Dynamical behavior of thermal protons in the mid-latitude ionosphere and magnetosphere     

P.M. Banks  A.F. NagyW.I. Axford 《Planetary and Space Science》1971

Satellite and other observations have shown that H⁺ densities in the mid-latitude topside ionosphere are greatly reduced during magnetic storms when the plasmapause and magnetic field convection move to relatively low L-values. In the recovery phase of the magnetic storm the convection region moves to higher L-values and replenishment of H⁺ in the empty magnetospheric field tubes begins. The upwards flow of H⁺, which arises from O⁺—H charge exchange, is initially supersonic. However, as the field tubes fill with plasma, a shock front moves downwards towards the ionosphere, eventually converting the upwards flow to subsonic speeds. The duration of this supersonic recovery depends strongly on the volume of the field tube; for example calculations indicate that for L = 5 the time is approximately 22 hours. The subsonic flow continues until diffusive equilibrium is reached or a new magnetic storm begins. Calculations of the density and flux profiles expected during the subsonic phase of the recovery show that diffusive equilibrium is still not reached after an elapsed time of 10 days and correspondingly there is still a net loss of plasma from the ionosphere to the magnetosphere at that time. This slow recovery of the H⁺ density and flux patterns, following magnetic storms, indicates that the mid-latitude topside ionosphere may be in a continual dynamic state if the storms occur sufficiently often.  相似文献   

Relative flow of H⁺ and O⁺ ions in the topside ionosphere at mid-latitudes     

G.I. Bailey  R.J. Moffett  J.A. Murphy 《Planetary and Space Science》1977,25(10):967-972

Theoretical results on the daily variation of O⁺ and H⁺ field-aligned velocities in the topside ionosphere are presented. The results are for an L = 3 magnetic field tube under sunspot minimum conditions at equinox. They come from calculations of time-dependent O⁺ and H⁺ continuity and momentum balance in a magnetic field tube which extends from the lower F2 region to the equatorial plane (Murphy et al., 1976).There are occasions when ion counterstreaming occurs, with the O⁺ velocity upward and H⁺ velocity downward. The conditions causing this counterstreaming are described: the H⁺ layer is descending whilst O⁺ is supplied from below either to increase the O⁺ concentration at fixed heights or to replace O⁺ ions lost by charge exchange with neutral H. It is suggested that the results of observations at Arecibo by Vickrey et al. (1976) of O⁺ and H⁺ concentrations and counterstreaming velocities are significantly affected by $\text{E}\text{×}\text{B}$ drift.  相似文献   

The topside equatorial ionosphere during daytime: Elevated plasma temperatures,the transequatorial O⁺ breeze and the dynamics of minor ions     

G.I. Bailey  R.I. Moffett 《Planetary and Space Science》1979,27(8):1075-1085

Steady-state calculations are performed for the daytime equatorial F2-region and topside ionosphere. Values are calculated of the electron and ion temperatures and the concentrations and field-aligned velocities of the ions O⁺, H⁺ and He⁺. Account is taken of upward $\text{E × B}$ drift, a summer-winter horizontal neutral air wind and heating of the electron gas by thermalization of fast photoelectrons.The calculated plasma temperatures are in accord with experiment: at the equator there is an isothermal region from about 400–550 km altitude, with temperatures of about 2400 K around 800 km altitude. The transequatorial O⁺ breeze flux from summer to winter in the topside ionosphere is not greatly affected by the elevated plasma temperatures. The field-aligned velocities of H⁺ and He⁺ depend strongly on the O⁺ field-aligned velocity and on the presence of large temperature gradients. For the minor ions, ion-ion drag with O⁺ cannot be neglected for the topside ionosphere.  相似文献   

Effect of diffusion-thermal processes on the high-latitude topside ionosphere     

R.W. Schunk  W.J. Raitt  A.F. Nagy 《Planetary and Space Science》1978,26(2):189-191

