In recent years many new and unexpected results have been obtained in the study of the ionosphere-thermosphere system. This progress is partly due to the availability of new and unprecedented observations but also due to the deep and unusually prolonged solar cycle minimum 23/24 which had the most days without sunspots since the 1933 minimum. The lack of solar variability during this minimum has made forcing from below (e.g., via gravity, planetary and tidal waves) more prominent, thus affording the opportunity to better understand coupling with the underlying atmosphere. At the same time more insight has been gained in the way the solar wind couples energy and momentum into the upper atmosphere via prompt and stormtime dynamo electric fields as well as enhanced particle precipitation. Numerical modeling of the underlying processes has helped in several cases to better understand and interpret these observations.

We welcome contributions that present new observations related to ionosphere-thermosphere system. Additionally, modeling studies investigating the chain of processes from the driver to the sink in the upper atmosphere are solicited. Of particular interest are contributions dealing with wave forcing that is altering the ionosphere and thermosphere during low solar activity. Effects occurring in both the high and low latitudes are welcome.


Invited speakers:
Dr Astrit Maute (NCAR, Boulder) and
Dr Jorge Chau (IAP, Kuehlungsborn)