F region electron temperature signatures of the plasmapause based on Dynamics Explorer 1 and 2 measurements

A large DE 1 and 2 database covering all local times is used to explore the relationship between electron temperature (Te) signatures in the F region and plamaspheric density structures. The quiet time Te signature remains in the vicinity of 60 deg invariant latitude at all local times, while the plasmapause is found to bulge to about 60 deg at 1500 LT. The plasmasphere in the bulge region is shown to exhibit an internal feature in the vicinity of 60 deg which takes the form of a sharp H(+) gradient. It is suggested that the light-ion gradient may represent a recently created sharp boundary between an old plasmasphere and a new plasmasphere. The present Te characteristics are consisent with plasmasphere depletion and refilling time constants.