Abstract
The energetics and dynamics of the upper atmosphere (mesosphere, thermosphere, and ionosphere) are strongly dependent on solar activity. The energy flow from the sun to the upper atmosphere—UV/EUV radiation and solar wind—is significantly changed during various solar activity periods. This causes changes in the energy budget, dynamical features, and various phenomena in the upper atmosphere. For example, changes in joule heating (solar wind energy dissipation) of the polar thermosphere occasionally cause increases in the thermospheric temperature of more than 1000 K and wind speed of several 100 m/s. In this chapter, we describe our current understandings of the variations in the upper atmosphere depending on solar activity. First, we mention mainly the thermospheric structure and variations, and then, impacts of variation in the solar activity on the mesosphere and lower thermosphere are described.
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Fujiwara, H., Miyoshi, Y., Jin, H. (2023). Effects of Solar Activity on the Upper Atmosphere. In: Kusano, K. (eds) Solar-Terrestrial Environmental Prediction. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7765-7_14
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