We have studied the extent to which diffusion-thermal heat flow affects H⁺ temperatures in the high-latitude topside ionosphere. Such a heat flow occurs whenever there are H⁺?O⁺ relative drifts. From our study we have found that at high-latitudes, where H⁺ flows up and out of the topside ionosphere, diffusion-thermal heat flow acts to reduce H⁺ temperatures by 500–600 K at altitudes above about 900 km.  相似文献   

Interhemispheric flow of thermal plasma in a closed magnetic flux tube at mid-latitudes under sunspot minimum conditions     

G.J. Bailey  R.J. Moffett  J.A. Murphy 《Planetary and Space Science》1978,26(8):753-765

The coupled H⁺ and O⁺ time-dependent continuity and momentum equations are solved within a region of the L = 3 magnetic flux tube lying between (and including) the F2-layers of conjugate hemispheres. The method of solution is an extended and modified version of the Murphy et al. (1976) method. The model is used to study the coupling between the F2-layers of conjugate hemispheres during magnetically quiet periods.The results of the calculations strongly indicate that the protonosphere acts as a reservoir, with variable H⁺ content, which prevents direct coupling between the F2-layers of conjugate hemispheres. However there is generally a significant interhemispheric flow of plasma. This flow is caused by conditions in the summer and winter topside ionospheres and it maintains continuity in the plasma concentration within the protonosphere. There are times when the direction of flow is from the winter hemisphere to the summer hemisphere. It is suggested that maintenance of the winter F2-layer at night is not assisted directly by the F2-layer of the conjugate summer hemisphere.It is shown that during the first few days of protonosphere replenishment after a magnetic storm there is an upflow of H⁺ in the topside ionosphere at all times in the summer hemisphere. There is also an upflow of H⁺ during the daytime in both hemispheres. A comparison with the results obtained when the interhemispheric H⁺ flux is held permanently at zero shows that both F2-layers are little affected by the interhemispheric H⁺ flux. Nevertheless both F2-layers are affected by the H⁺ tube content of the protonosphere. When the H⁺ flux at 1000 km in one hemisphere is much greater than the H⁺ flux at 1000 km in the conjugate hemisphere, there is a corresponding signature in the interhemispheric H⁺ flux.The results suggest that there is insufficient time between magnetic storms for complete replenishment of the protonosphere to occur.  相似文献   

Thermal proton flow in the plasmasphere: The morning sector     

Peter M. Banks  Joe R. Doupnik 《Planetary and Space Science》1974,22(1):79-94

Vertical profiles of electron density obtained in the vicinity of the plasmapause using the Alouette-II topside sounder have been analyzed to assess the presence of H⁺ flow in the topside ionosphere. The observations in the midnight sector show clearly the presence of the plasmapause; i.e. there is a sharp boundary separating the poleward regions of polar wind H⁺ flow and the more gentle conditions of the plasmasphere where light ions are present in abundance. In contrast, in the sunlit morning sector upwards H⁺ flow is deduced to be present to invariant latitudes as low as 48° (L = 2·2) in the regions normally known to be well inside the plasmasphere. The upwards H⁺ flux is sufficiently large (3 × 10⁸ ions cm^?2 sec^?1) that the plasmapause cannot be seen in the latitudinal electron density contours of the topside ionosphere. The cause for this flow remains unknown but it may be a result of a diurnal refilling process.  相似文献   

Ion temperature troughs induced by a meridional neutral air wind in the night-time equatorial topside ionosphere     

G.J. Bailey  R.A. Heelis 《Planetary and Space Science》1980,28(9):895-906

A mathematical model has been developed to calculate consistent values for the O⁺ and H⁺ concentrations and field-aligned velocities and for the O⁺, H⁺ and electron temperatures in the night-time equatorial topside ionosphere. Using the results of the model calculations a study is made to establish the ability of F-region neutral air winds to produce observed ion temperature distributions and to investigate the characteristics of ion temperature troughs as functions of altitude, latitude and ionospheric composition. Solar activity conditions that give exospheric neutral gas temperatures 600 K, 800 K and 1000 K are considered.It is shown that the O⁺-H⁺ transition height represents an altitude limit above which ion cooling due to adiabatic expansion of the plasma is extremely small. The neutral atmosphere imposes a lower altitude limit since the neutral atmosphere quenches any ion cooling which field-aligned transport tends to produce. The northern and southern edges of the ion temperature troughs are shown to be restricted to a range of dip latitudes, the limiting dip latitudes being determined by the magnetic field line geometry and by the functional form of the F-region neutral air wind velocity. Both these parameters considerably influence the interaction between the neutral air and the plasma within magnetic flux tubes.  相似文献   

