Articles | Volume 43, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-881-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-881-2025
Regular paper
 | 
17 Dec 2025
Regular paper |  | 17 Dec 2025

Globally- and hemispherically-integrated Joule heating rates during the 17 March 2015 geomagnetic storm, according to physics-based and empirical models

Stelios Tourgaidis, Dimitris Baloukidis, Panagiotis Pirnaris, Theodoros Sarris, Aaron Ridley, and Gang Lu

Data sets

Joule Heating calculation during St Patrick's day storm of March 2015, using GCMs and Emprirical formulation P. Pirnaris et al. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10869507

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Short summary
During geomagnetic storms, Joule heating is a major heating source of the upper atmosphere that is not well estimated, due to a lack of measurements. This leads to uncertainties in orbital calculations. We present simulations with commonly used physics-based models and empirical models that provide measurements of Joule heating. The results show great discrepancies, pointing to the need for measurements in the Earth's Lower Thermosphere-Ionosphere at altitudes where Joule heating maximizes.
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