F2层对地磁扰动的响应

利用37个电离层垂直探测站1974-1986年的数据,采用f0F2与地磁ap指数相关分析的方法,首次得到一个太阳活动周期各年东亚-澳大利亚扇区,欧洲-非洲扇区和美洲-东太平洋扇区F2层对地磁扰动响应随地磁纬度的分布.结果指出,地磁高纬和中纬地区为负响应,低纬和赤道地区为正响应,大约在±30°附近换向.最大正响应在磁赤道附近,最大负响应在地磁纬度±50°附近,最大负响应的幅度大于最大正响应的幅度.存在明显的经度差别和南北半球不对称性.     

模式化分析F区电离层赤道异常槽

利用二维低纬电离层理论时变模式模拟低纬电离层演化，考察影响赤道异常槽位置的物理因素．计算结果显示赤道槽有明显的季节、地方时和经度变化．以１１０°Ｅ为例，北半球夏季期间赤道槽一般在磁倾赤道北侧，最北达３°-３．５°Ｎ，而在北半球冬季期间一般位于磁倾赤道南侧，最南可达４°－５°Ｓ．进一步分析发现，赤道槽季节变化中光化电离率季节改变的影响很小，主要由水平中性风季节变化贡献．计算以８３天为例，白天赤道槽在地理经度１００°Ｅ附近最南，２８５°Ｅ附近最北，与观测特征基本一致．主要是背景大气水平风场的经度差异导致赤道槽位置的经度变化，而非前人认为直接由磁偏角控制的．     

北纬30°N中间层和低热层大气平均风中频雷达观测

利用武汉(30.5°N,114.4°W)中频雷达在2001年1月1日至3月18日、2002年2月5日至3月18日、2002年10月18日至12月31日期间,日本Yamagawa(31.2°N,130.6°W)中频雷达在1997年1月1日至10月17日期间的数据,分析北纬30°N地区上空60-98km高度的中间层、低热层大气平均风的变化规律,结果表明平均纬向风和经向风都具有明显的季节变化.平均纬向风在冬季基本为西风,随高度增加,西风减弱,甚至在上部会出现微弱的东风;夏季中间层表现为强烈的东风,低热层则为西风,风向转换高度在80km附近;春季和秋季为转换季节,在春季出现舌状东风结构.80km附近的平均经向风场在冬季以南风为主,在夏季则以北风为主.不同年份的平均风场存在年际变化性,但其气候变化特点非常相似.中频雷达观测结果与HWM93模式结果的气候变化特点符合很好,与其他纬度的平均纬向风气候变化特点基本类似.     

中国廊坊中间层和低热层大气平均风观测模拟

利用中国廊坊站（39.4°N,116.7°E）流星雷达在2012年4月1日至2013年3月31日的水平风场观测数据,分析廊坊上空80~100km的中间层与低热层（Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere,MLT）大气平均纬向风和经向风的季节变化特征.结果表明平均纬向风和经向风都表现出明显的季节变化特征.平均纬向风在冬季MLT盛行西风,极大值位于中间层顶,随高度增加西风减弱;在夏季中间层为东风,低热层为强西风,风向转换高度约为82km.平均经向风在冬季以南风为主,在夏季盛行北风.纬向风和经向风在春秋两季主要表现为过渡阶段.流星雷达观测结果与WACCM4模式和HWM93模式模拟的气候变化特点基本一致,但WACCM4模式纬向风和经向风风速偏大,而HWM93模式纬向风和经向风风速偏小.      

用高分辨率地磁资料考察磁层耦合的特征

用取自１００°Ｅ和３００°Ｅ的两条地磁经度链附近１１个台站的１ｍｉｎ均值地磁资料,分析了１９９４年１１月２６日磁暴期间的磁扰特征,由Ｈ和Ｚ分量变得知,一区和二区场向电流的变化发展是磁层－电离层电动耦合中的重要过程,它们对于极光区和中纬区电离层的作用效果有很大差异。     

反向赤道电集流与磁层扰动

对印度Trivandrum站第21太阳活动周内地磁H分量分析表明,不仅在磁扰日及其随后的静日内,强磁扰对赤道电集流有显着作用,即使在持续静日期间,较弱的磁扰仍然对赤道电离层有很大影响。磁静日昏侧出现反向(西向)电集流是正常现象,弱磁扰是使此反向电流消失的可能机制。      

