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Measured response of the equatorial thermospheric temperature to geomagnetic activity and solar flux changes
Author(s) -
Biondi Manfred A.,
Meriwether John W.
Publication year - 1985
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/gl012i005p00267
Subject(s) - airglow , earth's magnetic field , atmospheric sciences , thermosphere , flux (metallurgy) , latitude , environmental science , f region , ring current , geomagnetic latitude , physics , ionosphere , climatology , geology , geophysics , geodesy , magnetic field , materials science , quantum mechanics , metallurgy
Fabry‐Perot interferometer determinations of thermospheric temperatures from 630.0 nm nightglow line width measurements have been carried out for the period April‐August 1983 from Arequipa, Peru (16.4°S, 71.5°W geographic; 4.4°S magnetic). The nightly variation of the thermospheric temperature T n measured on 62 nights is compared with MSIS model predictions and found to agree occasionally with the model but, on average, to exceed model predictions by ∼ 180 K. The largest differences, 400‐500 K, often occur during strongly increasing geomagnetic activity such as sudden commencements. The rapid increases in T n may result from energetic neutrals precipitating at low latitudes from the ring current or from energy carried to equatorial regions from high‐latitude (auroral oval) heat sources by gravity waves and equatorward neutral winds.