Conveners:
James Hecht (james.hecht@aero.org), Aerospace Corporation
Miguel Larsen (mlarsen@clemson.edu), Clemson University
Workshop Format: Short presentation type
2005 June 27, 0130-0330 PM, Eldorado Anasazi Room
The response of the high-latitude thermosphere/ionosphere system to Joule heating and Lorentz forcing continues to be a topic of considerable interest. Topics for investigation include our ability to specify the forcing accurately due to the scale-size dependence of the Lorentz forcing and especially the Joule heating. The response of the neutral atmosphere to such forcing is also being shown to be more subtle than had previously been appreciated. For example, there is evidence for a strong response in the upper E region even in relatively quiet conditions in the vicinity of stable arcs. In the lower E region, the effects of moderate forcing can sometimes have more impact on the neutral atmosphere than the effects of stronger forcing simply because the height range where the strongest response occurs moves up or down as the strength of the forcing changes. Three recent experiments that have addressed these topics include the HEX, CODA, and JOULE experiments that were carried out at Poker Flat, Alaska. The goal of the workshop is to address issues related to the specification of the local forcing and thermosphere/ionosphere response in the context of those experiments, although any contributions that address these topics are appropriate for inclusion in the workshop.