Ion-neutral coupling in the high-latitude F-layer from incoherent scatter and Fabry-Perot interferometer measurements

• Main Authors: Cierpka, K., Kosch, M. J., Rietveld, M., Schlegel, K., Hagfors, T.
• Other Authors: Max-Planck-Institut für Aeronomie (MPI Aeronomie), Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2000
• Subjects: [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean; Atmosphere; [SDU.STU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences; EISCAT
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-00316785; https://hal.science/hal-00316785/document; https://hal.science/hal-00316785/file/angeo-18-1145-2000.pdf

International audience Since the auroral ionosphere provides an important energy sink for the magnetosphere, ionosphere-thermosphere coupling must be investigated when considering the energy budget of the ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling. We present the first Scandinavian ground-based study of high-latitude F-region ion-neutral frictional heating where ion velocity and temperature are measured by the EISCAT incoherent scatter radar as well as neutral wind and temperature being measured simultaneously by a Fabry-Perot interferometer. A geomagnetically active period ( K p = 7 ? ? 5 ? ) and quiet period ( K p = 0 + ? 0) were studied. Neglecting the neutral wind can result in errors of frictional heating estimates of 60% or more in the F-layer. About 96% of the local ion temperature enhancement over the neutral temperature is accounted for by ion-neutral frictional heating. Key words: Ionosphere (auroral ionosphere; ionosphere-atmosphere interactions)