Characteristics of ionospheric north-south asymmetry and their relationship with irregularity

Using the empirical ionospheric model, the flux-tube integrated electron density and the ratio between the F-region Pedersen conductivity and the total E- and F-region Pedersen conductivity are calculated to investigate the characteristics of the ionospheric asymmetry after sunset during a solar cycle. Furthermore, two indices representing the asymmetric strength of the parameters respectively are defined to study its relationship with the occurrences of the irregularities during different seasons and with different solar activities. The results indicate that the electron density and the Pedersen conductivity ratio show north-south remarkable hemispheric asymmetry at different solar energy levels. The asymmetric strengths represent the dependence on seasons and solar activities, and their variation depending on seasons and solar activities show a negative correlation with the occurrences of the equatorial irregularities and also have a negative relation with the linear growth rate of the generalized Rayleigh-Taylor instability.