Study of Ionospheric Equatorial Plasma Bubbles Based on GOLD Observations.

Using peak electron density data from the Global‐scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) imager, equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) from October 2018 to December 2022 are identified in this paper. The occurrence characteristics of EPBs is statistically analyzed. The results show that EPBs have strong seasonal and longitudinal variations in the range of longitude −60°–0° and magnetic latitude 25° to −20°: (a) The occurrence of EPBs is highest during the spring and autumn equinoxes and lowest during the summer. (b) Equinox asymmetry is found, that the occurrence of EPBs is much higher in autumn than in spring. (c) A peak in the longitudinal distribution of EPBs is observed, with the highest occurrence occurring between −10° and 0° longitude. Additionally, a second peak is evident at −50° longitude in autumn. The GOLD imager is capable of conducting prolonged observations of EPBs in the same region from space, thereby offering a novel perspective on EPBs. Plain Language Summary: EPBs are depletion regions of the plasma in the equatorial ionosphere, which frequently occur in the bottom of F layer to the upside of ionosphere. Using peak electron density data from the Global‐scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) imager, we identify and statistically study EPBs between October 2018 and December 2022. The image subspace analysis with the singular value decomposition and the binarization with magnetic latitude are used for the identification of EPBs. The climatological variations of the EPBs are then statistically analyzed and some results are obtained. Seasonal variations in the occurrence of EPBs, asymmetries in the occurrence of spring equinoxes and autumn equinoxes, variations in longitudes are found. Key Points: We identify EPBs in GOLD peak electron density data for the period October 2018 to December 2022 and analyzed them statisticallySignificant seasonal variations in the occurrence of EPBs were observed. The highest was observed in autumn, with the lowest in summerObservation of equinox asymmetry and longitude variability in the occurrence of EPBs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]