On the solar cycle dependence of the N + /O +  content in the magnetosphere and its relation to atomic N and O in the Earth's exosphere | Zendy

Mall U. | Zendy; Christon S. | Zendy; Kirsch E. | Zendy; Gloeckler G. | Zendy

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On the solar cycle dependence of the N + /O + content in the magnetosphere and its relation to atomic N and O in the Earth's exosphere

Author(s) -

Mall U.,

Christon S.,

Kirsch E.,

Gloeckler G.

Publication year - 2002

Publication title -

geophysical research letters

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007

H-Index - 273

eISSN - 1944-8007

pISSN - 0094-8276

DOI - 10.1029/2001gl013957

Subject(s) - physics , exosphere , magnetosphere , solar cycle , solar maximum , solar wind , thermosphere , atomic physics , ion , atmospheric sciences , plasma , astrophysics , ionosphere , geophysics , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics

We investigate a solar cycle dependence of singly charged Nitrogen and Oxygen over a five‐year period from 1995–2000 on the nightside of the Earth's magnetosphere using instrumentation on the WIND spacecraft. We show that N + , another heavy ion that is of terrestrial origin, is a large fraction of O + , and it contributes significantly to magnetospheric plasma. We find that the N + /O + ratio has a solar cycle relationship with a higher value of this ratio at solar minimum than at solar maximum. We examine the N + /O + ratio against thermospheric N/O MSIS 86 model calculations which exhibit no solar cycle variation.

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