The influence of convection electric fields on thermal proton outflow from the ionosphere

The continuity, momentum and energy hydrodynamic equations for an O(+)-H(+) ionosphere have been solved self-consistently for steady state conditions when a perpendicular (convection) electric field is present. Comparison of the H(+) temperature profiles obtained with and without the electric field show that the effect of the electric field is to enhance the H(+) temperature at high altitudes from about 3600 to 6400 K. Due to ion heating by the electric field, there is a net reduction of O(+) in the F2-region as compared with the case of a nonconvecting ionosphere. When the reduction of O(+) is neglected, the electric field acts to increase the H(+) outward flux. However, when the reduction of O(+) is included, there is a net reduction in the outward H(+) flux. Nevertheless, the convection electric field still results in an increase in the rate of depletion of the F-region ionization due to H(+) outflow, by a factor of 2.2 for a 100 mV/m electric field.