Large-scale E-region electric field structure due to gravity wave winds

Oscillatory neutral wind motions, such as those of atmospheric gravity waves which propagate through the E-region of the ionosphere, appear to produce local electric fields in the source region. Although the net effect of these oscillatory fields vanishes outside the source region, the local fields themselves are not shorted out along the magnetic field lines, as is usually assumed. We present in situ measurements of neutral winds and the correlated electric fields, and show that local electric fields of the order of a few mV/m can be sustained by the neutral wind motions.