Prompt effects of solar wind variations on the inner magnetosphere and midlatitude ionosphere

It is well known that the solar wind can significantly affect high-latitude ionospheric dynamics. However, the effects of the solar wind on the middle- and low-latitude ionosphere are much less studied. In this paper, we report observations that large perturbations in the middle- and low-latitude ionosphere are well correlated with solar wind variations. In one event, a significant (20–30%) decrease of the midlatitude ionospheric electron density over a large latitudinal range was related to a sudden drop in the solar wind pressure and a northward turning of the interplanetary magnetic field, and the density decrease became larger at lower latitudes. In another event, periodic perturbations in the dayside equatorial ionospheric E × B drift and electrojet were closely associated with variations in the interplanetary electric field. Since the solar wind is always changing with time, it can be a very important and common source of ionospheric perturbations at middle- and low-latitudes. The relationship between solar wind variations and significant ionospheric perturbations has important applications in space weather.     

2000年4月6-8日磁暴期间电离层TEC观测研究

利用北京、乌鲁木齐、武汉GPS观测数据计算的垂直总电子含量，分析了发生于2000年4月6-8日磁暴期间观测区域的电离层状态。结果表明，在4月7日北京时间0200-0700之间，在中、低纬地区出现了较弱的电离层负相暴，与前一日相比，最大TEC之差在-8TECU左右；在北京时间0700之后，在较高纬度地区开始出现强列的电离层负相暴，并且该负相暴随着时间逐渐增强；但在北京时间0700-0900之间，在低纬地区出现了电离层正相暴。在定时间内较高纬度地区的负相暴逐渐增强并向南移动而低纬地区的正相暴经历了增强到减弱的过程。     

对流层特大暴雨天气对电离层变化的影响

研究气象活动对电离层变化的影响．利用时序叠加方法，通过对1958-1998年期间发生在武汉的5次特大暴雨天气事件对武汉上空电离层变化的影响进行分析，发现：(1)特大暴雨能够引起低电离层，fbEs和，f0Es参量较明显地减小；(2)特大暴雨对电离层F区寻常波描迹的最低虚高h′F和电离层等效峰高hpF的参量也有一定影响，且随着雨量的增大这种影响作用也会增加；(3)特大暴雨对电离层其他参量影响甚弱或没有影响．本文认为，特大暴雨天气事件对电离层的影响主要来自于动力过程，特别是特大暴雨激发的或相伴的大气重力波、潮汐波和行星波等长周期大尺度过程的作用．     

1958年7月8日磁暴的电离层响应

本文用遍布全球的52个电离层垂测台站资料,研究1958年7月8日磁暴期间全球电离层扰动的发展变化;各扇区的响应特性;扰动的传播轨迹及速度等。获得以下结果:1.几大扇区的电离层扰动始于南北两极,美洲扇区除具这一特征外,其赤道地区在磁暴急始后不久,出现一个扰动中心,邻近区域的扰动受其控制。2.扰动由高纬向低纬发展,由扰动中心向外传播。3.扰动峰面几乎与地磁力线垂直,即扰动沿磁力线方向发展,其传播速度大约在150—600m/s范围。     

Dissipation of magnetic fields in active galactic nuclei

A model for the emission processes causing rapid variability (less than one day) in active galactic nuclei is developed. Relativistic electron beams escape from reconnection sheets in coronae of accretion disks and excite plasma turbulence with a typical frequency , which depends on the electron number densityn (see also the contribution by R. van Oss). The finite lengths of different beams emerging from different reconnection sheets allows that the waves arecoherently scattered to frequencies ²_pe. For Lorentz factors 10³ and densities typical for disk coronaen10⁶ cm ^–3 (derived from iron line observations) one easily reaches the optical, frequency range. The time scale of the variability is then caused by the relaxation of the electron beams. Likewise, this model explains the very rapid variability in the X-ray (less than 10 minutes) by changing the parameters slightly. According to this scenario the higher the variable frequency is, the closer to the central black hole it should originate.     