Helium ion outflow from the terrestrial ionosphere     

W.J. Raitt  R.W. Schunk  P.M. Banks 《Planetary and Space Science》1978,26(3):255-268

Extensive calculations have been made of the behaviour of He⁺ for situations where ion outflow occurs from the topside ionosphere. For these circumstances, steady state solutions for the He⁺ continuity, momentum and energy equations have been obtained self-consistently, yielding density, velocity and temperature profiles of He⁺ from 200 to 2000 km altitude. To model the high latitude topside ionosphere, a range of background H⁺O⁺ ionospheres was considered with variations in the H⁺ outflow velocity, the presence of a perpendicular electric field and different peak O⁺ densities. In addition, the atmospheric density of neutral helium was chosen to model typical observed winter and summer densities. From our studies we have found that: (a) The outflowing He⁺ has density profiles of similar shape to those of H⁺, for basically different reasons; (b) The effect of the perpendicular electric field differs considerably for H⁺ and He⁺. This difference stems from the fact that an electric field acts to alter significantly the O⁺ density at high altitudes and this, in turn, changes the H⁺ escape flux through the O⁺+H charge exchange reaction. A similar situation does not occur for He⁺ and therefore the He⁺ escape flux exhibits a negligibly small change with electric field; (c) The fractional heating of He⁺ due to the He⁺O⁺ relative flow is not as effective in heating He⁺ as the H⁺O⁺ relative flow is in heating H⁺; (d) During magnetospheric disturbances when the N₂ density at the altitude of the He⁺ peak (600 km) can increase by a factor as large as 50, the He⁺ peak density decreases only by approximately a factor of 2; and (e) The He⁺ escape flux over the winter pole is approximately a factor of 20 greater than the He⁺ escape flux over the summer pole. Consequently, on high latitude closed field lines there could be an interhemispheric He⁺ flux from winter to summer.  相似文献   

Thermal ion flows in the topside auroral ionosphere and the effects of low-altitude,transverse acceleration     

M. Lockwood 《Planetary and Space Science》1982,30(6):595-609

Topside ionospheric profiles are used to study the upward field-aligned flow of thermal O⁺ at high latitudes. On the majority of the field lines outside the plasmasphere, the mean flux is approximately equal to the mean polar wind measured by spacecraft at greater altitudes. This is consistent with the theory of thermal light ion escape supported, via charge exchange, by upward O⁺ flow at lower heights. Events of larger O⁺ flow are detected at auroral latitudes and their occurrence is found to agree with that of transversely accelerated ions within the topside ionosphere and the magnetosphere. The effects of low altitude heating of O⁺ by oxygen cyclotron waves, driven by downward field-aligned currents, are considered as a possible common cause of these two types of event.  相似文献   

Effects of charge exchange involving H and H+ in the upper atmosphere     

Brian A. Tinsley 《Planetary and Space Science》1978,26(9):847-853

It is argued that there is a terrestrial loss of hydrogen as ions which includes the polar wind but extends effectively down to a latitude in the range 45–50° invariant. In daytime and for much of the night-time the flux is close to the limiting value for H⁺ flow through the topside ionosphere. It is argued that the flux decreases rapidly with increasing solar activity, following the decrease in neutral hydrogen concentration. It has been found that as solar activity increases the Jeans escape flux increases, and the charge exchange escape flux increases until moderate solar activity levels are reached. As solar activity increases from moderate to high levels, the charge exchange escape may decrease again. A new budget for terrestrial hydrogen loss over the solar cycle is given. The global flux of hydrogen ions outward from the ionosphere is comparable with estimates of the plasma sheet loss rates, and this flux, together with some solar wind plasma, is an attractive source for the plasma sheet.The energetic neutrals produced from the charge exchange of ring current ions with thermal-energy neutrals in the exosphere produce the optical emission of the equatorial aurora, which can be related to ion production rates near and above the E-region. The ionization production is adequate to explain the enhancements in ion production observed during magnetic storms at Arecibo.  相似文献   

