Many numerical models of magnetospheric dynamics treat the ionosphere as an inner boundary condition. These models have traditionally used the current continuity condition, treating the ionosphere as a sheet current in which the electric field is electrostatic. A more general boundary condition is suggested that not only is more complete, but also straightforward to implement. Results from a mo...

A problem of propagation of very long planetary waves in the upper atmosphere of the Earth is investigated. A new exact solution of the magnetohydrodynamics equations of the ionosphere in the spherical coordinate system is found taking into account the Earth’s rotation and geomagnetic field. The general dispersion equation for the planetary waves in the E and F regions of the ionosphere is deri...

The ionization produced by electrons having energies of several tens of electron volts in the nighttime Venusian atmosphere is investigated on the basis of plasma measurements made on board Venera 9 and 10. We conclude that electron fluxes are sufficient o produce a nighttime ionosphere with a maximal electron density of l0 • cm -3. Calculated density profiles of the Venusian nighttime ionosphe...

First results from the Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer instrument on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft reveal density profiles of protonated species that are mostly in good qualitative agreement with recent models of the Martian thermosphere/ionosphere. We present here the first photochemical model in which the density profiles of water and water ions in the io...

The Global Positioning System (GPS) makes it possible to study the dynamics of the ionosphere by supplementing ionospheric studies carried out using various techniques including ionosondes, incoherent scatter radars and low earth orbit satellites. Total electron content derived from GPS data (GPS TEC) is a key parameter characterising the ionosphere. Its time evolution provides an indication of...

Observations of HF radar backscatter from artificial field-aligned irregularities in an ionosphere perturbed by travelling disturbances due to atmospheric gravity waves are presented. Some features of the spatio-temporal structure of the artificial radar backscatter can be explained in terms of the distortion of the ionosphere resulting from the travelling disturbances. The distorted ionosphere...

This tutorial review examines the role of O in the dynamics of magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling. The life cycle of an O plasma element is considered as it circulates from the midto high-latitude ionosphere. Energization and diversion of the convecting plasma element into outflows involves Alfvénic turbulence at the low-altitude base of the cusp and plasmasheet boundary layer and in downward-cu...

A novel strategy for topside ionosphere sounder based on spaceborne Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) radar is proposed, which takes advantage of frequency division and code division (FDCD) as a substitution for swept-frequency regime employed by the current ionosphere explorers, e.g., TOPside Automated Sounder (TOPAS). The azimuth resolution can be improved by 153 times compared with TOPAS...