A global thermospheric model based on mass spectrometer and incoherent scatter data MSIS, 1. N2 density and temperature

Measurements of neutral N2 density from mass spectrometers on five satellites (AE-B, Ogo 6, San Marco 3, Aeros A, and AE-C) and neutral temperatures inferred from incoherent scatter measurements at four ground stations (Arecibo, Jicamarca, Millstone Hill, and St. Santin) have been combined to produce a model of thermospheric neutral temperatures and N2 densities similar to the Ogo 6 empirical model. The satellite- and ground-based measurements provide unique and complementary information on the structure of the thermosphere. Incoherent scatter data have good local time coverage at the station locations and provide data for studies of long-term trends. Measurements from satellites provide information at different altitudes, latitudes, longitudes, solar activities, and seasons. The overall data set covers the time period from the end of 1965 to mid-1975. The global average temperature from the new model for an F10.7 of 150 is 1041°K or 56°K lower than that from the Ogo 6 model. The annual temperature variation is about two-thirds that of the Ogo 6 model, but variations in lower bound density (inferred from low-altitude AE-C data) and lower bound temperature (from incoherent scatter data) result in annual density variations at high altitude very similar to those in the Ogo 6 model. Diurnal and semidiurnal variations in lower bound density and temperature gradient parameters are also introduced. Model diurnal exospheric temperature variations reflect the observed changes with season seen in incoherent scatter measurements. Data used in the model cover a wide range of solar activities (mean F10.7 of 75–180), and the annual and diurnal temperature amplitudes are found to increase with solar activity at twice the rate of the mean temperature. The model fits moderate magnetic activity better than the Ogo 6 model but does not include observed longitude variations. The overall good agreement of the individual data sets with the model confirms the basic consistency of the various measurements taken in different time periods.

[1]  JAMES C. G. Walker,et al.  Analytic Representation of Upper Atmosphere Densities Based on Jacchia's Static Diffusion Models , 1965 .

[2]  J. Salah,et al.  Tides in the temperature of the lower thermosphere at mid‐latitudes , 1974 .

[3]  L. Jacchia.  Recent results in the atmospheric region above 200 km and comparisons with CIRA 1965. , 1967 .

[4]  I. G. Campbell,et al.  An analysis of the solar-activity effects in the upper atmosphere , 1973 .

[5]  W. Kasprzak,et al.  Equatorial composition in the 137‐ to 225‐km region from the San Marco 3 Mass Spectrometer , 1974 .

[6]  A. Hedin,et al.  Magnetic control of the near equatorial neutral thermosphere , 1973 .

[7]  A. Hedin,et al.  Empirical model of global thermospheric temperature and composition based on data from the OGO-6 quadrupole mass spectrometer , 1974 .

[8]  D. Alcaydé.  Diurnal and long‐term behavior of the exospheric temperature as observed by incoherent scatter sounding in the F2 region , 1974 .

[9]  A. Nier,et al.  Seasonal variation of neutral thermospheric constituents in the Northern Hemisphere , 1976 .

[10]  Luigi G. Jacchia.  Static diffusion models of the upper atmosphere with empirical temperature profiles , 1964 .

[11]  A. Hedin,et al.  Heating of the high‐latitude thermosphere during magnetically quiet periods , 1974 .

[12]  J. Nisbet.  Neutral Atmospheric Temperatures from Incoherent Scatter Observations , 1967 .

[13]  S. Chandra,et al.  Exospheric temperature inferred from the Aeros‐A neutral composition measurement , 1975 .

[14]  W. Kasprzak,et al.  Comparison of the San Marco 3 Nace neutral composition data with the extrapolated Ogo 6 empirical model. [Neutral Atmospheric Composition Experiment , 1976 .

[15]  R. Lindzen.  A modal decomposition of the semidiurnal tide in the lower thermosphere , 1976 .

[16]  P. Hays,et al.  Thermospheric wind effects on the distribution of helium and argon in the Earth's upper atmosphere , 1973 .

[17]  R. Wand.  Semidiurnal tide in the E region from incoherent scatter measurements at Arecibo , 1976 .

[18]  N. Spencer,et al.  The neutral atmosphere temperature experiment , 1974 .

[19]  P. Waldteufel,et al.  Preliminary comparisons of middle and low latitude Thomson scatter data , 1969 .

[20]  L. Jacchia.  Revised static models of the thermosphere and exosphere with empirical temperature profiles , 1971 .

[21]  G. Thuillier,et al.  North-south asymmetries in the thermosphere during the last maximum of the solar cycle , 1974 .

[22]  J. Fontanari,et al.  Long‐term variations of thermospheric temperature and composition , 1974 .

[23]  P. Waldteufel,et al.  On the diurnal variation of the thermopause temperature , 1967 .

[24]  J. Falin,et al.  Latitudinal diurnal variation of some atmospheric parameters determined by a simultaneous analysis of incoherent‐scatter and satellite‐drag data , 1972 .

[25]  J. Fontanari,et al.  Observation of neutral temperature tidal‐type oscillations in the F1 region , 1974 .

[26]  S. Curtis,et al.  Local time variation of equatorial thermospheric composition determined by the San Marco 3 Nace. [Neutral atmospheric composition experiment] , 1975 .

[27]  P. Waldteufel.  Exospheric temperatures from rockets and incoherent‐scatter measurements , 1971 .

[28]  Carl A. Reber,et al.  A neutral‐atmosphere composition experiment for the Atmosphere Explorer‐C, ‐D, and ‐E , 1973 .

[29]  P. Waldteufel,et al.  Measurements of the neutral temperature at Arecibo , 1971 .

[30]  D. Offermann.  Composition variations in the lower thermosphere , 1974 .

[31]  G. Carignan,et al.  The temperature gradient between 100 and 120 km , 1975 .

[32]  D. R. Bates,et al.  Some problems concerning the terrestrial atmosphere above about the 100 km level , 1959, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A. Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

[33]  P. Waldteufel.  A study of seasonal changes in the lower thermosphere and their implications , 1970 .

[34]  R. Horowitz,et al.  Atmospheric density and temperature variations from the explorer XVII satellite and a further comparison with satellite drag , 1965 .

[35]  J. P. McClure.  Thermospheric temperature variations inferred from incoherent scatter observations , 1971 .

[36]  F. Marcos,et al.  The triaxial‐accelerometer system on Atmosphere Explorer , 1973 .

[37]  A. Nier,et al.  The open‐source neutral‐mass spectrometer on Atmosphere Explorer‐C, ‐D, and ‐E , 1973 .