Effects of convection electric field on the thermal plasma flow between the ionosphere and the protonosphere     

K. Marubashi 《Planetary and Space Science》1979,27(5):603-615

Dynamic behavior of the coupled ionosphere-protonosphere system in the magnetospheric convection electric field has been theoretically studied for two plasmasphere models. In the first model, it is assumed that the whole plasmasphere is in equilibrium with the underlying ionosphere in a diurnal average sense. The result for this model shows that the plasma flow between the ionosphere and the protonosphere is strongly affected by the convection electric field as a result of changes in the volume of magnetic flux tubes associated with the convective cross-L motion. Since the convection electric field is assumed to be directed from dawn to dusk, magnetic flux tubes expand on the dusk side and contract on the dawn side when rotating around the earth. The expansion of magnetic flux tubes on the dusk side causes the enhancement of the upward H⁺ flow, whereas the contraction on the dawn side causes the enhancement of the downward H⁺ flow. Consequently, the H⁺ density decreases on the dusk side and increases on the dawn side. It is also found that significant latitudinal variations in the ionospheric structures result from the L-dependency of these effects. In particular, the H⁺ density at 1000 km level becomes very low in the region of the plasmasphere bulge on the dusk side. In the second model, it is assumed that the outer portion of the plasmasphere is in the recovery state after depletions during geomagnetically disturbed periods. The result for this model shows that the upward H⁺ flux increases with latitude and consequently the H⁺ density decreases with latitude in the region of the outer plasmasphere. In summary, the present theoretical study provides a basis for comparison between the equatorial plasmapause and the trough features in the topside ionosphere.  相似文献   

Induced proton flow in a collapsing post-sunset ionosphere and protonosphere     

J.A. Murphy  R.J. Moffett 《Planetary and Space Science》1978,26(3):281-288

The effect of the onset of post-sunset conditions on thermal proton flow is examined for mid-latitudes by numerical solution of the equations of continuity, momentum and energy balance for H⁺ and O⁺. Results are calculated for a dipole magnetic field tube situated at L = 4 and acceleration terms are included in the momentum equations. Proton flow into the ionosphere results from decay of the F2-layer. Changes in temperatures and temperature gradients following sunset may not enhance the H⁺ flow. Under extreme conditions the H⁺ flow remains subsonic. It seems unlikely that an interhemispheric flux of protons can directly maintain the nighttime F2-layer.  相似文献   

The influence of convection electric fields on thermal proton outflow from the ionosphere     

W.J. Raitt  R.W. Schunk  P.M. Banks 《Planetary and Space Science》1977,25(3):291-301

The continuity, momentum and energy hydrodynamic equations for an O⁺-H⁺ ionosphere have been solved self-consistently for steady state conditions when a perpendicular (convection) electric field is present. Comparison of the H⁺ temperature profiles obtained with and without the electric field show that the effect of the electric field is to enhance the H⁺ temperature at high altitudes from about 3600 to 6400 K. Due to ion heating by the electric field, there is a net reduction of O⁺ in the F2-region as compared with the case of a non-convecting ionosphere. When the reduction of O⁺ is neglected, the electric field acts to increase the H⁺ outward flux from 8.3 × 10⁷ to 2.7 × 10⁸ cm^?2 sec^?1 for average ionospheric conditions. However, when the reduction of O⁺ is included, there is a net reduction in the outward H⁺ flux. Nevertheless, the convection electric field still results in an increase in the rate of depletion of the F-re m^?1 electric field.  相似文献   

