The core electron temperature profile between 0.5 and 1.0 AU in the steady-state high speed solar wind
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Feldman, W. C.↗
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Is T/e/ equal to T/n/ at the heights of 100 to 120 km
Low and midlatitude lower E-region electron temperature profiles which were obtained by means of an in situ probe were collected. Profiles which are discussed here cover the heights of 90-120 km and measurement reliability at these heights is discussed mainly in terms of electrode contamination and aerodynamical heating. Although measurement errors might exist in some of the electron temperature profiles, it is conclusively shown that daytime electron temperature is very often much higher than the possible neutral temperature and T(e) is rarely equal to T(n).
Oyama, K. I.↗
Modelling of ionospheric temperature profiles
Ionosphere electron temperature data gathered by the AE-C, AEROS, Isis-1 and -2 spacecraft are employed to define linear models for the average conditions. Account is taken of evidence for seasonal, altitudinal, solar activity and density-temperature effects. Notably, use is made of the high negative correlations between the electron temperature and density, thereby allowing either to be calculated if data are available on the density.
Bilitza, D.↗
Comment on ion and electron temperatures in the Martian upper atmosphere
Ion temperature profiles measured by the retarding potential analyzers on Viking I and II are examined. It is found that the thermal conduction must be modified by other transport processes or by the presence of magnetic fields to account for the observed profiles. Such processes also effect the electron temperature profile, which, however, was not measured. Estimates of the magnetic field parameters are obtained assuming the magnetic field is the dominant effect.
Johnson, R. E.↗
Suprathermal electron energy distribution within the dayside Venus ionosphere
The suprathermal electron energy distribution for the dayside ionosphere has been derived from data returned by the Pioneer-Venus orbiter retarding potential analyzer. The shape and magnitude of the spectrum are consistent with the assumption that solar EUV radiation is the only significant source. The magnitude of the spectrum and its variation with altitude suggest that significant vertical transport occurs, with the electrons being lost through the ionopause. In turn, significant vertical transport suggests that the effective vertical electron heat conductivity may be comparable to the field-free value. The heat input to the thermal electron gas from the measured suprathermal electron flux is too small by a factor of at least five to maintain the observed electron temperature profile if the electron thermal conductivity is assumed to be close to the field-free value. It is thus inferred that most of the heat is supplied by the solar wind.
Knudsen, W. C.↗
Effect of anomalous transport coefficients on the thermal structure of the storm time auroral ionosphere
By analyzing an observed storm time auroral electron temperature profile it is shown that anomalous transport effects strongly influence the thermal structure of the disturbed auroral ionosphere. Such anomalous transport effects are a consequence of plasma turbulence, the existence of which has been established by a large number of observations in the auroral ionosphere. The electron and composite ion energy equations are solved with anomalous electron thermal conductivity and parallel electrical resistivity coefficients. The solutions are parameterized with respect to a phenomenological altitude-dependent anomaly coefficient A and are compared with an observed storm time electron temperature profile above Chatanika. The calculated temperature profile for the classical case (A = 1) disagrees considerably with the measured profile over most of the altitude range up to 450 km. It is shown that an anomaly coefficient with a sharp peak of the order of 10,000 centered around the F2 peak is consistent with observations.
Fontheim, E. G.↗
Electron temperature measurements in mid-latitude sporadic E layers
By using rocket-borne Langmuir probes, electron temperature profiles have been obtained in five mid-latitude sporadic E layers. The data show the electron temperature within the layers to be lower than the electron temperature at the adjacent altitudes. This is consistent with the layers' being maintained by a vertical redistribution of ionization. The magnitude of the observed electron temperature variation is, however, larger than expected.
Schutz, S. R.↗
The importance of electron heat conduction in the energy balance of the F-region
Taking into account heat conduction in the analysis of electron temperature data acquired by the AE-C satellite during the daytime at middle latitudes is shown to bring theoretical electron temperature profiles in good agreement with experimental ones. Middle latitude passes were chosen because in this region the horizontal electron temperature gradient is negligible and the height variation can be approximated by the satellite data. Inclusion of heat conduction is shown to have little effect on low-latitude data.
