A study on the predawn ionospheric heating effect and its main
controlling factors
Abstract
We proposed for the first time that the angle between the projection of
the magnetic field line and the sunrise line (AMFS) is a crucial factor
controlling predawn heating. Then, we quantitatively investigated the
relationship between the predawn heating effect and the AMFS depending
on the model results and examined the influence of the length of the
magnetic field line (LMF). The results indicate that the predawn heating
is influenced by the combined effect of the AMFS and the LMF. Our study
suggests that the increase of AMFS promotes predawn heating, while the
increase of LMF blocks predawn heating. Finally, we found that when the
LMF is about 4000 km and the AMFS is around 30 degrees, the combined
effect of the AMFS and the LMF on the predawn heating effect reaches its
maximum, exceeding 400K, while the influence of both AMFS and LMF
exhibit saturation effects.