Physics
Scientific paper
Apr 1997
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1997jastp..59..711z&link_type=abstract
Journal of Atmospheric and Terrestrial Physics, v. 59, p. 711-724.
Physics
13
Scientific paper
The N2/(O) density ratio measured by the ESRO 4 satellite is used to describe the latitudinal structure of thermospheric composition changes. To isolate the geomagnetic activity effect, all N2/(O) data are divided by the quiet-time (Ap = 0) ESRO 4 model. Subsequently, the latitudinal profiles of the residuals are superimposed in such a way that the equatorward boundary of the composition disturbance serves as a common reference location. Finally, the medians of these superimposed profiles are determined for different geophysical conditions. This averaging procedure preserves the typical latitudinal structure of the disturbances. The results are summarized in a simple analytical model. It describes the latitudinal variation of the N2/(O) perturbation at 280 km altitude as a function of local time, season, and level of magnetic activity. The N2/(O) density ratio is also used to describe the perturbations of the individual gas densities. To establish the respective correlations, 22 storms observed during the ESRO 4 mission are analyzed. The magnetic activity effect is isolated by normalizing the data to prestorm conditions. It is found that at 280 km altitude and irrespective of season and local time, the Ar and N2 densities increase and the O and He densities decrease with increasing N2/(O) perturbation. Simple analytical functions are used to describe this behavior. Combined with the above model of the N2/(O) perturbations, these algorithms successfully predict the magnetic activity effect on the Ar, N2, O, and He densities at 280 km altitude.
Prolss Gerd W.
Scherliess Ludger
Zuzic Milenko
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