Meteorites in Antarctica — Statistics on falls, concentration, recovery and alteration on ice-sheet

The Antarctic meteorites are distributed on the blue-ice area surfaces in the ablation zone of the Antarctic ice-sheet, to where meteorites have been transported by the ice-flow within the ice-sheet from the wider accumulation zone. Among the Antarctic meteorite collection H- and L-chondrites are most abundant; this is also true in the non-Antarctic meteorite collection. Meteorite showers also are involved in the collection. Several new types of stony meteorites have been discovered from the Antarctic meteorite collection. The mass and shape of Antarctic meteorites are in agreement with those of resultant fragments of high-speed impact basaltic rocks. In Antarctica, small fragments of meteorite smaller than 1 kg in weight can easily be found and collected. The solidification and the gas retention ages of Antarctic meteorites also are concentrated around 4.5×10⁹ years, but some of them are considerably younger. Their cosmic-ray exposure ages are extended up to 9×10⁶ years and their terrestrial ages are 9×10⁴-7×10⁵ years.     

The importance of charged aerosols in the polar mesosphere in connection with Noctilucent Clouds and Polar Mesosphere Summer Echoes

A number of campaigns have been conducted in order to study Polar Mesosphere Summer Echos (PMSE) and Noctilucent Clouds (NLC) in the period 1991–1994. Several sounding rockets have been launched through these layers with measurements being performed on upleg as well as downleg. These include measurements of positive ions and electrons in both ram and wake positions, as well as measurements of charged aerosols in ram on upleg. In this paper we will review these measurements and make a preliminary classification of the data based upon the presence of PMSE and/or NLC. One of the mechanisms responsible for PMSE is the presence of neutral air turbulence in combination with a high Schmidt number. We will briefly discuss this type of echo using in situ rocket data. Differences and similarities of PMSE and NLC as observed both in the Arctic and the Antarctic will be discussed. Observations show that especially PMSE are much more frequent in the Arctic. This may be due to a difference in the water vapour content or the temperature at mesopause heights. Lack of data in the Antarctic makes it difficult to decide which of these two factors are the most important. More measurements, especially co-ordinated in situ and ground-based lidar and radar measurements, are needed to discuss the Arctic and Antarctic similarities and differences in further detail.     

Establishment of atmospheric weighted mean temperature model in the polar regions

Due to the special geographical location and extreme climate environment, the polar regions (Antarctic and Arctic) have an important impact on global climate change. Atmospheric weighted mean temperature (Tm) is a crucial parameter in the retrieval of precipitable water vapor (PWV) from the zenith wet delay (ZWD) of ground-based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal propagation. In this paper, the correlation between weighted mean temperature and surface temperature (Ts) is studied firstly. It is shown that the correlation coefficients between Tm and Ts are 0.93 in the Antarctic and 0.94 in the Arctic. The linear regression Tm model and quadratic function Tm model of the Antarctic and the Arctic are established respectively using the radiosonde profiles of 12 stations in the Antarctic and 58 stations in the Arctic from 2008 to 2015. The accuracies of the linear regression Tm model, the quadratic function Tm model and GPT2w Tm model which is a state-of-the-art global Tm model are verified using the radiosonde profiles from 2016 to 2018 in the Antarctic and Arctic. Root Mean Square (RMS) errors of the linear regression Tm model, the quadratic function Tm model and GPT2w Tm model in the Antarctic are 3.07 K, 2.87 K and 4.32 K respectively, and those in the Arctic are 3.53 K, 3.38 K and 4.82 K, which indicates that the quadratic function Tm model has a higher accuracy compared to linear regression Tm model, and the accuracies of the two regional Tm models are better than that of GPT2w Tm model in the polar regions. In order to better evaluate the accuracy of Tm in the PWV retrieval, the PWV values of radiosondes are used for comparisons as the reference value. The RMS errors of PWV derived from the two Tm models are similar for 1.28 mm in the Antarctic and 1 mm in the Arctic respectively. In addition, the spatial and temporal variation characteristics of Tm are analyzed in the polar regions by spectral analysis of Tm data using fast Fourier transform. The results show that the Tm has obvious seasonality and annual periodicity in the polar regions, and the maximum difference between warm season and cold season is about 63 K. After comparing and analyzing the influences of latitude, longitude and elevation on the Tm in the polar regions, it is found that latitude and elevation have a greater influence on the Tm than the longitude. As the latitude and elevation increase, the Tm decreases, and vice versa in the polar regions.     