太阳活动低年低纬地区VTEC 变化特性分析

利用福州台站(26.1°N, 119.3°E, 磁纬14.4°N)电离层闪烁与TEC监测仪2006-2010年的观测数据, 对该地区垂直总电子含量(VTEC)进行时间变化特性分析. 结果表明, 春秋冬三季的VTEC平均最高值出现在06:00UT, 夏季出现在08:00UT, 所有季节的平均最低值均出现在21:00UT; VTEC变化存在季节异常和弱冬季异常, 春秋季节高, 冬夏季节低, 夏季VTEC比冬季低且最大值出现时间延迟; VTEC在2006-2009年呈现下降的变化趋势, 2010年开始增强, 年际变化与太阳活动及地磁活动变化趋势具有较好的对应关系; VTEC变化与太阳活动存在很好的相关性, 相关系数达到0.5以上, 地磁活动则显示了弱相关的特性; F_10.7与VTEC的相关性随着每天Kp指数总值Σ_kp的增大而减小.      

一种改进的Kp指数现报模式

在评估国际常用Kp指数现报模式Takahashi及其应用于中国地磁台站效果的基础上,提出了一种改进的地磁Kp指数现报模式,其可以有效识别地磁规则日变化的逐日变化特性,反映地磁扰动的季节效应和地方时效应,从而提升了Kp指数现报的准确性.采用Takahashi模式开发时所使用的台站数据进行对比,新模式将单站地磁Kp指数现报效率由0.77提升至0.84,多站联合Kp指数现报效率由0.88提升至0.92;采用2000—2006年北京十三陵台站(BMT,磁纬29°N)数据进行评估,Kp指数现报效率由0.70提升至0.80.对Kp指数现报结果的误差分析发现,现报误差存在明显的地方时差异和一定的季节差异,误差随扰动强度变化并在中强磁扰时最大.利用SuperMAG的指数分析表明,Kp台站的经度不均匀分布会对现报效果造成一定影响.     

中性风和垂直漂移对低纬F区电离层影响初析

利用二维低纬电离层－等离子体层时变理论模式,模拟太阳活动高年春分条件下垂直漂移和中性风强度改变对低纬F区电离层参量的影响.模式在所考察的磁子午面内求解等离子体输运方程,给出离子浓度和速度随纬度、高度、地方时的变化.模式计算结果显示,调整垂直漂移和中性风强度对低纬F区电离层电子浓度的影响与电离层所处磁纬、垂直漂移和中性风作用时段等有关,呈现出一些新特点.结果对分析不同条件下垂直漂移和中性风对低纬F区电离层影响具有一定的指导意义.      

地磁暴期间中国中低纬电离层的CIT研究

利用电离层层析成像技术(Computerized Ionospheric Tomography, CIT)处理115°E子午圈附近6个台站的GPS观测数据, 分析了2004年11月地磁暴期间中国中低纬电离层的响应情况. 结果表明, 电离层呈正相扰动, 且不同高度上的响应不同, 800 km以下电子密度有不同程度的增加, 且在峰值高度附近增幅最大, 800 km以上地磁暴的影响并不显著; 伴随地磁能量的注入, 赤道异常峰极向扩展; 随磁扰强度的降低, 电子密度也逐渐恢复至平静水平. 这些结果与以往的理论和观测结果一致, 初步估计扰动是由热层暴环流引起的, 并受到赤道异常峰移动的影响.      

Characteristics of nighttime E-region over Arecibo: Dependence on solar flux and geomagnetic variations

Electron concentration (Ne) inferred from Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR) measurements has been used to determine the influence of solar flux and geomagnetic activity in the ionospheric E-region over Arecibo Observatory (AO). The approach is based on the determination of column integrated Ne, referred to as E-region total electron content (ErTEC) between 80 and 150 km altitude regions. The results discussed in this work are for the AO nighttime period. The study reveals higher ErTEC values during the low solar flux periods for all the seasons except for summer period. It is found that the E-region column abundance is higher in equinox periods than in the winter for low solar activity conditions. The column integrated Ne during the post-sunset/pre-sunrise periods always exceeds the midnight minima, independent of season or solar activity. This behavior has been attributed to the variations in the coupling processes from the F-region. The response of ErTEC to the geomagnetic variability is also examined for different solar flux conditions and seasons. During high solar flux periods, changes in Kp cause an ErTEC increase in summer and equinox, while producing a negative storm-like effect during the winter. Variations in ErTEC due to geomagnetic activity during low solar flux periods produce maximum variability in the E-region during equinox periods, while resulting in an increase/decrease in ErTEC before local midnight during the winter/summer periods, respectively.     

