The Earth's Ionosphere

The Earth's Ionosphere: Plasma Physics and Electrodynamics emphasizes the study of plasma physics and electrodynamics of the ionosphere, including many aeronomical influences. The ionosphere is somewhat of a battleground between the earth's neutral atmosphere and the sun's fully ionized atmosphere, in which the earth is embedded. One of the challenges of ionosphere research is to know enough about these two vast fields of research to make sense out of ionospheric phenomena. This book provides insights into how these competing sources of mass, momentum, and energy compete for control of the ionosphere. Some of the topics discussed include the fundamentals of ionospheric plasma dynamics; equatorial plasma instabilities; high-latitude electrodynamics; and instabilities and structure in the high-latitude ionosphere. Throughout this text only the region above 90 km are discussed, ignoring the D region entirely. This publication is a good source of information for students and individuals conducting research on earth’s ionosphere.

Preface

Chapter 1 Introductory and Background Material

1.1 Scope and Goals of the Text

1.2 Structure of the Neutral Atmosphere and the Ionosphere

1.3 The Earth's Magnetic Field and Magnetosphere

References

Chapter 2 Fundamentals of Ionospheric Plasma Dynamics

2.1 The Basic Fluid Equations

2.2 Steady-State Ionospheric Plasma Motions Due to Applied Forces

2.3 Generation of Electric Fields

2.4 Electric Field Mapping

2.5 Elements of Magnetospheric Physics

2.6 Coordinate Systems

References

Chapter 3 Electrodynamics of the Equatorial Zone

3.1 Motions of the Equatorial F Region: The Data Base

3.2 The Equatorial F-Region Dynamo

3.3 E-Region Dynamo Theory and the Daytime Equatorial Electrojet

3.4 Further Complexities of Equatorial Electrodynamics

3.5 Feedback between the Electrodynamics and the Thermospheric Winds

References

Chapter 4 Equatorial Plasma Instabilities

4.1 F-Region Plasma Instabilities: Observations

4.2 Development and Initiation of Equatorial Spread F

4.3 Nonlinear Theories of ESF

4.4 Short Wavelength Waves in Equatorial Spread F

4.5 ESF Summary

4.6 E-Region Plasma Instabilities: The Observational Data Base

4.7 Linear Theories of Electrojet Instabilities

4.8 Nonlinear Theories of Electrojet Instabilities

4.9 Future Directions

References

Chapter 5 The Mid-Latitude Ionosphere

5.1 Competing Influences on the Tropical and Mid-Latitude Ionospheres

5.2 Electrodynamics of the Tropical and Mid-Latitude Zone

5.3 Irregularities in the Mid-Latitude Ionosphere

5.4 Mid-Latitude Plasma Instabilities

References

Chapter 6 High-Latitude Electrodynamics

6.1 Electrical Coupling between the Ionosphere, Magnetosphere, and Solar Wind

6.2 Observations of Ionospheric Convection

6.3 Simple Models of Convection in the Magnetosphere

6.4 Empirical and Analytic Representations of High-Latitude Convection

6.5 Observations of Field-Aligned Currents

6.6 Horizontal Currents at High Latitudes

References

Chapter 7 Effects of Plasma Flow at High Latitudes

7.1 Ionospheric Effects of Parallel Plasma Dynamics

7.2 Ionospheric Effects of Perpendicular Plasma Dynamics

7.3 Electrodynamic Forcing of the Neutral Atmosphere

7.4 Summary

References

Chapter 8 Instabilities and Structure in the High-Latitude Ionosphere

8.1 Planetary and Large-Scale Structures in the High-Latitude F Region

8.2 Intermediate-Scale Structure in the High-Latitude F Region

8.3 Small-Scale Waves in the High-Latitude F Region

8.4 Plasma Waves and Irregularities in the High-Latitude E Region—Observations

8.5 Auroral Electrojet Theories

8.6 Summary

References

Appendix A Ionospheric Measurement Techniques

A.1 Radio Wave Techniques in Ionospheric Physics

A.2 In Situ Measurements

References

Appendix B Reference Material and Equations

B.1 Atmospheric and Ionospheric Structure

B.2 Miscellaneous Formulas

B.3 Surface Magnetic Field Measurements and Magnetic Activity Indices

References

Index

International Geophysics Series