Hoegy, W. R.↗
Electron temperatures in the Jovian ionosphere
The daytime electron temperature profile of the Jovian ionosphere was calculated, taking into account the effects of thermal conduction and heat inflow from the plasmasphere. The photoelectron fluxes and electron heating rates were determined by using the two-stream approach of Banks and Nagy (1970) and Nagy and Banks (1970). The calculated electron temperatures were found to follow the neutral temperature up to an altitude slightly above the electron density peak, while at higher altitudes they were significantly enhanced above the assumed neutral temperature value.
Nagy, A. F.↗
One-dimensional multispecies magnetohydrodynamic models of the ramside ionosphere of Titan
The interaction of the Saturnian magnetosphere with the ionosphere of Titan has much in common with the solar wind interaction with nonmagnetic bodies in general. A one-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic model was developed, for radial distances of 1.3 to 2 Titan radii (R(sub T)), to study the dynamics of H2CN(+), C(sub n) H(sub m) (+) (n, m greater than z), C2H5(+), and CH5(+), in the ramside ionosphere of Titan. For the case of a dayside ramside ionosphere (solar zenith angle of 60 degs) we found that the external magnetospheric plasma interacting with Titan's ionosphere produced a very broad region of ionospheric magnetic field whose peak field strength was approximately 26 nT. The ionosphere was magnetized well below the ionospheric peak, allowing ionizing Saturnian magnetospheric electrons access to this region. The sources of ionization and the electron temperature profiles incorporated into the model depend on the relative locations of Titan, Saturn, and the Sun. The calculated electron and ion density profiles as well as the magnetic field profile also depend on the relative positions of Titan, Saturn, and the Sun.
Keller, C. N.↗
Adiabatic cooling of solar wind electrons
In thermally driven winds emanating from regions in the solar corona with base electron densities of n0 not less than 10 exp 8/cu cm, a substantial fraction of the heat conductive flux from the base is transfered into flow energy by the pressure gradient force. The adiabatic cooling of the electrons causes the electron temperature profile to fall off more rapidly than in heat conduction dominated flows. Alfven waves of solar origin, accelerating the basically thermally driven solar wind, lead to an increased mass flux and enhanced adiabatic cooling. The reduction in electron temperature may be significant also in the subsonic region of the flow and lead to a moderate increase of solar wind mass flux with increasing Alfven wave amplitude. In the solar wind model presented here the Alfven wave energy flux per unit mass is larger than that in models where the temperature in the subsonic flow is not reduced by the wave, and consequently the asymptotic flow speed is higher.
Sandbaek, Ornulf↗
Comparisons of peak ionosphere pressures at Mars and Venus with incident solar wind dynamic pressure
Radio occultation measurements of electron density profiles from Mariner 6 and 7, the Mariner 9 extended mission, and the U.S. Viking orbiters, together with model ion and electron temperature profiles, are used to derive thermal pressure profiles in the Mars ionosphere. The comparison of the Mars peak ionosphere pressure with the incident solar and dynamic pressure suggests that at solar maximum the Mars ionosphere, like that of Venus, should generally be sufficient to balance the incident solar wind pressure. At solar minimum, when the ionosphere is weakest and the solar wind dynamic pressure is highest, only the peak pressures at high solar zenith angles (SZAs) at Mars appear to be strong enough to balance the incident solar wind pressure. This is similar to the situation at Venus at solar minimum.
Zhang, M. H. G.↗
How Auroral Electron Precipitations Contribute to the Formation of Electron Heat Fluxes to the Ionosphere?
