AbstractTheoretical and semi-empirical descriptions of the solar and geomagnetic driving forces affecting the terrestrial thermosphere have been used to generate a series of representative numerical global thermosphere models, covering a wide range of solar and geomagnetic activity levels, for June and December solstice and for equinox. These numerical models have been compared with space-borne and ground-based observations, and with recent empirical and semi-empirical thermosphere models. The theoretical models simulate directly the influences of the major driving forces which affect the thermosphere as a function of varying solar and geomagnetic activity. They are not intended to replace the semi-empirical models, since the semi-empirical models include, without interpretation, physical processes and phenomena which are inadequately understood and described for inclusion within theoretical models as yet. The theoretical models provide a physical interpretation of the characteristic signatures of solar and geomagnetic phenomena seen in real observations, and which appear within the semi-empirical models. The theoretical models can be used to evaluate, in a self-consistent way, the covariance of thermospheric structure and dynamics, and to predict the behaviour of regions which have not been widely explored by ground-based or spacecraft techniques, such as the lower thermospheric regions.
The CIRA theoretical thermosphere model
Advances in Space Research ; 8 , 5-6 ; 27-106
1989-01-01
80 pages
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
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