Physical Interactions Between the Thermosphere and Ionosphere, and Coupling to the Neighboring Domains

Details Physical Interactions Between the Thermosphere and Ionosphere, and Coupling to the Neighboring Domains Physical Interactions Between the Thermosphere and Ionosphere, and Coupling to the Neighboring Domains

Dec 2011

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011agufmsa31c..07f&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #SA31C-07

Other

[2427] Ionosphere / Ionosphere/Atmosphere Interactions, [2441] Ionosphere / Ionospheric Storms, [3367] Atmospheric Processes / Theoretical Modeling, [3369] Atmospheric Processes / Thermospheric Dynamics

Scientific paper

Coupled thermosphere ionosphere physics-based models have about a 25 year heritage. This paper reviews the physical processes pertaining to the interaction between the neutral and plasma domains, and what we have learnt from the coupling physics embedded in the models. The interactions range from the chemical to the dynamic, from the linear to the non-linear, and from the intuitive to the non-intuitive. For example, coupled thermosphere-ionosphere models have been able to unravel some of the complexities of the storm-time response, in particular the observed seasonal/local-time characteristics of the ionospheric negative phase and its connection to the transport of thermospheric major species. Another example is the unexpected asymmetry in the neutral wind response to magnetospheric forcing, which is a good example of a non-linear response. Both these cases illustrate how, physical modeling, firstly, can be used as a tool to simulate the phenomena, and secondly, can be used to elucidate the underlying physical processes at work. This second step, is the most difficult and time-consuming, and is often neglected. Still many outstanding issues remain, which will likely be address by coupling to the neighboring domains. For instance, the challenge of the semi-annual variation in several neutral and plasma parameters has yet to be modeled successfully. The hope is that coupling with the lower atmosphere will shed light on the physical processes. Another example is the huge increases in plasma density at mid-latitudes, which likely requires careful coupling of thermosphere-ionosphere with both inner and outer magnetosphere codes. Both these directions, coupling with the lower atmosphere and with the magnetosphere, are active and fruitful lines of research that will provide the momentum for future advances in understanding of the coupled geospace physical system.

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