Why are all of the ions concentrated in the ionosphere and not exosphere or other places?
An ionised molecule is one which has become electrically charged, usually by displacing an electron from the material. So how does this happen in the ionosphere? Well from what I can make out, the Sun sends out particles in all directions in response to solar activity such as flares. These particles bathe the atmosphere of all planets and moons but those planets with a developed atmosphere and a strong magnetic field, just like Earth, interact with the particles in the following way. The particles speed towards Earth at the speed of light and crash into the magnetosphere of the planet. Now recall from early science lessons that when a conductor passes quickly through a magnetic field, an EMF is induced in the conductor, likewise with the solar particles. The EMF (voltage), induced in the particles is sufficient to strip away one or more electron from the particle and ionise it. This ionisation will take place more where the magnetic field is strongest, this just happens to be in the io