Stratosphere-mesosphere coupling during stratospheric sudden warming events

In this review article we summarize recent results in the coupling of the stratosphere–mesosphere during stratospheric sudden warming (SSW) events. We focus on the role of planetary and gravity waves in driving the middle atmosphere circulation and illustrate the stratosphere–mesosphere coupling during undisturbed wintertime circulation, during an SSW event, and after an SSW event during the formation of an elevated stratopause using simulations of past Arctic and Antarctic winters from the Specified Dynamics version of the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (SD-WACCM). We illustrate the transition of the polar stratopause from being a gravity wave driven phenomena to a planetary wave driven phenomena during SSW events and its subsequent reestablishment and control by gravity waves. We also examine the synoptic structure of the stratosphere, mesosphere, and lower thermosphere using SD-WACCM data fields that show the structure of the vortex during specific dynamical events in both hemispheres. We illustrate the longitudinal asymmetry in the thermal structure in the stratosphere and mesosphere driven by differences in circulation over the polar cap regions during an SSW event. We complement this analysis of the middle atmosphere circulation with a classification of both the Arctic and Antarctic winters since 1979 into major, minor, elevated stratopause or quiet winters based on the level of disturbance using the Modern Era-Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) reanalysis data. From the MERRA data we find that the combined occurrences of both major and minor warmings in the Arctic have remained constant over the past three decades while we find a minor increase in their occurrences in the Antarctic.     

Occurrence of Ionospheric irregularities over Brazil and Africa during the 2019 Antarctic minor sudden stratospheric warming

The influence of sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) on the ionosphere and ionospheric irregularities has been studied extensively over the years. However, majority of these investigations have been conducted using warming events originating from the northern hemisphere. Only a few studies have been done on ionospheric variations due to the Antarctic SSW events and to the best of our knowledge, there have not been any studies on southern hemisphere SSW and the occurrence of ionospheric irregularities. In this study, the occurrence of ionospheric irregularities during the 2019 minor Southern hemisphere (SH)/Antarctic SSW is investigated. The event occurs in a relatively calm solar and geomagnetic activity period which makes it possible to identify the effects of SSW on the occurrence of irregularities. Three ionosondes located in different latitudinal regions in Brazil as well as a network of ground-based GPS receiver stations located in both Brazil and Africa were used for this undertaking. Complimentary data from the same ionosonde stations using the same months from 2017 and 2018 were also used. On average more Spread-F was observed in 2019 than in 2017 or 2018 at all stations. ROT observations showed more occurrence in the Brazil sectors followed by West Africa and thenEast Africa. It was observed that the occurrence frequency decreased between 8% and 46 % from the pre-SSW phase to ascending/peak phases and from 2018 to 2019 for the peak phase.     

Testing a Mars science outpost in the Antarctic dry valleys.

Field research conducted in the Antarctic has been providing insights about the nature of Mars in the science disciplines of exobiology and geology. Located in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of southern Victoria Land (160 degrees and 164 degrees E longitude and 76 degrees 30' and 78 degrees 30' S latitude), research outposts are inhabited by teams of 4-6 scientists. We propose that the design of these outposts be expanded to enable meaningful tests of many of the systems that will be needed for the successful conduct of exploration activities on Mars. Although there are some important differences between the environment in the Antarctic dry valleys and on Mars, the many similarities and particularly the field science activities, make the dry valleys a useful terrestrial analog to conditions on Mars. Three areas have been identified for testing at a small science outpost in the dry valleys; 1) studying human factors and physiology in an isolated environment; 2) testing emerging technologies (e.g., innovative power management systems, advanced life support facilities including partial bioregenerative life support systems for water recycling and food growth, telerobotics, etc.); and 3) conducting basic scientific research that will enhance our understanding of Mars while contributing to the planning for human exploration. We suggest that an important early result of a Mars habitat program will be the experience gained by interfacing humans and their supporting technology in a remote and stressful environment.     

Spring-ozone change in Antarctica and the role of the polar vortex

Observations since the late 1970's have shown that from late September until the end of November (austral spring) the total ozone over the southern polar region has declined by up to 30% when compared with the ozone average of the 1957–1978 period. The decline is not uniform in time and space; from January through August, the ozone changes are very small, well within the year-to-year fluctuation limits. Satellite observations confirm that the significant ozone decline is centered over and does not expand outside of the Antarctic continent, e.g. it coincides with the location of the Antarctic stratospheric winter vortex; moreover, the decline increases poleward. Analysis of the stratospheric temperatures and geopotential heights confirms that the spring-to-spring ozone changes closely follow the changes of the thermobaric field, and that the rapid increase of ozone (and stratospheric temperature) in the spring is dependent on the time of the polar vortex breakdown, when favorable conditions for continuous meridional exchange of ozone-rich air from the middle latitudes are re-established. The stratospheric heating rates and the weak gradient in the vortex central region during early spring provide favorable conditions for weak upward motions, responsible for a substantial part of the ozone loss between the date of the solar penetration of the stratosphere, and the date of the vortex breakdown. Since the late 1970's, the breakdown of the Antarctic vortex has occured about mid-November, a month later than in years of early breakdown. It is suggested that an early breakdwon of the Antarctic vortex would interrupt the trend of declining spring ozone established over the past few years.     