Variation of hmF2 and NmF2 deduced from DPS-4 over Multan (Pakistan) and their comparisons with IRI-2012 & IRI-2016 during the deep solar minimum between cycles 23 & 24

We report the results of ionospheric measurements from DPS-4 installed at Multan (Geog coord. 30.18°N, 71.48°E, dip 47.4°). The variations in F2-layer maximum electron density NmF2 and its peak height hmF2 are studied during the deep solar minimum between cycles 23 & 24 i.e 2008–2009 with comparisons conducted with the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) versions 2012 & 2016. We find that the hmF2 observations peak around the pre-sunrise and sunrise hours depending on the month. Seasonally, the daytime variation of NmF2 is higher in the Equinox and Summer, while daytime hmF2 are slightly higher in the Equinox and Winter. High values of hmF2 around midnight are caused by an increase of upward drifts produced by meridional winds. The ionosphere over Multan, which lies at the verge of low and mid latitude, is affected by both $E\times B$ drifts and thermospheric winds as evident from mid-night peaks and near-sunrise dips in hmF2. The results of the comparison of the observed NmF2 and hmF2 for the year 2008–2009 with the IRI-2012 (both NmF2 and hmF2) and IRI-2016 (only hmF2) estimates indicate that for NmF2, IRI-2012 with Consultative Committee International Radio (CCIR) option produces values in better agreement with observed data. Whereas, for hmF2, IRI-2016 with both International Union of Radio Science (URSI) and CCIR SHU-2015 options, predicts well for nighttime hours throughout the year. However, the IRI-2012 with CCIR option produces better agreement with data during daytime hours. Furthermore, IRI-2012 with CCIR option gives better results during Equinox months, whereas, IRI-2016 with both URSI and CCIR SHU-2015 options predict well for Winter and Summer.     

Responses of ionospheric foF2 to geomagnetic activities in Hainan

Responses of low-latitude ionospheric critical frequency of F2 layer to geomagnetic activities in different seasons and under different levels of solar activity are investigated by analyzing the ionospheric foF2 data from DPS-4 Digisonde in Hainan Observatory during 2002–2005. The results are as follows: (1) the response of foF2 to geomagnetic activity in Hainan shows obvious diurnal variation except for the summer in low solar activity period. Generally, geomagnetic activity will cause foF2 to increase at daytime and decrease at nighttime. The intensity of response of foF2 is stronger at nighttime than that at daytime; (2) seasonal dependence of the response of foF2 to geomagnetic activity is very obvious. The negative ionospheric storm effect is the strongest in summer and the positive ionospheric storm effect is the strongest in winter; (3) the solar cycle has important effect on the response of foF2 to geomagnetic activity in Hainan. In high solar activity period, the diurnal variation of the response of foF2 is very pronounced in each season, and the strong ionospheric response can last several days. In low solar activity period, ionospheric response has very pronounced diurnal variation in winter only; (4) the local time of geomagnetic activities occurring also has important effect on the responses of foF2 in Hainan. Generally, geomagnetic activities occurred at nighttime can cause stronger and longer responses of foF2 in Hainan.     

Ionospheric variability at taiwan low latitude station: Comparison between observations and IRI-2001 model

This paper presents the observed ionospheric F-region critical frequency, foF2, and peak height, hmF2, at northern crest of equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) area station, namely Chung-Li (24.9°N, 121.1°E, dip 35°), and to be compared with International Reference Ionosphere model (IRI-2001) predictions for the period from 1994 to 1999, corresponding to half of the 23rd solar cycle. The diurnal and seasonal variation of foF2 and hmF2 are analyzed for different solar phases, respectively. The result shows the largest discrepancies were observed during nighttime for foF2 and hmF2, respectively. The value of foF2 both CCIR and URSI selected in the IRI model produced a good agreement during the daytime and underestimated during the noon time for high solar activities. The underestimation at noon time is mainly caused by the fountain effect from equator. Further, the peak height hmF2 shows a larger variability around the midnight than daytime in the equinox and winter seasons and reserved in summer, respectively. The study shows that the monthly median values of observed hmF2 is somewhat lower than those predicated by the IRI model, at night time in all the seasons except the period of 04:00–06:00 LT and reverse at daytime in summer. In general the IRI model predictions with respect to the observed in hmF2 is much better than foF2. The percentage deviation of the observed foF2 (hmF2) values with respect to the IRI model varies from 5% to 80% (0–25%) during nighttime and 2–17% (0–20%) at daytime, respectively. In general, the model generates good results, although some improvements are still necessary to implement in order to obtain better simulations for ionospheric low-latitudes region.     

