Wiley, Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics, 2(120), p. 1371-1382, 2015
DOI: 10.1002/2014ja020878
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Using the fan sector backscatter maps of 47 MHz Equatorial Atmosphere Radar (EAR) at Kototabang (0.2oS geog. lat, 100.3oE geog. long and 10.4oS geomag. lat), Indonesia, the spatial and temporal evolution of equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) were examined to classify the evolutionary type EPBs from those which formed elsewhere and drifting into the field of view of radar. A total of 535 EPBs were observed during the low to moderate solar activity years 2010 – 2012, out of which, about 210 (~39%) are of evolving-type and the remaining 325 (~61%) are drifting-in EPBs. In general, both the evolving-type and drifting-in EPBs exhibit predominance during the post-sunset hours of equinoxes and December solstices. Interestingly, a large number of EPBs were found to develop even a few minutes prior to the apex sunset during equinoxes. Further, the occurrence of evolving-type EPBs exhibits a clear secondary peak around midnight (2300 – 0100 LT), primarily, due to higher rate of occurrence during the post-midnight hours of June solstices. A significant number (~33%) of post-midnight EPBs generated during June solstices did not exhibited any clear zonal drift while about 14% of EPBs drifted westward. Also, the westward drifting EPBs are confined only to June solstices. The responsible mechanisms for the genesis of fresh EPBs during post-midnight hours were discussed in light of equatorward meridional winds in the presence of weak westward electric fields.