Articles | Volume 41, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-339-2023
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-339-2023
Regular paper
 | Highlight paper
 | 
11 Sep 2023
Regular paper | Highlight paper |  | 11 Sep 2023

Analysis of in situ measurements of electron, ion and neutral temperatures in the lower thermosphere–ionosphere

Panagiotis Pirnaris and Theodoros Sarris

Viewed

Total article views: 1,701 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
1,312 306 83 1,701 63 71
  • HTML: 1,312
  • PDF: 306
  • XML: 83
  • Total: 1,701
  • BibTeX: 63
  • EndNote: 71
Views and downloads (calculated since 13 Jun 2023)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 13 Jun 2023)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 1,701 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 1,722 with geography defined and -21 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 
Latest update: 13 Dec 2024
Download
Editor-in-chief
The research presented in this paper includes a large number of events during which the neutral temperatures were higher than the ion temperatures. This feature is against what we know from textbooks, suggesting that further investigations on this issue should be performed.
Short summary
The relation between electron, ion and neutral temperatures in the lower thermosphere–ionosphere (LTI) is key to understanding the energy balance and transfer between species. However, their simultaneous measurement is rare in the LTI. Based on data from the AE-C, AE-D, AE-E and DE-2 satellites of the 1970s and 1980s, a large number of events where neutrals are hotter than ions are identified and statistically analyzed. Potential mechanisms that could trigger these events are proposed.