FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF STRIATED STRUCTURE DURING PLASMA CLOUD EVOLUTION IN THE EARTHS IONOSPHERE

The data of the ground optical observations of plasma cloud striation in the ionosphere are compared with the numerical model. The high spatial (50 m) and temporal (0.2 s) resolution of the observations allowed us to investigate the fine structure of the striated clouds in detail. The dynamical/structural parameters of the strata system observed are shown to be in reasonable quantitative agreement with the simulated ones. The striation process can be understood in terms of the gradient-drift instability development in the electric field strongly perturbed by the plasma cloud injection. The ''stretching'' criterion, necessary for the plasma cloud's striation, is obtained.