Solar Irradiance Variability Since 1978

Since November 1978 a set of total solar irradiance (TSI) measurements from space is available, yielding a time series of more than 25 years. Presently, there are three TSI composites available, called PMOD, ACRIM and IRMB, which are all constructed from the same original data, but use different procedures to correct for sensitivity changes. The PMOD composite is the only one which also corrects the early HF data for degradation. The results from the detailed analysis of the VIRGO radiometry allow a good understanding of the effects influencing the long-term behaviour of classical radiometers in space. Thus, a re-analysis of the behaviour of HF/NIMBUS-7 and ACRIM-I/SMM was indicated. For the former the situation is complicated by the fact that there are no in-flight means to determine changes due to exposure to solar radiation by comparison with a less exposed radiometer on the same spacecraft. The geometry and optical property of the cavity of HF is, however, very similar to the PMO6-type radiometers, so the behaviour of the PMO6V radiometers on VIRGO can be used as a model. ACRIM-I had to be revised mainly due to a henceforth undetected early increase and a more detailed analysis of its degradation. The results are not only important for solar radiometry from space, but they also provide a more reliable TSI during cycle 21. The differences between the revised PMOD composite and the ACRIM and IRMB are discussed by comparison with a TSI reconstruction from Kitt-Peak magnetograms. As the PMOD composite is the only one which has reliable data for cycle 21, the behaviour of the three solar cycles can now be compared and the similarities and differences discussed.     

典型电离层多普勒记录及其讨论

由于地面电离层多普勒频率偏移测量具有时间连续、设备相对简便等固有特征，它特别适合于扰监测。本文在整理北京大学电离层高频多普勒台站观测资料的基础上，给出了一些典型电离层多普勒效应观测现象，这些现象反映了多普勒的细致分析对电离层形态学研究有其特殊意义。利用IRI模型，对多普勒频移的太阳耀斑效应及电离层不规则结构对多普勒频移的影响进行了模拟计算，理论结果与观测基本一致，从而大体上解释了这些响应的物理机制。论文最后对观测到的一种特殊的记录类型－－S型描迹的具体成因作了详细的分析和讨论，指出在一定条件下，以一定相位速度水平传播的声重波可以产生这类记录，给出了相位速度和振幅等声重波参数与记录描迹形状的关系，这对从多普勒频移记录推演电离层中的波动特征有一定的帮助。     

化学物质释放人工改变电离层

考虑中性气体在电离层高度的扩散过程和相应的电离层离子化学过程，研究了利用主动化学物质释放来改变电离层的方法，理论计算了H2O和SF6两种气体释放后电离层随时间的响应过程，结果表明，在电离层高度上气体的扩散过程非常迅速，电离层F区的电子密度有很大程度的减少，而扩散慢且化学反应快的气体对电离层的影响更大，就更加有利于电离层洞的形成。     

Global ionospheric scintillations revealed by GPS radio occultation data with FY3C satellite before midnight during the March 2015 storm

Global observations of S4 amplitude scintillation index by the GPS Occultation Sounder (GNOS) on FengYun-3 C (FY3C) satellite reveal global dynamic patterns of a strong pre-midnight scintillations in F-region of the ionosphere during the St. Patrick’s Day geomagnetic super storm of 17–19 March 2015. The observed strong scintillations mainly occurred in the low latitudes, caused by equatorial plasma bubbles. During the main storm phase (March 17), the scintillations were first triggered in the New Zealand sector near 160°E longitudes, extending beyond 40°S dip latitude. They were also enhanced in the Indian sector, but significantly suppressed in East Asia near 120°E longitude and in Africa around 30°E longitude. During the initial recovery phase (March 18–19), the global scintillations were seldom observed in GNOS data. During the later recovery phase (after March 19), the scintillations recovered to the pre-storm level in Indian, African, and American sectors, but not in East Asian and any of Pacific sectors. These results closely correlate with observations of the density depletion structures by the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite, and ground-based instruments. Such consistency indicates reliability of our scintillation sensing approach even in a case-by-case comparison study. The prompt penetration electric field and disturbance dynamo electric field are suggested as the main factors that control the enhancement and inhibition of the scintillations during the storm, respectively.