Response of GOLD Retrieved Thermospheric Temperatures to Geomagnetic
Activities of Varying Magnitudes
Abstract
Global-scale Observations of Limb and Disk (GOLD) disk measurements of
far ultraviolet molecular nitrogen band emissions are used to retrieve
temperatures (T$_{disk}$), which are representative of lower
thermospheric altitudes. The present investigation studies the response
of lower thermospheric temperatures to geomagnetic activities of varying
magnitudes. In this study, it has been observed that T$_{disk}$
increases over all latitudes in response to enhanced geomagnetic
activity. The increase in temperature is proportional to the strength of
the geomagnetic activity and is greater at higher latitudes. Temperature
enhancements vary from 10s to 100s of Kelvins from low- to
mid-latitudes. Local time behavior shows that pre-noon enhancements in
temperatures, during relatively stronger geomagnetic activities, are
greater compared to afternoon, which can be attributed to the combined
action of daytime dynamics and geomagnetic forcing. This study thus
demonstrates the utility of GOLD T$_{disk}$ measurements
investigating the effects of dynamical and external forcings in the
thermosphere.