On the Origin of High-Latitude Boundary Layer of the Earth's Magnetosphere

Localization of the reconnection region at the dayside magnetopause is among the unsolved problems of magnetospheric physics. There are two alternative models, one of which predicts the reconnection at the equatorial magnetopause, and the other predicts the reconnection in the region where the magnetic field of the solar wind flowing around the magnetosphere is antiparallel to the geomagnetic field. The statistical analysis carried out for 53 INTERBALL-1crossings of the high-latitude magnetopause in a special coordinate frame invariant with respect to the interplanetary conditions shows that the model of a reconnection in antiparallel fields agrees well with the experimental data.     

Electrostatic Noise Spectrum at the Electron Cyclotron Frequency and Electromagnetic Emission in the Inhomogeneous Plasma of the Topside Ionosphere

Measurements of the wave emission of the topside ionosphere made onboard the APEX satellite using the electric component of the wave field in the 0.1–10 MHz frequency band are presented. At middle latitudes a wave intensity decrease was observed in the broad-band spectrum of the electrostatic noise at the electron cyclotron frequency. It is shown that a break in the spectrum of electrostatic modes at the electron cyclotron frequency (the absence of the plasma eigen-frequencies) may be a cause of the observed effect. The increase of the intensity at the electron cyclotron frequency in the ionospheric trough and at latitudes above the trough region as compared to middle latitudes may be explained by the capture by plasma irregularities of the electromagnetic emission of the auroral electron fluxes.__________Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 43, No. 3, 2005, pp. 201–208.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Izhovkina, Prutensky, Pulinets, Kiraga, Klos, Rothkael.     

Disturbance of the Electric Field in the Ionosphere by Sea Storms and Typhoons

The results of detecting quasi-stationary electric fields onboard the Kosmos-1809 satellite and observing sea storms and typhoons are analyzed jointly. We have detected an amplification of the electric field in the low-latitude ionosphere that is related to the preparatory stage and development of tropical storms and typhoons. In this case, the electric field strength can reach 20 mV/m, an anomalously high value for the low-latitude and near-equatorial ionosphere. High-accuracy estimates of the electric field strength are made on the basis of a model of its origination as a result of the generation of an extraneous electric current in the disturbed region of the lower atmosphere and the impact of these currents on the global atmosphere–ionosphere system of currents.     

Radiation Electrification of Spacecraft Leeward Surfaces by Auroral Electrons in the Ionosphere

A methodology of the physical modeling of radiation electrification of the leeward surfaces of the materials used to construct space vehicles by auroral electrons, when the vehicles are flown supersonically around by the ionospheric plasma at low and middle heights, is developed. Based on laboratory modeling, numerical experiments, and in situ observations, the dependencies of charging levels and equilibrium potentials on the ratio of the auroral electron density to the positive ions in the near wake behind the body and in the undisturbed plasma are determined.     

确定直方图第一下界限值的两种方法优劣之比较

论文对确定直方图第一下界限值的两种方法之优劣进行了比较,并通过举例说明其中一方法使用的局限性.文章对质量管理等相关人员制作直方图有一定的参考价值.     

Modeling of Plasma Density in the Earth's Dayside Inner Magnetosphere

The results of comparison of the model profiles of density, obtained by means of the CDPDM model, with the experimental data of the ISEE-1 satellite for the years 1977–1983 are presented. The hypothesis on the validity of the mirror mapping of the convection boundary relative to the dawn–dusk direction is verified. An attempt to improve the CDPDM model for the dayside is made.     

Structure of the Large-Scale Vortex Motions in the Ionosphere E Region

It is shown that the dissipative-centrifugal instability (DCI) revealed earlier for large-scale two-dimension vortex motions of the neutral gas in a fast-rotating atmosphere is also possible for similar motions of a weakly ionized gas in the magnetic field when one takes into account electrodynamics forces (the induction deceleration and gyroscopic force caused by the Hall current) in the absence of dissipation. In the case of a conductive atmosphere, strictly anticyclone motion at a DCI of the neutral atmosphere could be impossible or (depending on the Hall conductivity value) it could even change to a cyclone motion. Experimental results that can be considered as a confirmation of the theoretical conclusions are presented.     

