Electromechanical Feedback Processes in the Ionosphere
Abstract
The general goals were to provide a better understanding of observed neutral and plasma structures in the upper atmosphere, and to define appropriate parameterizations for the neutral-plasma interactions governing these structures in comprehensive numerical models of the thermosphere and ionosphere. A convection model was utilized to investigate the electrodynamic coupling between the magnetosphere and thermosphere including the effects of neutral winds, and noting the change in electric fields penetrating to low latitudes due to the wind effects. A unique aspect of the study is that the high latitude convection driven winds are included self-consistently and interactively; that is, a steady state wind parameterization was derived analytically in terms of the electric potential, which is in turn included in a closed-loop calculation for the electric potential itself. An analogous study was performed for the thermosphere ionosphere system, wherein the balance height of the F layer was expressed analytically in terms of the meridional neutral wind, and the two parameters allowed to evolve self consistently within dynamical calculations representing magnetically disturbed and quiet conditions in the thermosphere. In another series of calculations, plasma structures unique to the equatorial ionosphere were modeled analytically and incorporated into a numerical solution of the neutral dynamics to demonstrate the controlling influence of the ionosphere on the equatorial thermosphere.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 31, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA199235
Entities
People
- Jeffrey M. Forbes
Organizations
- Boston University