Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences (Sep 2024)
Variability of Earth’s ionospheric outflow in response to the dynamic terrestrial exosphere
Abstract
The most abundant neutral constituent in the exospheric region (i.e., beyond ≈ 500 km altitude) is the atomic hydrogen (H); however, its density distributions predicted by physics-based models have been challenged by satellite-based observations of its far ultraviolet emissions. This discrepancy may impact magnetospheric ions’ densities and velocities since numerous chemistry and ion-neutral coupling interactions rely sensitively on the underlying neutral hydrogen population. The Polar Wind Outflow Model a first-principled model for relevant ion species in the high-latitude ionosphere, is employed to investigate the role of neutral H on the ionospheric outflow. Specifically, variability in the outflow of ionospheric H+, He+, N+, and O+ as a response to systematic enhancement and depletion of H number densities were simulated. The altitude-dependent ion density and energy partition profiles vary with neutral H density, solar activities, and ion species. These findings suggest that the exosphere plays a crucial role in controlling the production and loss of ions through ionospheric chemistry, as well as the energy contributions by altering ion-neutral-electron collisions and the ambipolar electric field to the high-latitude ionospheric outflow. As a result, the escape rates of the ionospheric outflow are directly associated with exospheric distributions. This work potentially helps understand the dominant mechanisms of atmospheric escape, particularly during a hydrogen-rich early Earth’s and exoplanet’s atmosphere, which is known to play a significant role in understanding the evolution of Earth’s atmosphere.
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