A new concept of the D-region modeling at high latitudes Original Research Article

Previous publications of the authors on the analysis of the rocket electron concentration measurements in the high-latitude D region are summarized. The electron concentration dependence on solar zenith angle is considered. It is demonstrated that at each particular solar zenith angle χ there is a scatter of the [e] values reaching at some χ two orders of magnitude. It is also shown that there is some sort of the lower envelope of the [e] distribution which may be in a first approach taken as a model for quiet geomagnetic conditions. The electron concentration dependence on geomagnetic indices is analyzed. A model of the dependence of [e] on the ΣKp magnetic index at various χ is created. The combination of the envelope values and the dependence on ΣKp provide an empirical model for the D-region electron concentration in the auroral oval.