Thermospheric Neutral Wind Measurements and Investigations across the African Region—A Review

Spatial Mapping of the Thermospheric Neutral Wind Field

There are many possible observing strategies available for mapping the thermospheric wind field by using observations of the Doppler shift of the 0 (‘D) airglow with a Fabry-Perot interferometer. The determination of the neutral wind field from observed line-of-sight velocities invariably involves some assumptions about the nature of the wind field. A standard method of observing employs the as...

The Meridional Thermospheric Neutral Wind Measured by Radar and Optical Techniques in the Auroral Region

Thermospheric Neutral Wind at –39° Azimuth During the Daytime Sector at Sondrestrom

Measurements with the Sondrestrom radar have been used to examine the daytime thermospheric neutral wind and to relate that wind to other geophysical parameters. Ion drag is found to be particularly important for determining the wind pattern. However, evidence is presented that the wind pattern is significantly influenced by soft particle precipitation and, possibly, by Joule heating.

Meridional thermospheric neutral wind at high latitude over a full solar cycle

EISCAT radar experiments over a full solar cycle between January 1984 and March 1995 have been used to construct meridional neutral wind patterns in the ionospheric F region. For locally geomagnetically quiet periods the neutral winds have been binned according to season, solar activity, and universal time. The diurnal and seasonal behaviors and the e€ect of the solar ̄ux are described. An empi...

Ionospheric control of the magnetospheric configuration: Thermospheric neutral winds

[1] In this study we present the first results from the University of Michigan’s coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere general circulation model. This code is a combination of the Michigan MHD model with the NCAR thermosphere-ionosphereelectrodynamics general circulation model (TIEGCM). The MHD code provides specification of the high-latitude ionospheric electric potential and the parti...