Computer simulation studies have described the vertical and horizontal characteristics of plasma depletions in the equatorial ionosphere. We have used those results to generate the airglow signatures of two F-rmregion emissions (6300 Å and 7774 Å) that can be used to relate observed morphologies to theoretical models. The airglow patterns that emerge show that the dominant features are enhancements in 6300 Å levels to the east and west of the plasma depletions, while at 7774 Å the airglow signals show reductions coincident with the integrated plasma depletions. Recent airglow imaging data from Natal, Brazil, confirm the simulation results, showing that the formation and earlytime behavior of ionospheric depletions can be studied by their airglow signatures observed from groundbased equatorial sites.