Sources of Plasma Troughs in the Midlatitude and Subauroral Topside Ionosphere

The data of observations of plasma density in the large-scale ionospheric trough by the ion trap onboard the Kosmos-900 satellite on April 15, 1977, are presented. They enable one to understand both the general configuration and the fine details of the trough. There are sharp gradients of density (especially, in the subtroughs) superimposed on the less prominent variations of density in the main trough, which are characteristic of the average pattern of the trough. It was demonstrated that one of the possible mechanisms of forming the troughs(i.e., plasma cavities) is the electrostatic instability of plasma in the topside ionosphere.     

Stationary Nose Structures of Protons in the Inner Magnetosphere: Observations by the ION Instrument onboard the Interball-2 Satellite and Modeling

Nose structures are objects formed by H⁺ particles penetrating into the inner magnetosphere [1, 2]. We present the results of experimental studies and numerical modeling of the nose structures. Statistical processing of the observations of nose structures in 1997 by the ION instrument onboard the Interball-2 satellite at heights of 10000–15000 km demonstrates that the probability of formation of the nose structures under quiet magnetic conditions (with current values K _p = 0–1) in the nighttime sector of the magnetosphere is 90%. The probability of observation of the nose structures in the daytime sector equals 50% at the current value K _p = 0–1, and the correlation between the observations of nose structures and K _p can be improved (up to 75%) if the K _p index is taken 6 h before the observed events. It is shown that nose structures are a characteristic feature not only of the substorm processes but also of quasi-stationary phenomena in the quiet magnetosphere. The nose structures observed in magnetically quiet periods are called stationary nose structures in this work. By modeling drift trajectories for protons, it is shown that the stationary nose structures are formed in all sectors of the MLT. The stationary nose structures observed by the ION instrument are modeled in the night, morning, and daytime sectors of the MLT. The relation between the stationary nose structures and ion spectral gaps is considered.     

Precipitating Protons and Their Role in Ionization of the Polar Ionosphere

Spatial distributions of the electron density in the latitude range 60°–90° N were calculated on the basis of a physical model of the E and lower Fregions of the high-latitude ionosphere using statistical models of auroral proton and electron precipitation. It is shown that precipitating protons can play the key role in the ionization of the Eregion in the dusk and midnight sectors of the auroral oval. However, quantitative estimates of the contribution of protons to the ionization depend on the used statistical models of electron precipitation. Comparison of the electron density profiles calculated for two incoherent scatter radars, EISCAT (Tromsö) and ESR (Svalbard), for simultaneous precipitation of electrons and protons and for electron precipitation only show that the influence of protons is the most significant in the dusk sector over the EISCAT radar and in the midnight sector over the ESR radar. The results presented indicate the need to take protons into account when radar data are used to derive precipitating electron spectra.     

Dynamics of Planetary Waves in the Ionosphere as Observed from GPS Satellites

The GPS satellite data are used to study the dynamics of the ionospheric total electron content (TEC) over Central Europe in the summer season from June 23 to September 30, 1996. The TEC variations within the range of periods typical of the planetary waves were found to be nearly synchronous with the neutral wind variations in the mesosphere and with the variations in the occurrence of ionospheric sporadic layers. The observed TEC variations were interpreted as the result of penetration of energy carried by nonstationary Rossby waves to the upper atmospheric altitudes.     

On the Accuracy of the Conjugation of High-Orbit Satellites with Small-Scale Regions in the Ionosphere

The degree of uncertainty that arises when mapping high-orbit satellites of the Cluster type into the ionosphere using three geomagnetic field models (T89, T98, and T01) has been estimated. Studies have shown that uncertainty is minimal in situations when a satellite in the daytime is above the equatorial plane of the magnetosphere at the distance of no more than 5 R_E from the Earth’s surface and is projected into the ionosphere of the northern hemisphere. In this case, the dimensions of the uncertainty region are about 50 km, and the arbitrariness of the choice of the model for projecting does not play a decisive role in organizing satellite support based on optical observations when studying such large-scale phenomena as, e.g., WTS, as well as heating experiments at the EISCAT heating facility for the artificial modification of the ionosphere and the generation of artificial fluctuations in the VLF band. In all other cases, the uncertainty in determining the position of the base of the field line on which the satellite is located is large, and additional information is required to correctly compare the satellite with the object in the ionosphere.     

