Dynamo theory for the low-latitude ionosphere - a review

The generation of large-scale electric fields and currents due to the dynamo process has been reviewed, especially for the low latitudinal ionosphere of the Earth. Tidal motions in the atmosphere are described in brief. The kinematic dynamo giving rise for the three-dimensional Sq-current system and the electric field distribution disregarding the recoupling effect of the plasma on the neutral wind velocity field has been described. Taking additionally into account the dragging of neutrals by ions (hydromagnetic dynamo theory) results in good agreement of the theoretical distribution of the zonal electric field with the experimental data. (author)