Yuri,
>So, you are trying to imply that atmosphere/ionosphere is only lowered around
>equator?
>
Since that satellite only measured the equatorial ionosphere, the
conclusions are only valid for the equatorial ionosphere.
>What magic keeps it unaffected at higher latitudes?
>
There's no magic involved. It's simply an understanding of the different
physical processes in the atmosphere that occur at low, mid, and high
latitudes.
>Earth is a sphere, atmosphere/ionosphere is envelope around this sphere and if
>there are changes in height, those changes would be reflected proportionately
>in this envelope at the equator and toward the poles, proportionately.
>
Not so. The equatorial ionosphere has a unique process that result in
ionization at significantly higher altitudes than at mid and high
latitudes. This unique process is referred to as the fountain effect,
and it only occurs in the equatorial ionosphere. This is why the
satellite was launched - to study the high altitude equatorial
ionosphere in relation to the adverse effects of this ionization on
equatorial scintillation.
>NASA found out that during high sunspot cycle atmo/ionosphere expands and that
>is what slowed down SPACELAB and caused its premature descent.
>
I agree with that, but that is not the issue here. The issue is that the
equatorial ionosphere at solar minimum is lower than what our current
models indicate.
Thus all I'm saying is that the mid and high latitude ionosphere is not
any higher than what our models say. And I'm sure ionosonde data would
confirm this.
Carl K9LA
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