Numerical modeling of ionospheric storms

Abstract

Jacchia's (1977) neutral-atmosphere model is used to study the behavior of the ionosphere during the magnetic storms of April 1973. It is shown that, under conditions of intense magnetic activity, it is not possible to explain decreases of electron density associated with the counteracting influence of thermospheric winds only by a mechanism of variations of the neutral composition. It is necessary to introduce an additional mechanism, involving ionospheric heating from above due to conductive heat transfer from the plasmasphere, taking into account the electron-impact vibrational excitation of N2 molecules.