  This study examines the impact that solar activity has on model results
during geomagnetic quiet time for the ionosphere/thermosphere models: the
Coupled Thermosphere Ionosphere Plasmasphere Electrodynamics Model (CTIPe) and
the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model
(TIE-GCM). Using varying F10.7 flux values as a measurement of solar activity,
the models were run over a two-day period with the constant parameters Kp= 2,
n= 3 cm^3, and v= 400 km/s. Four F10.7 values (70, 110, 150, and 190) were
selected based off of the average F10.7 values for geomagnetic quiet days
across the current solar cycle. Our analysis of the model results showed that
solar activity has the greatest effect on TEC output and the least effect on
hmF2 and O/N2 output. Overall, TIE-GCM output tends to be higher than CTIPe,
however, inconsistent values across the two-day CTIPe v3.1 output suggests that
this model needs a longer warm-up period. When visually compared against
observed data, CTIPe v3.2 performs the best, although all models greatly
overestimated values for TEC. Analyses of models during geomagnetic quiet time
are important in establishing a baseline which can be compared against storm
data. An example of this was completed at the end of the study, using storm
data obtained from Millstone Observatory on March 17, 2013. In this analysis,
we found that TIE-GCM using the Weimer model to calculate the high-latitude
electric potential provided more accurate results. Continued research in this
area will be useful for understanding the impact of geomagnetic storms on the
thermosphere/ionosphere.
