Abstract
DURING the past few years evidence has been obtained for the existence of thermal non-equilibrium in the F-region of the ionosphere. A number of heat sources have been proposed to account for the observed selective heating of electrons in the ionosphere. The solar ultraviolet radiation from the Sun was shown to be the main heat source for the daytime heating of the lower- and mid-latitude ionosphere1–3. A comparison between measurements of electron temperature Te, obtained from the Dumbbell rocket probe4,5 and the atmospheric model values of neutral gas temperature Tg, has provided the first evidence for thermal non-equilibrium of the ionosphere. The simultaneous measurements of Te and Tg with the modified “thermosphere probe” have now confirmed that the electron temperature in the ionosphere is considerably larger than the gas temperature. With the help of recent measurements of solar ultra-violet flux and absorption cross-section, we have calculated the heat input and electron temperature in the F-region of the ionosphere and have compared it with the thermosphere probe data6.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hanson, W. B., and Johnson, F. S., Mem. Soc. Roy. Sci. Liège, 4, 390 (1961).
Hanson, W. B., Space Research III, edit. by Priester, W., 282 (North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1963).
Dalgarno, A., McElroy, M. B., and Moffet, R. J., Planet. Space Sci., 11, 463 (1963).
Spencer, N. W., Brace, L. H., and Carignan, G. R., J. Geophys. Res., 67, 157 (1962).
Brace, L. H., Spencer, N. W., and Carignan, G. R., J. Geophys. Res., 68, 5397 (1963).
Spencer, N. W., Brace, L. H., Carignan, G. R., Taeusch, D. R., and Newmann, J. Geophys. Res., 70, 2665 (1965).
Davies, K., Ionospheric Radio Propagation, Nat. Bur. Stand. Monograph, 80 (1965).
Jacchia, L. G., and Slowey, J., J. Geophys. Res., 69, 4145 (1964).
Nagy, A. F., Brace, L. H., Carignan, G. R., and Kanal, M., J. Geophys. Res., 68, 6401 (1963).
Bowen, P. J., Boyd, R. L. F., Henderson, C. L., Raitt, W. J., and Wilmore, A. P., Space Res., 4, 471 (1964).
Brace, L. H., and Spencer, N. W., J. Geophys. Res., 69, 4686 (1964).
Maynard, L. A., and Werstink, H. L., paper presented to the Autumn U.R.S.I. Meeting, Urbana, Illinois (1964).
Evans, J. V., J. Geophys. Res., 70, 2729 (1965).
Dessler, A. J., J. Geophys. Res., 64, 397 (1959).
Harris, I., and Priester, W., J. Atmos. Sci., 19, 286 (1962).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
SINGH, R., TOLPADI, S. Comparison of Electron Temperature with Thermosphere Probe Data. Nature 211, 1167–1168 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/2111167a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2111167a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