Theoretical ion densities in the lower ionosphere     

R.W. Schunk  J.C.G. Walker 《Planetary and Space Science》1973,21(11):1875-1896

We have solved the coupled momentum and continuity equations for NO⁺, O₂⁺, and O⁺ions in the E- and F-regions of the ionosphere. This theoretical model has enabled us to examine the relative importance of various processes that affect molecular ion densities. We find that transport processes are not important during the day; the molecular ions are in chemical equilibrium at all altitudes. At night, however, both diffusion and vertical drifts induced by winds or electric fields are important in determining molecular ion densities below about 200 km. Molecular ion densities are insensitive to the O⁺ density distribution and so are little affected by decay of the nocturnal F-region or by processes, such as a protonospheric flux, that retard this decay. The O⁺ density profile, on the other hand, is insensitive to molecular ion densities, although the O⁺ diffusion equation is formally coupled to molecular ion densities by the polarization electrostatic field. Nitric oxide plays an important role in determining the NO⁺ to O₂⁺ ratio in the E-region, particularly at night. Nocturnal sources of ionization are required to maintain the E-region through the night. Vertical velocities induced by expansion and contraction of the neutral atmosphere are too small to affect ion densities at any altitude.  相似文献   

Nighttime proton fluxes at Millstone Hill     

J.V. Evans  J.M. Holt 《Planetary and Space Science》1978,26(8):727-744

Incoherent scatter measurements of electron density and vertical O⁺ fluxes over Millstone Hill (42.6°N, 71.5°W) previously have been used to study the exchange of plasma between the ionosphere and the magnetosphere. During the daytime there is usually an upward flux of O⁺ ions above about 450 km that can be measured readily and equated to the escaping proton flux. At night the O⁺ fluxes usually are downwards everywhere owing to the decay of the F-layer, and it becomes difficult to detect effects due an arriving proton flux. In a new study of the nighttime fluxes, appeal was made to the estimated abundance of the H⁺ ions in the upper F-region which can be extracted from the observations. From a study of the behavior on 25 days over the interval 1969–1973, we conclude that in the daytime the flux always is upwards and close to its limiting value. This situation persists throughout the night in summer at times of high sunspot activity (e.g., 1969). There is a period of downward flux prior to ionospheric sunrise on winter nights whose duration increases with decreasing sunspot number. As sunspot minimum is approached (e.g., in 1973) downward fluxes are encountered for a brief period prior to ionospheric sunrise in summer also. Thus, over most parts of sunspot cycle, it appears that the protonosphere supplies ionization to the winter night ionosphere, while being maintained from the summer hemisphere. This helps explain the smallness of the day-to-night variations reported for the electron content of magnetospheric flux tubes near L = 4 in the American sector.  相似文献   

Diffusion coefficients for three major ions in the topside ionosphere     

S. Quegan  G.J. Bailey  R.J. Moffett 《Planetary and Space Science》1981,29(8):851-867

Published experimental data on ion composition in the topside ionosphere are examined. For certain features (the light ion trough, the high-latitude trough, the high-latitude hole and the mid-latitude total ion concentration trough) it is pointed out that the number of major ions present may be 3 or more. Transport equations derived by Schunk and co-workers are extended to include the case of three major ions in the topside ionosphere. Specific calculations are made for the O⁺, H⁺ and He⁺ ions and the behaviour of the diffusion coefficients is discussed. From a model of the high-latitude ionization hole, described by Heelis et al., representative concentration and temperature profiles are obtained. These profiles are used to demonstrate further the behaviour of the ion diffusion coefficients.  相似文献   

Observations of outflowing ion beams on auroral field lines at altitudes of many earth radii     

