Latitudinal observations of the thermal balance in the nighttime protonosphere

Mahajan, K. K. ; Brace, L. H. (1969) Latitudinal observations of the thermal balance in the nighttime protonosphere Journal of Geophysical Research, 74 (21). pp. 5099-5112. ISSN 0148-0227

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Official URL: http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/1969/JA074i021p05...

Related URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/JA074i021p05099

Abstract

Alouette-2 electrostatic probe measurements of the nighttime electron temperature (Te ) and concentration (Ne ) in the height range 2500 ± 500 km are presented on global basis (-60 to +60 geomagnetic latitude). The major feature of the protonosphere at this altitude is a broad minimum in Te at the low latitudes with values around 1800° K. The electron temperature increases sharply to over 3000° K at the middle latitudes. The electron concentration exhibits a pair of maxima at about 30° north and south with values ranging from 4 × 103/cm3 in fall to 8 × 103/cm3 in local summer. No definitive seasonal dependence is apparent in Te . Comparison of the present Alouette 2 measurements with nearly simultaneous measurements on Explorer 22 during summer 1966 reveal positive temperature gradient of Te along field lines. Typical gradients at 1000 km are 0.6° /km on the 35° field line and 1.2° /km on the 50° field line. These gradients are consistent with the thermal energy stored in the nocturnal protonosphere, and therefore no external souce of heat is required to explain the observations.

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