HR: 1330h
AN: SA23A-08    [Abstracts]
TI: Atmospheric Neutral Density Response to Geomagnetic Heating
AU: * McHarg, M G
EM: matthew.mcharg@usafa.af.mil
AF: United States Air Force Academy, HQ USAFA/DFP 2354 Fairchild Drive, Suite 2A31, US Air Force Academy, CO 80840 United States
AU: Chun, F K
EM: Francis.Chun@usafa.af.mil
AF: United States Air Force Academy, HQ USAFA/DFP 2354 Fairchild Drive, Suite 2A31, US Air Force Academy, CO 80840 United States
AB: Determination of how the Ionosphere-Thermosphere (I-T) system responds to the development and subsidence of geomagnetic storms is an ongoing area of interest in predicting the effect of atmospheric drag on satellites. We use daily estimates of neutral atmospheric density from the period 1988 to 2003, derived from observations of satellite orbital elements to investigate the effects of geomagnetic heating on the neutral density portion of the I-T system. Geomagnetic heating is estimated with a Joule heating proxy developed for the polar cap regions. We investigate changes in the atmospheric neutral density during periods of intense Joule heating to develop a simple linear relationship between the two. This relationship would be suitable for use in a short term forecast of neutral density changes during geomagnetic storms.
DE: 2407 Auroral ionosphere (2704)
DE: 2427 Ionosphere/atmosphere interactions (0335)
DE: 2447 Modeling and forecasting
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly