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.

Ce travail de thèse est consacré à l’étude de la structure électrique de la croûte terrestre dans deux régions du Vietnam, au Nord dans le delta du Fleuve Rouge et au Sud dans la région de la faille de la Rivière Saigon, et en Afrique de l’Ouest, où les données utilisées sont celles acquises durant l’Année Internationale de l’Electrojet Equatorial (AIEE). La technique utilisée est celle du sondage magnétotellurique. Deux des régions étudiées (le sud du Vietnam et l’Afrique de l’Ouest) sont situées au voisinage de l’équateur magnétique. Du fait de la présence de l’électrojet équatorial, l’hypothèse de l’onde plane, sur laquelle est basée la magnétotellurique, n’y est vérifiée que pour une gamme de périodes limitée. La modélisation de l’induction par un électrojet gaussien nous a permis de caractériser l’effet de source associé à l’électrojet équatorial, et de déterminer pour chacune des zones étudiées les gammes de périodes pour lesquelles cet effet de source est négligeable. Nous avons par ailleurs montré que l’effet de source associé à l’électrojet équatorial dépend des principales caractéristiques de la structure électrique du sous-sol, et de la distance entre le centre de l’électrojet équatorial et la position examinée. Dans le delta du fleuve Rouge, le profil magnétotellurique est orienté SO-NE. Long d’environ 32 km, il recoupe les failles majeures du système de failles du Fleuve Rouge. Les données magnétotelluriques ont été inversées pour obtenir une coupe transversale de résistivité électrique pour les trois premiers kilomètres. Cette coupe de résistivité électrique et une coupe de densité obtenue par modélisation des données gravimétriques acquises le long du même profil, ainsi que des informations déduites de forages effectués au voisinage du profil ont été utilisées pour proposer une coupe géologique de la région étudiée. Dans la région de la faille de la Rivière Saigon, le profil magnétotellurique, long d’environ 15 km, recoupe le trajet supposé de la faille. La structure électrique des premiers kilomètres de la croûte a été déterminée par inversion 2-D des données pour les gammes de périodes qui ne sont pas affectées par l’électrojet équatorial (< 0,7 s). La coupe transversale de résistivité électrique ainsi obtenue nous a permis de proposer une nouvelle localisation de la faille de la Rivière Saigon, à la limite entre un domaine résistant, le bloc de Da Lat au nord-est, et un domaine moins résistant, le bloc de Can Tho au sud-ouest. Cette nouvelle localisation est à environ 2,2 km au sud-ouest de la localisation généralement supposée pour cette faille. En Afrique de l’Ouest, nous avons montré que les données de jour sont affectées par l’électrojet équatorial pour toute la gamme de période étudiée (>120 s); ces données n’ont donc pas été utilisées pour déterminer la structure électrique de la croûte et du manteau supérieur. L’inversion 2-D des données de nuit, montre la présence d’une structure subverticale, relativement conductrice, qui sépare le Craton Ouest-africain très résistant des terrains situés sous le bassin du fleuve Sénégal. / This thesis is devoted to the study of the electrical structure of the Earth’s crust in two regions of Vietnam (the Red River Delta in the north and the region of the Saigon River fault in the south) and in West Africa. The data were those acquired during the International Year of the Equatorial Electrojet (IYEE). The technique used is the magnetotelluric (MT) sounding method. Two of the regions studied (southern Vietnam and West Africa) are located near the magnetic equator. Due to the presence of the equatorial electrojet in these regions, the assumption of plane wave, on which MT relies, is valid for a limited range of periods. Modeling of the induction by a Gaussian electrojet allowed us to characterize the source effect associated with the equatorial electrojet, and to determine for each studied region the period ranges for which the source effect is negligible. We have also shown that the source effect associated with the equatorial electrojet depends on the main features of the electrical structure of the basement, and the distance between the center of the equatorial electrojet and the location of the considered station. In the Red River Delta at the north, the MT profile is oriented SW-NE. It is about 32 km long, and goes across the major faults of the Red River fault system. MT data were applied 2-D inversion to obtain a electrical cross-section for the first three kilometers of the crust. This electrical cross-section, a density cross-section obtained by modeling of gravity data collected along the same profile, and information derived from holes drilled in the vicinity of the profile, both were used to construct a geological section of the study area. In the region of the Saigon River fault, the magnetotelluric profile is about 15 km long. It goes across the supposed location of the fault. The electrical structure of the first three kilometers of the crust was determined by 2-D inversion of data for periods which are not affected by the equatorial electrojet (< 0.7 s). The electrical cross-section obtained allowed us to propose a new location for the Saigon River fault; it corresponds to the boundary between a resistant domain, the block of Da Lat in the north-east, and a less resistant domain, the block of Can Tho in the south-west. This new location is about 2.2 km southwest of the location currently assumed for this fault. In West Africa, we have shown that electromagnetic impedances derived using day time data are affected by the equatorial electrojet for the whole range of period studied (> 120 s), so these data have not been used to determine the electrical structure of the crust and the upper mantle. The 2-D inversion of nighttime data shows the presence of a subvertical structure, relatively conductive, which separates the West African Craton which is very resistant from the geological structures beneath the Senegal River basin.