Variation with electron velocity powers of electron collision frequency and energy transport coefficients in weakly ionised plasmas: Earth's lower ionosphere†

Abstract

Abstract Correction factors inking into account the variation of the electron–neutral collision frequency with different powers of electron velocity have been applied to calculate the different height profiles for various electron energy transport coefficients such as diffusion coefficient, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity. Results are discussed in the light of simple gas kinetic model rules which have been shown to break down in the presence of central interaction between electron and neutrals (i.e. in the Earth's lower ionosphere). Also, assuming the electron energy transport due only to a difference in electron and neutral gas temperatures, height profiles for effective heat flux have been obtained corresponding to different values of ▿ Te. These profiles, on comparison with one another and also with the height profile for the ionospheric G factor, show clearly no transport of electron energy in the Earth's lower ionosphere due to thermal conduction.