Editing Ionosphere (section)

===Equatorial anomaly===
[[Image:Diurnal ionospheric current.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|Electric currents created in sunward ionosphere.]]
Within approximately ± 20 degrees of the ''magnetic equator'', is the ''[[equator]]ial anomaly.''<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Andreeva |first1=E. S. |last2=Franke |first2=S. J. |last3=Yeh |first3=K. C. |last4=Kunitsyn |first4=V. E. |date=2000-08-15 |title=Some features of the equatorial anomaly revealed by ionospheric tomography |url=https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/1999GL003725 |journal=Geophysical Research Letters |language=en |volume=27 |issue=16 |pages=2465–2468 |doi=10.1029/1999GL003725 |issn=0094-8276}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Wu |first1=Tsung-Yu |last2=Liu |first2=Jann-Yenq |last3=Chang |first3=Loren C. |last4=Lin |first4=Chien-Hung |last5=Chiu |first5=Yi-Chung |date=2021-07-19 |title=Equatorial ionization anomaly response to lunar phase and stratospheric sudden warming |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=14695 |doi=10.1038/s41598-021-94326-x |pmid=34282218 |issn=2045-2322|pmc=8289839 }}</ref> It is the occurrence of a trough in the ionization in the F<sub>2</sub> layer at the equator and crests at about 17 degrees in magnetic latitude.<ref name=":0" /> The [[Earth's magnetic field]] lines are horizontal at the magnetic equator. Solar heating and [[Tide|tidal]] oscillations in the lower ionosphere move plasma up and across the magnetic field lines. This sets up a sheet of electric current in the E region which, with the [[Horizontal plane|horizontal]] magnetic field, forces ionization up into the F layer, concentrating at ± 20 degrees from the magnetic equator. This phenomenon is known as the ''equatorial fountain''.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Bridgman |first=Tom |date=2018-01-31 |title=NASA Scientific Visualization Studio {{!}} Interface to Space: The Equatorial Fountain |url=https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4617/ |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=NASA Scientific Visualization Studio |language=english}}</ref>