How changes in the tilt angle of the geomagnetic dipole affect the coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere system

The latter affect the O/N₂ ratio, which in turn modifies the peak electron density of the F₂ layer, NmF₂. All these effects are most important when the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) is southward, while being almost negligible under northward IMF. However, a change in dipole tilt also changes the inclination of the magnetic field, which affects the vertical component of ionospheric plasma diffusion along the magnetic field, regardless of the IMF direction.

Changes in vertical plasma diffusion are responsible for ~2/3 of the changes in NmF₂ and most of the low to midlatitude changes in hmF₂ under southward IMF and for most of the changes in both variables under northward IMF. Thermal contraction may be responsible for high-latitude decreases in hmF₂ with increasing tilt angle under southward IMF.