Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
10 5
equatorial ionosphere with B
=
2
.
5
×
tesla (0.25 gauss). The transition
from a molecular ion plasma (NO + and O 2 )
to an atomic ion plasma (O + ) has
been included in the calculation of
κ
. The absolute value of
κ e passes through
unity near 75 km, while
κ i does so at 130 km. In making the plot of
κ e , we have
used the total electron collision frequency v e
v ei . This is not entirely
consistent with the preceding discussion, which assumes v e =
=
v en +
v en . However, the
modification is of little importance, since the absolute value of
κ e is very large
above 100 km.
The relationship between J and E may now be determined from the definition
J
, with V j given by (2.37a,b) and (2.35). The result may be
expressed through a tensor relationship J = σ ·
V i
V e )
=
(
ne
E , where
σ P σ H 0
σ H σ P 0
00
σ =
(2.38)
σ 0
To obtain this form, B has been taken to be parallel to the z -axis, and we have
defined
σ 0 =
ne
(
b i
b e )
(2.39a)
ne b i 1
i
b e 1
e
2
2
σ P =
+ κ
+ κ
(2.39b)
e 1
e
i 1
i
2
2
2
2
σ H = (
/
)
κ
+ κ
κ
+ κ
ne
B
(2.39c)
The three conductivity parameters,
σ H , are called the specific,
Pedersen, and Hall conductivities, respectively. (Remember that b e is negative.)
Plots of
σ 0 ,
σ P , and
σ H for a typical daytime midlatitude ionosphere are given
in Fig. 2.6. These plots correspond to the daytime collision frequencies in Fig. 2.3
and a magnetic field of 5
σ 0 ,
σ P , and
10 5 tesla (0.5 gauss). The specific or parallel conduc-
×
σ 0 is dominated by the high electron mobility and is equal to ne 2
tivity
mv e to a
good approximation. At high altitudes when electron-neutral collisions become
rare, the plasma density factor in v ei cancels the same factor in the numerator
of
/
σ 0 is independent of density above 400 km. The variation
above that height displayed in Fig. 2.6 is related to the electron temperature,
since according to (2.29b), v ei is very nearly proportional to ( T e ) 3 / 2 . The par-
allel conductivity is so high that the ratio
σ 0 , and therefore
10 4 above
σ 0 P is greater than 1
×
130 km. Above about 75 km,
κ e is very large, and in the plane perpendicular to
B 0 , the electrons only move perpendicular to the forces that act on them. Then
the Pedersen conductivity may be written in the form
ne 2 Mv in 1
i
2
σ P =
+ κ
(2.40a)
Search WWH ::




Custom Search