Abstract We review the present status of understanding and modelling of the variation of electron and ion temperatures with solar activity. The observed solar activity dependence is a function of latitude, time of day, altitude, and season. The ion temperature and its dependence on solar activity are determined by the close coupling with the neutrals and their temperatures at low altitudes and with electrons at high altitudes. The ionospheric electron gas exhibits a rather complex thermal response pattern to changing solar activity. Satellite data have indicated a positive correlation between electron temperature and solar activity at high altitudes. Incoherent scatter measurements have shown that the response of electron temperature to changes in solar activity depends on season and is different for day and night. By combining the results from the separate studies we attempt to describe the average variation of the plasma temperatures with solar activity and to assess its importance for ionospheric modelling. We have investigated temperature variations at low latitudes with the help of incoherent scatter measurements from the Arecibo radar facility and satellite probe measurements from AE-C and DE 2.
Solar activity variation of ionospheric plasma temperatures
Advances in Space Research ; 10 , 8 ; 81-90
1989-01-01
10 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
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