Abstract
SATELLITE observations indicate that night-time electron temperatures in the upper F region are larger than the neutral gas temperatures. Willmore1 estimates that an energy input Q/ne = 1.5 × 10−5 eV sec−1 is required at 650 km to maintain the temperature difference, and he suggests that bombardment by electrons of kilovolt energies might provide a suitable source. This communication shows that his suggestion is consistent with an upper limit on the precipitated flux of fast electrons set by optical observations2.
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References
Willmore, A. P., Proc. Roy. Soc., A, 281, 526 (1964).
Dalgarno, A., Ann. Geophys., 20, 65 (1964).
Butler, S. T., and Buckingham, M. J., Phys. Rev., 126, 1 (1962).
Dalgarno, A., McElroy, M. B., and Moffett, R. J., Plan. Space Sci., 11, 463 (1963).
Nathan, K. V. S. K. (unpublished results).
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NATHAN, K., SEATON, M. Night-time Electron Temperatures in the Upper F Region. Nature 209, 701–702 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/209701b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/209701b0
