The effects of ion drag and of plasma forces on neutral air winds in the F-region

Abstract

The effects of interactions between ions and neutral particles on winds in the F-region of the ionosphere are examined for a simple steady-state case in which viscosity is neglected. Forces acting on the plasma are included, and it is found that electric fields are the only significant source of these. The effects of time varying forces are also considered briefly, and the wind is shown to lag behind the driving force by a time which is typically one or two hours in the mid-latitude F-region.