Physics
Scientific paper
Sep 1997
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1997adspr..20.1125d&link_type=abstract
Advances in Space Research, Volume 20, Issue 6, p. 1125-1128.
Physics
7
Scientific paper
Electric fields in the high-latitude ionosphere, perpendicular to the magnetic field, drive plasma flow in the F-region at speeds which regularly exceed 2000 m s^-1. Relative motion between the ions and the neutral atmosphere heats the ion population through collisions with neutral particles. Ion frictional heating constitutes a systematic heating effect on the F-region ions in the presence of ionospheric electric fields. In the E-region, however, the ions are coupled to the neutrals by frequent collisions and, since the electrons are still magnetised, these electric fields set up currents. E-region electric currents are responsible for the generation of instabilities which turbulently heat the electrons. This paper reports a statistical study of both ion frictional heating and electron turbulent heating based on around 900 hours of common programme observations by the European incoherent scatter (EISCAT) UHF radar. Although limited to a far narrower altitude regime, electron turbulent heating is demonstrated to constitute as systematic an effect as ion frictional heating.
Davies Jackie A.
Robinson Terry R.
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