Satellite Measurements of Plasma Disturbances and Electric Currents Induced in the Midlatitude Ionosphere Modified by High-Power HF Radio Waves

Cosmic Research - We have analyzed the experimental data obtained in 2016–2019 from the measurements of plasma disturbances and electric currents induced at ionospheric altitudes upon the...     

平流层飞艇太阳电池阵发电功率计算及分析

针对圆柱曲面形状的平流层飞艇太阳能电池阵,提出了计算其发电功率的解析表达式;针对任意曲面形状的平流层飞艇太阳能电池阵,提出了一种准确方便的数值计算方法。针对飞艇通常采用的旋转对称组合椭球外形,提出了一种近似解析计算方法,将该解析计算方法和数值计算方法的计算结果进行比较后发现,近似解析方法日发电量计算结果精度可达0.1％,可以替代精确数值方法用于飞艇太阳能系统的设计和分析。最后,对平流层飞艇太阳能电池阵发电功率特性进行了详细分析,得到了平流层飞艇运行的季节、纬度、姿态、电池阵形状和安装位置等因素对其发电功率特性的影响规律。结果表明,以上因素与太阳电池阵面积和光电转化效率一样会对飞艇太阳电池发电功率造成重大影响。     

正交解调中频误差对脉间变频雷达成像结果的影响

针对采用固定中频正交解调方法的脉间变频雷达可能存在的中频误差进行分析,得到在中频上进行正交解调不会对成像造成影响的结论。推导存在中频频率误差条件下的成像公式,分析误差影响的主要表现。通过仿真对比不同中频频率误差对二维成像结果的影响,得出成像结果随频率误差变化的规律,给出可以忽略此误差的条件。     

“嫦娥一号”卫星观测近月太阳风离子特征

"嫦娥一号"卫星的太阳风离子探测器(SWIDs)的科学目标是研究太阳风与月球的相互作用以及相应的近月空间等离子体环境。文章利用"嫦娥一号"卫星SWIDs探测器在2007年12月30日的观测数据对近月太阳风等离子体环境,包括向阳侧太阳风离子、"拾起"离子以及在月球尾迹边界处的太阳风离子的特征进行分析,得到以下主要观测结果:1)在慢速太阳风中观测到双峰结构,分别为太阳风中的氢离子和二价氦离子;2)在行星际磁场具有明显昏向(+By)分量期间,在月球向阳侧持续观测到有月表散射或反射后被拾起的太阳风离子;3)与入射的太阳风离子不同,这些拾起的太阳风离子具有明显的角度分布特征;4)在行星际磁场昏向(晨向)期间,太阳风中的氢离子在月球尾迹北半球的边界处呈现减速(加速)特征并进入尾迹;而并未发现氦离子进入尾迹的特征。"嫦娥一号"卫星的这些观测数据对于认识近月空间等离子体环境有着重要的意义。     

The Fine Structure of the AKR Electromagnetic Field as Measured by the Interball-2 Satellite

The fine structure of the Auroral Kilometric Radiation (AKR) is studied using multicomponent measurements of the electric component of the electromagnetic field in the frequency band 4 kHz–1 MHz (the POLRAD experiment onboard the INTERBALL-2 satellite). Special attention is paid to the measurements near the source of the AKR: under conditions when the lower boundary of the emission range descended sufficiently low, down to the local gyrofrequency of electrons. From the analysis of the electric field structure the conclusion is drawn that the bulk of the AKR power is carried by the signal component fast variable in time and frequency (flickering component). The power of a constant component (continuum) is lower by at least an order of magnitude. During strong bursts of the AKR, the relative contribution of the flickering component increases. The spatial structure of the zone of generation has at least three characteristic scales along and across the magnetic field.     

Physical and Mathematical Simulation of Electric Polarization of Low-Orbit Spacecraft under the Conditions of Hypersonic Flow by a Stream of Plasma of the Earth's Upper Ionosphere

The charging processes in the vicinity of a low-orbital spacecraft moving in the midlatitude ionosphere are considered. It is shown that the main feature of charging of such an object is its polarization. The calculation results are analyzed in the context of general theoretical concepts.