The ionosphere–thermosphere–magnetosphere (ITM) system, illustrating the complex web of processes linking solar energy inputs to Earth’s upper atmosphere. Energy arrives via solar radiation and the solar wind, driving field-aligned currents, auroral electrojets, particle precipitation, and a cascade of chemical and dynamical effects deep into the thermosphere. Understanding this coupled system, and others like it across the solar system, is at the heart of the Heliophysics Community’s scientific vision.
The Scientific colour map ‘hirta‘ is used to make the colour coding accessible to all readers.
- Creator: Fabio Crameri
- This version: 10.04.2026
- License: Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Specific citation: This graphic by Fabio Crameri based on the original by Sarris (2019) is available via the open-access s-ink.org repository.
- Related reference: Sarris, T.E. (2019), Understanding the ionosphere thermosphere response to solar and magnetospheric drivers: status, challenges and open issues. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A 377:20180101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2018.0101
- Light & dark background versions
- Vector-format version
- Colour-vision deficiency friendly
- Readable in black&white
- Vector graphics version
Faulty or missing link? – Please report them via a reply below!
3 views
