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A modified Monte Carlo model for the ionospheric heating rates
Author(s) -
Mayr H. G.,
Fontheim E. G.,
Robertson S. C.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
radio science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1944-799X
pISSN - 0048-6604
DOI - 10.1029/rs008i001p00047
Subject(s) - monte carlo method , computation , range (aeronautics) , interpolation (computer graphics) , statistical physics , photoelectric effect , computational physics , dynamic monte carlo method , physics , computer science , mathematics , algorithm , optics , materials science , statistics , classical mechanics , motion (physics) , composite material
Following Cicerone and Bowhill [1970a, b, 1971] a Monte Carlo method is adopted as a basis for the derivation of the photoelectron‐heat input into the ionospheric plasma. Considering that the size of the source elements must be small compared with the range over which photoelectrons dissipate their energy, a great number of Monte Carlo runs are required normally for the computation of the heating rates. This approach is modified in an attempt to minimize the computation time. The heat‐input distributions are computed for arbitrarily small source elements that are spaced apart at distances corresponding to the photoelectron dissipation range. By means of a nonlinear interpolation procedure their individual heating‐rate distributions are utilized to produce synthetic ones that fill the gaps between the Monte Carlo generated distributions. By varying these gaps and the corresponding number of Monte Carlo runs the accuracy of the results is tested to verify the validity of this procedure. It is concluded that this model can reduce the computation time by as much as an order of magnitude, thus improving the feasibility of including Monte Carlo calculations in self‐consistent ionosphere models.