Go to Page Main Content
NASA - Goddard Institute for Space Studies + NASA Portal
+ Goddard Space Flight Center
+ GSFC Earth Sciences Division
FIND IT @ NASA
NASA Homepage Goddard Institute for Space Studies

ABSTRACT

Harris and Priester 1962

Harris, I., and W. Priester, 1962: Theoretical models for the solar-cycle variation of the upper atmosphere. J. Geophys. Res., 67, 4585-4591.

Models of the upper atmosphere for different levels of solar activity have been calculated by solving the heat conduction equation under quasi-hydrostatic conditions by means of the procedure described in detail in a previous paper. In these calculations the fluxes of both heat sources (EUV and corpuscular heat source) are varied in proportion to the long term averages of the 10.7-cm solar fluxes in order to account for different levels of solar activity during the solar cycle. The resulting temperatures of the exosphere can be represented by Tmin = 4.5%times$S + 275 (°K) and Tmax = 7.1×S + 372 (°K) where Tmin and Tmax are the diurnal minimum and maximum temperatures respectively, and S is the monthly average of the 10.7-cm solar flux in units of 10-22 w/m2 cps. The slope for Tmin is in good agreement with that found by L. G. Jacchia from analysis of satellite drag. In this paper the physical properties (temperature, density, scale height, and mean molecular weight) are illustrated as functions of local time and of altitudes between 120 and 2050 km for five different values of S.

  • Complete document is not available.

Citation Styles

Show: ACP, AGU, AMS, ApJ, JQSRT, Science style

+ GISS Home

PUBLICATIONS
  • Publications Main Page
  • Authors
  • GISS Best Publication Award
  • Dissertations
  • Advanced Search
  • Publications Help
USA.gov

End of Page