Millstone地区垂直等效风场的气候学变化

基于1976---2006年美国Millstone非相干散射雷达的电离层观测数据, 分析了美国Millstone地区不同太阳活动条件下, 包括中性风场和电场漂移共同贡献的垂直等效风场的变化特征. 结果表明, Millstone地区的垂直等效风场表现出比较明显的周日、太阳活动和季节变化特征. 晚间垂直向上的等效风较强, 白天等效风较弱, 甚至接近于零. 在不同太阳活动和季节变化条件下, Millstone地区的等效风场都表现出类似的周日变化特征, 低太阳活动条件下, 晚间表现出较大的向上漂移. 这种周日变化和太阳活动变化特征与Millstone地区受到极区热源驱动大气循环的调制以及离子曳力的增减有关. 春季和秋季有相似的幅度和相位变化趋势, 表现出分点对称性; 冬季晚间向上漂移比夏季弱, 且随着太阳活动增强, 差异更加明显, 这再次体现了极区热源驱动大气循环的影响.      

Equatorial anomaly according to the Interkosmos-19 data and IRI model: A comparison

The comparison of the IRI model with the foF2 distribution in the equatorial anomaly region obtained by topside sounding onboard the Interkosmos-19 satellite has been carried out. The global distribution of foF2 in terms of LT-maps was constructed by averaging Intercosmos-19 data for summer, winter, and equinox. These maps, in fact, represent an empirical model of the equatorial anomaly for high solar activity F10.7 ~ 200. The comparison is carried out for the latitudinal foF2 profiles in the characteristic longitudinal sectors of 30, 90, 210, 270, and 330°, as well as for the longitudinal variations in foF2 over the equator. The largest difference between the models (up to 60%) for any season was found in the Pacific longitudinal sector of 210°, where there are a few ground-based sounding stations. Considerable discrepancies, however, are sometimes observed in the longitudinal sectors, where there are many ground-based stations, for example, in the European or Indian sector. The discrepancies reach their maximum at 00 LT, since a decay of the equatorial anomaly begins before midnight in the IRI model and after midnight according to the Interkosmos-19 data. The discrepancies are also large in the morning at 06 LT, since in the IRI model, the foF2 growth begins long before sunrise. In the longitudinal variations in foF2 over the equator at noon, according to the satellite data, four harmonics are distinguished in the June solstice and at the equinox, and three harmonics in the December solstice, while in the IRI model only two and one harmonics respectively are revealed. In diurnal variations in foF2 and, accordingly, in the equatorial anomaly intensity, the IRI model does not adequately reproduce even the main, evening extremum.     

Temporal evolution of the EIA along 95°E as obtained from GNSS TEC measurements and SAMI3 model

The total electron content (TEC) derived from GNSS measurements at a trans-hemispheric meridional chain of ground stations around 95°E longitude are used to study the quiet time inter-hemispheric structure and dynamics of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) during the period March 2015 to February 2016. The stations are Dibrugarh (27.5°N, 95°E, 43° dip), Kohima (25.6°N, 94.1°E, 39° dip), Aizawl (23.7°N, 92.8°E, 36° dip), Port Blair (11.63°N, 92.71°E, 9° dip) and Cocos Islands (12.2°S, 96.8°E, 43° dip). The observation shows that the northern crest of the EIA lies in the south of 23°N (Aizawl) in all seasons but recedes further south towards the equator during December solstice. The largest poleward expansion of the northern (southern) EIA is observed in the March equinox (December solstice). The equinoctial and hemispherical asymmetry of TEC is noted. The winter anomaly is observed in the northern hemisphere but not in the southern hemisphere. The highest midday TEC over any station is observed in the March equinox. The TEC in southern summer (December solstice) is significantly higher than that in the northern summer (June solstice). The observed northern EIA contracts equatorward in the postsunset period of solstice but the southern EIA persists late into the midnight in the December solstice. The asymmetry may be attributed to the different geographic location of the magnetically conjugate stations. The SAMI3 simulations broadly capture the EIA structure and the inter-hemispheric asymmetry during solstices. The difference between observations and the SAMI3 is higher in March equinox and December solstice. The higher E?×?B vertical drift in the 90–100°E sector and the large geographic-geomagnetic offset in observing stations may have contributed to the observed differences.     

