What question did this study set out to answer?

To model electron phase space density in the weakly ionized D region during high-power, high-frequency radio wave heating and evaluate deviations from thermal equilibrium.

September 17, 2026Annales GeophysicaeOpen Access

Non-Maxwellian electron distributions in the D region during artificial heating – Part 1: Model development and electron temperature

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Authors

MMMargaretha MyrvangCentre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate BGBjörn GustavssonUiT The Arctic University of Norway

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Implication

Numerical simulation reveals non-Maxwellian electron energy distributions in the ionospheric D region during radio heating, indicating electron temperature alone cannot describe plasma states.

Key Points

To model electron phase space density in the weakly ionized D region during high-power, high-frequency radio wave heating and evaluate deviations from thermal equilibrium.
Solved the kinetic Boltzmann equation numerically and conducted Monte Carlo simulations under the assumption that electron collision frequency substantially exceeds gyro-frequency.
Incorporated collision cross sections accounting for elastic interactions as well as rotational, vibrational, and electronic inelastic excitations.
Calculated electron distribution functions exhibited significant departures from standard Maxwellian distributions during artificial radio heating.
Demonstrated that electron temperature derived from the second moment of the distribution cannot sufficiently characterize the non-equilibrium electron distribution state.

Cite This Study

Myrvang et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aabb68c5f706d05830e504b https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-44-921-2026

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Implication

Numerical simulation reveals non-Maxwellian electron energy distributions in the ionospheric D region during radio heating, indicating electron temperature alone cannot describe plasma states.

Non-Maxwellian electron distributions in the D region during artificial heating – Part 1: Model development and electron temperature

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Non-Maxwellian electron distributions in the D region during artificial heating – Part 1: Model development and electron temperature

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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