MODELING THE THERMOSPHERIC RESPONSE TO SOLAR ACTIVITY USING THE NORAD SATELLITE CATALOGUE

摘要

We describe a new programme aimed at exploiting dynamical data for Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites as contained in the NORAD (North American Aerospace Defence Command) Satellite Catalogue as a diagnostic of neutral gas density in Earth's outer atmosphere. In particular, we examine the ability of current atmospheric models to reproduce the response of the thermospheric density field to variations of solar activity on short (days) through long (solar cycle) timescales.