Optical studies of the ionospheric irregularities over the brazilian region by nocturnal images of the OI 630 nm emission

This study is an extension of previous statistical studies (Sobral et al., 1990, 1991, 1999) of both the local time and latitude variations of the zonal drift velocities of ionospheric plasma depletions, over the Brazilian low latitude station Cachoeira Paulista — CP (22.54°S, 45.00°W). The past studies were based on OI 630 nm scanning photometer data and the present one is based on digital OI 630 nm airglow images obtained by an all-sky imager system. These data were gathered between October 1998 and October 1999, at CP. The present results show that, in general, the velocities clearly tended to decrease with local time. Such a decrease should be associated with decreasing intensity of the vertical component of the ambient electric field which, in turn can be accounted for by recombination. All zonal drifts obtained for the 18 nights were eastwards. During equinox, the velocities clearly tended to decrease with local time at lower rates as compared with spring and summer. The highest and lowest zonal drift velocities, from all three seasons considered here, were observed to be in the summer ≈180 ms⁻¹ at 21:45 LT, and in the spring ≈25 ms⁻¹ at 03:15 LT, respectively. Ionospheric plasma bubbles were detected out to the maximum extra-tropical geographical latitude of ≈28° S, which was the highest latitude position analyzed in this study.     

Comparison of GPS TEC measurements with IRI-2007 TEC prediction over the Kenyan region during the descending phase of solar cycle 23

This paper presents an analysis of the Total Electron Content (TEC) derived from the International GNSS Service receiver (formerly IGS) at Malindi (2.9°S, 40.1°E), Kenya for the periods 2004–2006 during the declining phase of solar cycle 23. The diurnal, monthly and seasonal variations of the TEC are compared with TEC from the latest International Reference Ionosphere model (IRI-2007). The GPS–TEC exhibits features such as an equatorial noon time dip, semi-annual variations, Equatorial Ionization Anomaly and day-to-day variability. The lowest GPS–TEC values are observed near the June solstice and September equinox whereas largest values are observed near the March equinox and December solstice. The mean GPS–TEC values show a minimum at 03:00 UT and a peak value at about 10:00 UT. These results are compared with the TEC derived from IRI-2007 using the NeQuick option for the topside electron density (IRI–TEC). Seasonal mean hourly averages show that IRI-2007 model TEC values are too high for all the seasons. The high prediction primarily occur during daytime hours till around midnight hours local time for all the seasons, with the highest percentage deviation in TEC of more 90% seen in September equinox and lowest percentage deviation in TEC of less than 20% seen in March equinox. Unlike the GPS–TEC, the IRI–TEC does not respond to geomagnetic storms and does overestimate TEC during the recovery phase of the storm. While the modeled and observed data do correlate so well, we note that IRI-2007 model is strongly overestimating the equatorial ion fountain effect during the descending phase of solar cycle, and this could be the reason for the very high TEC estimations.     

Comparison of ionospheric F2 peak parameters foF2 and hmF2 with IRI2001 at Hainan

Monthly median values of foF2, hmF2 and M(3000)F2 parameters, with quarter-hourly time interval resolution for the diurnal variation, obtained with DPS4 digisonde at Hainan (19.5°N, 109.1°E; Geomagnetic coordinates: 178.95°E, 8.1°N) are used to investigate the low-latitude ionospheric variations and comparisons with the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model predictions. The data used for the present study covers the period from February 2002 to April 2007, which is characterized by a wide range of solar activity, ranging from high solar activity (2002) to low solar activity (2007). The results show that (1) Generally, IRI predictions follow well the diurnal and seasonal variation patterns of the experimental values of foF2, especially in the summer of 2002. However, there are systematic deviation between experimental values and IRI predictions with either CCIR or URSI coefficients. Generally IRI model greatly underestimate the values of foF2 from about noon to sunrise of next day, especially in the afternoon, and slightly overestimate them from sunrise to about noon. It seems that there are bigger deviations between IRI Model predictions and the experimental observations for the moderate solar activity. (2) Generally the IRI-predicted hmF2 values using CCIR M(3000)F2 option shows a poor agreement with the experimental results, but there is a relatively good agreement in summer at low solar activity. The deviation between the IRI-predicted hmF2 using CCIR M(3000)F2 and observed hmF2 is bigger from noon to sunset and around sunrise especially at high solar activity. The occurrence time of hmF2 peak (about 1200 LT) of the IRI model predictions is earlier than that of observations (around 1500 LT). The agreement between the IRI hmF2 obtained with the measured M(3000)F2 and the observed hmF2 is very good except that IRI overestimates slightly hmF2 in the daytime in summer at high solar activity and underestimates it in the nighttime with lower values near sunrise at low solar activity.