A computer simulation of the midlatitude plasmasphere and ionosphere

The main objective of this paper is to report the development of a new computer model to simulate species density, temperature and plasma flow in the ionosphere and plasmasphere. The paper provides a general description of the code for potential users. The model incorporates the attractive features of previous models reported in the literature. In addition significant improvements have been made, which render the code a comprehensive tool for studying the ionosphere-plasmasphere environment. For example, the calculations are carried out across an entire field tube extending from the E region in one hemisphere to the E region in the conjugate ionosphere. The coupled continuity, momentum, energy, heat flow and photoelectron equations are solved in a quasi-simultaneous manner. (author)