Electrodynamic model of the lower atmosphere and the ionosphere coupling

Electrodynamic model of the ionosphere response to seismic related lower atmosphere disturbances is developed. The chain of processes forming the lithosphere-ionosphere coupling starts from the injection of radioactive substances and charged aerosols into the atmosphere. This leads to a change of the vertical electric current in the atmosphere and to modification of the electrical field in the ionosphere. Growth of the electric field and related development of acoustic-gravity wave instability is followed by formation of field-aligned currents and plasma density disturbances stretched along the geomagnetic field. Another effect of the electric field increase is an additional Joule heating of the lower ionosphere which results in an elevation of the F-layer maximum, a decrease of electron density in the maximum of this layer and a growth of light ion density in the upper ionosphere. Thus, the presented model connects disturbances of the key ionosphere parameters with increase of atmospheric radioactivity and injection of charged aerosols into the atmosphere. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.