A THREE FLUID MODEL IONOSPHERE.
Abstract
This paper is intended as a contribution to the understanding of the distribution of particles in a planetary atmosphere and the mechanisms responsible for maintaining that distribution. Model atmosphere are considered which have relatively simple chemical compositions and which are ionized to some degree. The distribution of particles throughout the atmosphere, the associated electric fields and the boundary conditions which are necessary to maintain the distributions are discussed. The problem considered here is to obtain some further insight into the mechanism which controls the distribution of particles in an ionosphere. The roles played by diffusion, the electric field and the boundary conditions are of interest. A more general set of equations is derived for the distribution of particles than has been previously published. This set of equations is applied to a series of simple models, one of which is a reasonable model for the F layer of the Earth's ionosphere. Some conclusions are drawn on the various mechanisms involved in maintaining the structure of planetary atmospheres. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0618911
Entities
People
- Craig Comstock
Organizations
- Harvard University