Thermosphere-ionosphere coupling during ionospheric storms

Ionospheric storms represent most obvious example of thermosphere-ionosphere interaction. Comprehensive pattern of F2 field behaviour should be associated with variation of thermosphere characteristics (that is composition and winds, first of all), as far as no systematic variation of ionizing solar radiation occurs during the storms. Main morphological peculiarities of the negative phase are shown to be explained by variation of thermosphere content at F2 layer maximum heights