Compatibility of seasonal variations in mid‐latitude thermospheric models at solar maximum and low geomagnetic activity

Satellite drag data, in situ mass spectrometer data, Fabry Perot interferometer data, and incoherent scatter data gathered above Saint‐Santin (44.6°N, 2.2°E) have been used to produce models of the concentration of atomic oxygen and molecular nitrogen in the thermosphere and of the exospheric temperature. A model of exospheric temperature has also been obtained from incoherent scatter observations conducted above Millstone Hill (42.6°N, 71.5°W). These various models are compared for the location of the ground stations (≃45°N). Good agreement is obtained for the annual variations of the atomic oxygen concentration at 400 km from the three techniques involved. The mean annual temperatures are within 20°K of each other for five of the six models involved. The remaining model, Ogo 6, gives a mean temperature which is 50°K larger. Four of the models are in good agreement concerning the annual temperature variation. However, the satellite drag model exhibits a smaller variation, and the Ogo 6 model exhibits a larger one. There is fair agreement between incoherent scatter models and mass spectrometer models for the N2 concentrations at 400 km, but there is disagreement between these models and the satellite drag model. It is shown that most disagreements can be resolved by changing both the vertical temperature profile and the lower‐thermosphere oxygen concentration in the direction indicated by previous incoherent scatter measurements.