HR: 08:00h
AN: SA31B-01 INVITED     [Abstracts]
TI: On Modeling the Coupled Thermosphere/Ionosphere at low Latitudes
AU: * Fesen, C
EM: fesen@tides.dartmouth.edu
AF: Dartmouth College, 6127 Wilder Lab, Hanover, NH 03755 United States
AB: The low latitude thermosphere/ionosphere is a particularly challenging region for theoretical modeling and understanding since the charged and neutral components can be strongly coupled. Models must therefore be able to simulate realistically both components as well as their mutual interaction. And they must do this over a large altitude range, since waves propagating from the mesosphere and lower thermosphere can exert tremendous influence on the dynamics, composition, and structure of the upper atmosphere. Tidal, gravity wave, and planetary wave influences on the ionosphere are becoming well known, although the processes are not always well understood. Future progress in theoretical understanding of the low latitude region would be greatly facilitated by simultaneous measurements of neutral and ion densities and velocities at both low and high altitudes.
DE: 2415 Equatorial ionosphere
DE: 2427 Ionosphere/atmosphere interactions (0335)
DE: 2437 Ionospheric dynamics
DE: 2447 Modeling and forecasting
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting