HR: 15:30h
AN: SA24A-01    [Abstracts]
TI: Magnetospheric Energy Inputs Into the Thermospheres of Jupiter and Saturn
AU: * Smith, C G
EM: chriss@apl.ucl.ac.uk
AF: Atmospheric Physics Laboratory, University College London, 67-73 Riding House Street, London, W1W 7EJ United Kingdom
AU: Aylward, A D
EM: alan@apl.ucl.ac.uk
AF: Atmospheric Physics Laboratory, University College London, 67-73 Riding House Street, London, W1W 7EJ United Kingdom
AU: Miller, S
EM: s.miller@ucl.ac.uk
AF: Atmospheric Physics Laboratory, University College London, 67-73 Riding House Street, London, W1W 7EJ United Kingdom
AB: The high temperatures observed in the upper atmospheres of the giant planets have yet to be fully explained. Joule heating and ion drag associated with magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling currents are major energy inputs at high latitudes. We use a thermospheric general circulation model to study the effects of Joule heating and ion drag upon the energetics and dynamics of the upper atmosphere. We find that the resultant temperature distribution from the mixing of magnetospheric energy and momentum inputs is more complex than initially expected.
DE: 0343 Planetary atmospheres (5405, 5407, 5409, 5704, 5705, 5707)
DE: 0358 Thermosphere--energy deposition
DE: 5707 Atmospheres--structure and dynamics
DE: 6220 Jupiter
DE: 6275 Saturn
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly