Electron densities and temperatures in the Venus ionosphere. Effects of solar EUV, solar wind pressure and magnetic field

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Adv. Space Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5881128

Elphic, R C; Russell, C T; Brace, L H

The Venus ionosphere is influenced by variations in both solar EUV flux and solar wind conditions. On the dayside the location of the topside of the ionosphere, the ionopause, is controlled by solar wind dynamic pressure. Within the dayside ionosphere, however, electron density is affected mainly by solar EUV variations, and is relatively unaffected by solar wind variations and associated magnetic fields induced within the ionosphere. The existence of a substantial nightside ionosphere of Venus is thought to be due to the rapid nightward transport of dayside ionospheric plasma across the terminator. Typical solar wind conditions do not strongly affect this transport and consequently have little direct influence on nightside ionospheric conditions, except on occasions of extremely high solar wind dynamic pressure. However, both nightside electron density and temperature are affected by the presence of magnetic field, as in the case of ionospheric holes. 12 references.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Los Angeles; NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
• OSTI ID: 5881128
• Report Number(s): CONF-8406167-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Adv. Space Res.; (United States) Journal Volume: 5:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
MAGNETIC FIELDS
NIGHTTIME
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLANETS
RADIATIONS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VENUS PLANET