Field aligned irregularities
Encyclopedia
Field Aligned Irregularities (FAI) are anisotropic perturbations of plasma density associated with magnetic field
s. FAI are usually thought of in the context of the Earth's ionosphere
, where several natural processes generate FAI in the E region and F region
.
Magnetic field
A magnetic field is a mathematical description of the magnetic influence of electric currents and magnetic materials. The magnetic field at any given point is specified by both a direction and a magnitude ; as such it is a vector field.Technically, a magnetic field is a pseudo vector;...
s. FAI are usually thought of in the context of the Earth's ionosphere
Ionosphere
The ionosphere is a part of the upper atmosphere, comprising portions of the mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere, distinguished because it is ionized by solar radiation. It plays an important part in atmospheric electricity and forms the inner edge of the magnetosphere...
, where several natural processes generate FAI in the E region and F region
F region
The F region of the ionosphere is home to the F layer of ionization, also called the Appleton layer, after the English physicist Edward Appleton. As with other ionospheric sectors, 'layer' implies a concentration of plasma, while 'region' is the area that contains the said layer...
.