R. Lunpin  B. Hultqvist  E. Dubinin  A. Zackarov  N. Pissarenko 《Planetary and Space Science》1982,30(7):715-726

The composition, energy and angular characteristics of upward flowing ionospheric ions at altitudes greater than ～ 20,000 km have been studied by means of the PROGNOZ-7 ion composition experiment. Very narrow beams, having widths corresponding to a mirroring altitude of the order a few thousand kilometers or less, may be found up to altitudes exceeding 30,000 km on the nightside. At much higher altitudes and in regions connected to the dayside/flank boundary layer and plasma mantle, the beams are much broader than expected from adiabatic particle motions from an ionospheric source/acceleration region, suggesting that pitch angle scattering or transverse acceleration processes are present there. Considerable mass dispersion effects have also been observed in some upward flowing ionospheric ion beams. The peak energy for the O⁺ ions may differ by several keV compared to that for the H⁺ ions in one and the same ion beam at altitudes above ～ 20,000 km. The O⁺ ions in these beams have gained considerably more energy than H⁺ in the acceleration process. Many examples with a much higher O⁺ than H⁺ content in the beam have been observed. Possible mechanisms giving rise to the observed effects are discussed, one being several kV of potential drop below the neutral H, O-crossover altitude (500–1500 km). At altitudes where the upflowing ionospheric ions are intermixed with magnetosheath ions, mass dispersion effects are also observed. This dispersion often appears to be the result of a velocity filtering effect caused by the dawn-dusk electric field (earthward convection).  相似文献   

A computer simulation of the midlatitude plasmasphere and ionosphere     

E.R. Young  D.G. Torr  P. Richabds  A.F. Nagy 《Planetary and Space Science》1980,28(8):881-893

  相似文献   

Ion transition heights from topside electron density profiles     

J.E. Titheridge 《Planetary and Space Science》1976,24(3):229-245

Theoretical electron density profiles are calculated for the topside ionosphere to determine the major factors controlling the profile shape. Only the mean temperature, the vertical temperature gradient and the $\text{O}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{H}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ ion transition height are important. Vertical proton fluxes alter the ion transition height but have no other effect on the profile shape. Diffusive equilibrium profiles including only these three effects fit observed profiles, at all latitudes, to within experimental accuracy.Values of plasma temperature, temperature gradient and ion transition height h_tT were determined by fitting theoretical models to 60,000 experimental profiles obtained from Alouette l ionograms, at latitudes of 75°S–85°N near solar minimum. Inside the plasmasphere h_T varies from about 500 km on winter nights to 850 km on summer days. Diurnal variations are caused primarily by the production and loss of O⁺ in the ionosphere. The approximately constant winter night value of h_T is close to the level for chemical equilibrium. In summer h_T is always above the equilibrium level, giving a continual production of protons which travel along lines of force to aid in maintaining the conjugate winter night ionosphere. Outside the plasmasphere h_T is 300–600 km above the equilibrium level at all times. This implies a continual near-limiting upwards flux of protons which persists down to latitudes of about 60° at night and 50° during the day.  相似文献   

A comparison of the temperature and density structure in high and low speed thermal proton flows     

W.J. Raitt  R.W. Schunk  P.M. Banks 《Planetary and Space Science》1975,23(7):1103-1117

The continuity, momentum and energy hydrodynamic equations for an H⁺-O⁺ topside ionosphere have been solved self-consistently for steady state conditions similar to those found outside the plasmasphere. Results are given for undisturbed and trough conditions with a range of H⁺ outflow velocities yielding subsonic and supersonic flow. In the formulation of the equations, account was taken of the velocity dependence of ion-neutral, ion-ion and ion-electron collision frequencies. In addition, parallel stress and the nonlinear acceleration term were retained in the H⁺ momentum equation. Results computed from this model show that, as a result of Joule (frictional) heating, the H⁺ temperature rises with increasing outflow velocity in the subsonic flow regime, reaching a maximum value of about 4000 K. For supersonic flow other terms in the H⁺ momentum equation become important and alter the H⁺ velocity profile such that convection becomes a heat sink in the 1000–1500 km altitude range. This, together with the reduced Joule heating resulting from the high-speed velocity dependence of the H⁺ collision frequencies, results in a decrease in the H⁺ temperature as the outflow velocity increases. However, for all outward flows the H⁺ temperature remains substantially greater than the O⁺ temperature. With identical upper boundary velocities, the H⁺ flow velocity is higher at low altitudes for trough conditions compared with non-trough conditions, but the H⁺ temperature in the trough is lower. The form of the H⁺ density profiles for supersonic flow does not in general differ greatly from those obtained with wholly subsonic flow conditions.  相似文献