Abstract
The influence of electric currents along the magnetic field lines on the high-latitude F-layer ionosphere is investigated theoretically. It is shown that a current of either sign leads to a reduction of the total electron content and the maximum density, if the charge carriers have to be produced in the ionosphere. Low-energy precipitation leads to a corresponding increase. Extremely low densities in the topside ionosphere may be reached for ion currents of the order of 10-6 amp/m2 or electron currents of 10-3 amp/m2. Observational evidence exists for currents at least of the order of 10-6 amp/m2. It is suggested that the ionospheric trough, the F-layer storm, and other similar effects may be explained by field-aligned currents or plasma diffusion, which is also quantitatively accounted for by the present theory.
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