Midlatitude thermospheric winds and temperatures and their relation to the auroral electrojet activity index

Abstract

Nighttime thermospheric winds and temperatures over Fritz Peak Observatory (39.9°N, 105.5°W) have been determined from measurements of the Doppler shifts and line profiles of the OI 15867‐K (6300 Å) line emission. Measurements have been made during various geomagnetic storm periods from 1973 to 1979. The peak equatorward meridional wind and westward zonal wind during these storms are linearly correlated with the square of the auroral electrojet index, , with correlation coefficients of 0.815 and 0.754, respectively. The measured neutral gas temperature increase is related to the time integral of the index with a correlation coefficient of 0.938.