DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.2539828
title: Database of Nightside, High-latitude Ionosphere Meso-scale Flow Characteristics

description: This database is a compilation of nightside, high-latitude ionosphere meso-scale flow characteristics built on those used in Gabrielse et al. [2018] (https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JA025440). It is the most complete version. If you would like to use the database, please contact Christine Gabrielse (cgabrielse@ucla.edu, cgabrielse@gmail.com, and/or christine.gabrielse@aero.org). Depending on how the results are used, the main authors request co-authorship on publications that utilize this database. 

The methodology and selection criteria can be found in Gabrielse et al. [2018] (https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JA025440). 

The following list describes the columns in each data file labeled, ***_FLOW-DATA-PCvsAO_YYYY.txt <br>
The first three letters (RNK or SAS) designate the station used (Rankin Inlet or Saskatoon).<br>
Files named  ***_FLOW-DATA-PCvsAO_poleward_YYYY.txt are for poleward-directed flows. <br>
Each text file is for a different year (YYYY). <br>
<br>
AO=Auroral Oval for Rankin Inlet; equatorward of the auroral oval for Saskatoon (not used)<br>
PC=Polar Cap for Rankin Inlet; Auroral Oval for Saskatoon

(Note: the data files for RNK and SAS have the same format, so the PC designator means flows above the pertinent boundary (polar cap boundary for RNK, auroral oval equatorward boundary at SAS) and the AO designator means flows below the pertinent boundary.)

      time [YYYYMMDDhhmmss]<br>
      flagAO [-1=flow could not be observed. 0=flow could be observed, but was not. 1=flow was observed]<br>
      flagPC [-1=flow could not be observed. 0=flow could be observed, but was not. 1=flow was observed]<br>
      FWHMavg_AO [degrees]<br>
      FWHMkmavg_AO=[km]<br>
      longtestranges=[ignore]<br>
      Velmaxavg_AO=[m/s, actual average of max V in each range gate used]<br>
      VelmaxFITavg_AO=[m/s, determined from the Gaussian fits]<br>
      FWHMavg_PC=[degrees]<br>
      FWHMkmavg_PC=[km]<br>
      Velmaxavg_PC=[m/s, actual average of max V in each range gate used]<br>
      VelmaxFITavg_PC=[m/s, determined from the Gaussian fits]

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;<br>
For the bearings/orientation, see the orientation text files. The following four variables were calculated in a first step but are not<br>
those used in the paper. They were not found with the strict selection criteria. **Please do not use.**<br>
      mbearingAO=[degrees in magnetic coordinates, a negative value is South of East (clockwise from East), a positive value is North of East (CC)]<br>
      mbearingPC=[degrees in magnetic coordinates, a negative value is South of East (clockwise from East), a positive value is North of East (CC)]   <br>
      gbearingAO=[degrees in geographic coordinates, a negative value is South of East (clockwise from East), a positive value is North of East (CC)]<br>
      gbearingPC=[degrees in geographic coordinates, a negative value is South of East (clockwise from East), a positive value is North of East (CC)]<br>
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;<br>
      minlatAO=[degrees, min geographic latitude of the flow]<br>
      maxlatAO=[degrees, max geographic latitude of the flow]<br>
      minlatPC=[degrees, min geographic latitude of the flow]<br>
      maxlatPC=[degrees, max geographic latitude of the flow]<br>
      mltAO=[degrees (MLT)]<br>
      mltPC=[degrees (MLT)]<br>
      AE=[nT]<br>
      AL=[nT]<br>
      SYMH=[nT]<br>
      IMFBy=[nT]<br>
      IMFBz=[nT]      <br>
      F107=[sfu]

The following list describes the columns in each data file labeled, ***_orientation_YYYY.txt <br>
Files named  ***_orientation_poleward_YYYY.txt are for poleward-directed flows. <br>
Each text file is for a different year (YYYY). <br>
The orientation was determined when enough bearings between RGs were available. See Gabrielse et al. [2018] for description. <br>
https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JA025440 <br>
AO=auroral oval<br>
PC=polar cap

      time [YYYYMMDDhhmmss]<br>
      mbearingAO [degrees clockwise from magnetic North]<br>
      gbearingAO [degrees clockwise from geographic North]<br>
      mbearingPC [degrees clockwise from magnetic North]<br>
      gbearingPC [degrees clockwise from geographic North]

The following list describes the columns in each data file labeled, ***_SPEC_TEST_***_noRG1-2.txt

      time [YYYYMMDDhhmmss]<br>
      RG [the range gate number at which the polar cap boundary was determined at RNK, or the auroral oval's equatorial boundary at SAS]
description: {"references": ["Gabrielse, C., Nishimura, Y., Lyons, L., Gallardo-Lacourt, B., Deng, Y., & Donovan, E. (2018). Statistical properties of mesoscale plasma flows in the nightside high-latitude ionosphere. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 123, 6798\u20136820. https://doi.org/ 10.1029/2018JA025440"]}