@Article{Abdu:1999:AdDuST,
               author = "Abdu, Mangalthayil Ali",
          affiliation = "{Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE)}",
                title = "Coupling and energetics of the equatorial ionosphere-thermosphere 
                         system: advances during the STEP period",
              journal = "Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics",
                 year = "1999",
               volume = "61",
                pages = "153--165",
             keywords = "aeronomia, ionosfera equatorial, bolhas de plasma, equatorial 
                         ionosphere-thermosphere system (EITS), equatorial spread F (ESF), 
                         thermosphere dynamics.",
             abstract = "The equatorial ionosphere-thermosphere system (EITS) 
                         investigations during the STEP period (1990-1997) were focused on 
                         improving our understanding of the dynamic- and 
                         electrodynamic-coupling processes and energetics that govern the 
                         climatology of the system, as well as the variabilities of the 
                         system arising from forcing by magnetospheric and high latitude 
                         processes and by atmospheric waves from below. Thermosphere 
                         dynamics and dynamo electric fields serving as drivers of the 
                         coupling processes are responsible for the major EITS phenomena 
                         and their variabilities at different time scales. Especially, the 
                         day-to-day variabilities of the equatorial spread F (ESF) have 
                         received specific attention because of interest in space 
                         application areas as well. Significant advances were achieved in 
                         our understanding and representation of quiet and disturbed 
                         electric fields. The STEP period also marked notable improvement 
                         in the experimental diagnostic facilities available in the 
                         equatorial regions as well as in theoretical modeling of the 
                         interactive processes that control the major EITS phenomena. Data 
                         from coordinated observational campaigns have contributed to a 
                         better understanding of the EITS global responses to 
                         magnetospheric disturbances. The advances to be briefly discussed 
                         in this paper concern most of the major phenomena and the inherent 
                         characteristics of the EITS: the equatorial electric field and its 
                         sunset enhancement; thermospheric winds and temperature including 
                         the MTM (midnight temperature maximum); peculiar features of the 
                         ionosphere in the immediate vicinity of the magnetic equator; 
                         equatorial spread F/plasma bubble irregularities, including the 
                         energy requirement for large scale field aligned irregularities; 
                         equatorial anomalies in ion/neutral densities and temperatures. 
                         Also presented briefly is an overview of the results on the 
                         disturbance characteristics of the key EITS parameters and driving 
                         forces under magnetospheric disturbances and atmospheric wave 
                         forcing.",
                 issn = "1364-6826",
                label = "8651",
             language = "en",
           targetfile = "1-s2.0-S1364682698001254-main.pdf",
        urlaccessdate = "16 jun. 2024"
}