Electron heat fluxes (also called electron thermal fluxes) in the ionosphere are carried by thermal electrons whose energy is below a few eV. Electron heat fluxes greatly impact on electron temperature, which is a fundamental parameter in the ionospheric dynamics. At the high latitude in the auroral regions electron heat flux is originated dominantly from the magnetosphere through high-energy electron energy fluxes. High-energy electron fluxes in the diffuse auroral region can undergo multiple backscatters between the magnetically conjugated regions of both hemispheres, and different kind of wave-particle interactions along the magnetic field line. High-energy electron fluxes in discrete auroral region can be trapped below the auroral acceleration region and can also undergo backscatter and multiple reflection. These processes, in turn, amplify super-thermal electrons (<~500-600 eV) that dominantly form electron heat fluxes through Coulomb collision between thermal electrons. Such electron heat fluxes play an important role to determine electron temperature profile in the ionosphere, which is one of the key parameters that controls the ionospheric dynamics. Thus, it is necessary to include electron heat flux as a topside energy input in all global ionospheric models. We demonstrate all above results based on Superthermal Electron Transport (STET), Superthermal Proton, Electron and Atomic Hydrogen tRansport in the Ionosphere and Thermosphere (SPEAH-RIT), and Comprehensive Inner Magnetosphere and Ionospheres (CIMI) codes developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
George V. Khazanov↗
Elemental and charge state composition of the fast solar wind observed with SMS instruments on WIND
The elemental composition and charge state distributions of heavy ions of the solar wind provide essential information about: (1) atom-ion separation processes in the solar atmosphere leading to the 'FIP effect' (the overabundance of low First Ionization potential (FIP) elements in the solar wind compared to the photosphere); and (2) coronal temperature profiles, as well as mechanisms which heat the corona and accelerate the solar wind. This information is required for solar wind acceleration models. The SWICS instrument on Ulysses measures for all solar wind flow conditions the relative abundance of about 8 elements and 20 charge states of the solar wind. Furthermore, the Ulysses high-latitude orbit provides an unprecedented look at the solar wind from the polar coronal holes near solar minimum conditions. The MASS instrument on the WIND spacecraft is a high-mass resolution solar wind ion mass spectrometer that will provide routinely not only the abundances and charge state of all elements easily measured with SWICS, but also of N, Mg, S. The MASS sensor was fully operational at the end of 1994 and has sampled the in-ecliptic solar wind composition in both the slow and the corotating fast streams. This unique combination of SWICS on Ulysses and MASS on WIND allows us to view for the first time the solar wind from two regions of the large coronal hole. Observations with SWICS in the coronal hole wind: (1) indicate that the FIP effect is small; and (2) allow us determine the altitude of the maximum in the electron temperature profile, and indicate a maximum temperature of approximately 1.5 MK. New results from the SMS instruments on Wind will be compared with results from SWICS on Ulysses.
Gloeckler, G.↗
Ionospheric electron temperature calculations including protonospheric and conjugate effects.
Ionospheric electron temperature profiles for midday equinoctial conditions noting protonospheric and conjugate heating effects
Beutler, A. E.↗
Near-surface electron temperature of weakly ionized plasma according to kinetic theory.
Boltzmann equation analysis used to study near surface electron temperature for weakly ionized plasmas, showing nonequilibrium absorption layer governing electron temperature profile
Chung, P. M.↗
Rocket measurements of electron temperature in the E region
The rocket borne equipment, experimental method, and data reduction techniques used in the measurement of electron temperature in the E region are fully described. Electron temperature profiles from one daytime equatorial flight and two nighttime midlatitude flights are discussed. The last of these three flights, Nike Apache 14.533, showed elevated E region temperatures which are interpreted as the heating effect of a stable auroral red arc.
Zimmerman, R. K., Jr.↗
Anomalous heating of the polar E region by unstable plasma waves. II - Theory
It is found that anomalous electron temperatures in the disturbed high-latitude E region can be quantitatively explained in terms of heating by unstable plasma waves. The electron temperatures at 110 km have been measured to be as high as 1500 K instead of the expected value of about 300 K. It is shown that by using quasi-linear theory there is an ample source of heat in the unstable waves and that the measured electron temperature profiles have a shape very similar to what is expected from plasma wave heating by the modified two-stream instability. It is found that there is even more heating going to the ion gas, but that the resulting effect on the ion temperature may be difficult to measure. The best estimate of the wave heating rates leads to the conclusion that wave heating can be as much as 50% of the Joule heating for dc electric field strengths of the order of 45 mV/m or greater.
St.-Maurice, J. P.↗