugate points in the American sector from 2014 to 2017,this study statistically analyzed the features of conjugate equatorial plasma bubbles(EPBs),including their occurrence rate,zonal width,location and zonal drift velocity.The results show that the occurrence rate of the EPBs that occur simultaneously at geomagnetic conjugate points is~84%.The zonal widths of the EPBs are mainly~100 km,and the width differences of EPBs between the northern and southern hemispheres are mainly within±30 km.The zonal displacements of the center locations of the northern and southern EPBs are within±50 km.The zonal drift velocities of the northern and southern EPBs are nearly equal.However,it should be noted that the velocity of the EPBs in the northern hemisphere is 10%faster than that in the southern hemisphere.The results suggest that conjugate EPBs are common.Moreover,the non-conjugate EPBs in the northern and southern hemisphere can occur occasionally,which is probably associated with the different ionospheric backgrounds between the two hemispheres.The features of the conjugate EPBs as shown in this study provides support for the nowcasting of EPBs in the conjugate hemispheres.