Thesis advisor: Prof. Michael J. Naughton / Thesis advisor: Dr. Cesar E. Valladares / The equatorial and low-latitude ionosphere of the Earth exhibits unique features on its structuring, coupling, and electrodynamics that offer the possibility to forecast the dynamics and fluctuations of ionospheric plasma densities at later times. The scientific understanding and forecasting of ionospheric plasma are necessary for several practical applications, such as for mitigating the adverse effects of space weather on communication, navigation, power grids, space mission, and for various scientific experiments and applications. The daytime equatorial electrojet (EEJ), equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA), as well as nighttime equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) and plasma blobs are the most prominent low-latitude ionospheric phenomena. This dissertation focuses on the multi-diagnostic study of the mechanism, properties, abnormalities, and interrelationships of these phenomena to provide significant contributions to space weather communities from the ground- and space-based measurements. A strong longitudinal, seasonal, day-to-day variability and dependency between EEJ, ExB vertical plasma drift, and total electron content (TEC) in the EIA distribution are seen in the equatorial and low-latitude region. In general, the EEJ strength is stronger in the west coast of South America than in its east coast. The variability of the EEJ in the dayside ionosphere significantly affects the ionospheric electron density variation, dynamics of the peak height of F2-layer, and TEC distributions as the EEJ influences the vertical transport mechanism of the ionospheric plasma. The eastward electric field (EEF) and the neutral wind play a decisive role in controlling the actual configuration of the EIA. The trans-equatorial neutral wind profile calculated using data from the Second-generation, Optimized, Fabry-Perot Doppler Imager (SOFDI) located near the geomagnetic equator and a physics-based numerical model, LLIONS (Low-Latitude IONospheric Sector) give new perspectives on the effects of daytime meridional neutral winds on the consequent evolution of the asymmetry of the equatorial TEC anomalies during the afternoon onwards. The spatial configurations including the strength, shape, amplitude and latitudinal extension of the EIA crests are affected by the EEF associated with the EEJ under undisturbed conditions, whereas the meridional neutral winds play a significant role in the development of their asymmetric structure in the low-latitude ionosphere. Additionally, the SWARM satellite constellation and the ground-based LISN (Low-Latitude Ionospheric Sensor Network) data allow us to resolve the space-time ambiguity of past single-satellite studies and detect the drastic changes that EPBs and plasma blobs undergo on a short time scale. The coordinated quantitative analysis of a plasma density observation shows evidence of the association of plasma blobs with EPBs via an appropriate geomagnetic flux tube. Plasma blobs were initially associated with the EPBs and remained at the equatorial latitude right above the EPBs height, but later were pushed away from geomagnetic equator towards EIA latitudes by the EPB/ depleted flux tubes that grew in volume. Further, there exists a strong correlation between the noontime equatorial electrojet and the GPS-derived TEC distributions during the afternoon time period, caused by vertical E × B drift via the fountain effect. Nevertheless, only a minor correlation likely exists between the peak EEJ and the net postsunset ionospheric scintillation index (S4) greater than 0.2. This study not only searches for a mutual relationship between the midday, afternoon and nighttime ionospheric phenomena but also aims at providing a possible route to improve our space weather forecasting capability by predicting nighttime ionospheric irregularities based on midday measurements at the equatorial and low latitudes. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2018. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Physics.

Equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) are large structures consisting of depleted plasma that generally form on the nightside of Earth's ionosphere along magnetic field lines in the upper thermosphere/ionosphere. While referred to as `bubbles', EPBs tend to be longer along magnetic latitudes and narrower along magnetic longitudes which are on the order of thousands and hundreds of kilometers, respectively. EPBs are a well documented occurrence with observations spanning many decades. As such, much is known about their general behavior, seasonal variation of occurrences, increasing/decreasing occurrences with increasing/decreasing solar activity, and their ability to interact and interfere with radio waves such as GPS. This dissertation expands on this understanding by focusing on the detection and tracking of EPBs in the upper thermosphere/ionosphere along equatorial to low latitudes. To do this, far ultraviolet (FUV) emission observations of the recombination of O$^+$ with electrons via the Global-Scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission are analyzed. GOLD provides consistent data from geostationary orbit with the eastern region of the Americas, Atlantic, and western Africa. The optical data can be used to pick out gradients in brightness along the 135.6 nm wavelength which correlate with the location of EPBs in the nightside ionosphere. The dissertation provides a novel method to look at and analyze 2-dimensional data with inconsistent time-steps for EPB detection and tracking. During development, preprocessing of large scale (multiple years) data proved to be the largest time sync. To that end, this dissertation tests the possibility of using convolution neural networks for detection of EPBs with the end goal of reducing the amount of preprocessing necessary. Further, data from the Ionospheric Connection Explorer's (ICON's) ion velocity meter (IVM) are compared to EPBs detected via GOLD to understand how the ambient plasma around the EPBs behave. Along with the ambient plasma, zonal and meridional thermospheric winds observed by ICON's Michelson Interferometer for Global High-resolution Thermospheric Imaging (MIGHTI) instrument are analyzed in conjunction with the same EPBs to understand how winds coincident with EPBs behave. An analysis of winds before EPBs form is also done to observe the potential for both zonal and meridional winds' ability to suppress and amplify EPB formation. / Doctor of Philosophy / Equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) are large structures that generally form during post- sunset along Earth's magnetic equator. While referred to as `bubbles', EPBs tend to be thousands of kilometers from north to south and hundreds of kilometers from east to west and well over a thousands kilometers in altitude. EPBs are a well documented occurrence with observations spanning many decades. This includes their ability to interfere with radar and GPS. This dissertation expands on the scientific community's understanding by focusing on the detection and tracking of EPBs along the magnetic equator. To do this, observations from the NASA Global-Scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission are analyzed. GOLD provides consistent observations looking over the eastern region of the Americas, Atlantic, and western Africa. A unique method to look at and analyze this data for EPB detection and tracking is developed. This dissertation also tests the possibility of using machine learning for detection of EPBs. Further, data from the NASA Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) mission is compared to EPBs detected via GOLD to understand how the behavior of the upper atmosphere and the conductive region therein, known as the ionosphere, interact with the EBPs themselves.