Analog environments for a Europa lander mission

This paper reviews the utility of analog environments in preparations for a Europa lander mission. Such analogs are useful in the demonstration and rehearsal of engineering functions such as sample acquisition from an icy surface, as well as in the exercise of the scientific protocols needed to identify organic, inorganic and possible biological impurities in ice. Particular attention is drawn to Antarctic and Arctic analog sites where progress in these latter areas has been significant in recent years.     

Study of long path VLF signal propagation characteristics as observed from Indian Antarctic station,Maitri

To examine the quality and propagation characteristics of the Very Low Frequency (VLF) radio waves in a very long propagation path, Indian Centre for Space Physics, Kolkata, participated in the 27th Indian scientific expedition to Antarctica during 2007–2008. One Stanford University made AWESOME VLF receiving system was installed at the Indian Antarctic station Maitri and about five weeks of data were recorded successfully from the Indian transmitter VTX and several other transmitting stations worldwide. The quality of the signal from the VTX transmitter was found to be very good, consistent and highly stable in day and night. The signal shows the evidences of the presence of the 24 h solar radiation in the Antarctic region during local summer. Here we report the both narrow band and broadband VLF observations from this site. The diurnal variations of VTX signal (18.2 kHz) are presented systematically for Antarctica path and also compared the same with the variations for a short propagation path (VTX-Kolkata). We compute the spatial distribution of the VTX signal along the VTX-Antarctica path using the most well-known LWPC model for an all-day and all-night propagation conditions. The calculated signal amplitudes corresponding to those conditions relatively corroborate the observations. We also present the attenuation rate of the dominant waveguide modes corresponding to those propagation conditions where the effects of the Antarctic polar ice on the attenuation of different propagating waveguide modes are visible.     

Evaluation of geostationary and polar orbiting satellites to collect meteorological data from automatic stations in the Antarctic Peninsula

This paper summarizes the main results, needs and perspectives on the use of Satellite Data Collection Systems (DCS) in the Antarctic Peninsula as derived from the operation of an experimental net of five Data Collection Platforms (DCPs) installed to collect meteorological data from remote sites, during the period 1978–1984. Main logistics problems have been solved and also the maintenance of a continuous data link along the year through Landsat (initially) and GOES satellites (actually). It is hoped to solve in the near future the remaining data quality problems on the DCP sensors.     

Sources and losses of ring current ions: An update

The cleft ion fountain has been identified as a prodigious source of upflowing suprathermal ionospheric plasma. Modeling efforts have traced the path of these ions from the polar ionosphere along trajectories where the ions are energized to keV energies and deposited in the near earth plasma sheet. Mass and energy dispersion of these ions accounts in a natural way for the observed variation in heavy ion content of the plasma sheet. Observations of ion composition in the plasma sheet by the AMPTE and ISEE spacecraft establish that ionospheric ions dominate in the near earth plasma sheet but solar wind ions become significant tailward. The heavy ion content of the plasma sheet increases with both solar cycle and magnetic activity. Direct injection of ionospheric ions into the ring current has been observed in the outer plasmasphere. Several mechanisms for the direct injection of ions from the plasmasphere and ionosphere into the ring current have appeared. Estimation of ionospheric source strengths and residence times have led to an estimate of the magnetospheric densities that would result solely from an ionospheric outflow populating the magnetosphere. Estimated densities were quite reasonable even without inclusion of a solar wind source of ions. Ring current ions decay primarily via charge exchange with the hydrogen geocorona, however, the roles of pitch angle diffusion and Coulomb collisions in this decay process are being clarified.

Modeling and observations of ENA by the 1SEE1 spacecraft has led to a re-affirmation of the dominant role of charge exchange in ring current decay. Ion cyclotron waves contribute to ring current decay in the dusk bulge region. The role of low frequency. (< 1 Hz) ion cyclotron waves in the plasmasphere is still unclear. Other wave modes may be responsible for the pitch angle diffusion and subsequent loss of ring current ions. Coulomb collisional energy losses from ring current O⁺ to thermal electrons are sufficient to power SAR arcs and represent an energy sink for ring current O⁺ within the plasmasphere. Coulomb collisions may be important for decay of low energy (< 10 KeV) ring current ions in the plasmasphere.     

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron resonance heating in the VASIMR

Plasma physics has found an increasing range of practical industrial applications, including the development of electric spacecraft propulsion systems. One of these systems, the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) engine, both applies several important physical processes occurring in the magnetosphere. These processes include the mechanisms involved in the ion acceleration and heating that occur in the Birkeland currents of an auroral arc system. Auroral current region processes that are simulated in VASIMR include lower hybrid heating, parallel electric field acceleration and ion cyclotron acceleration. This paper will focus on using a physics demonstration model VASIMR to study ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH). The major purpose is to provide a VASIMR status report to the COSPAR community. The VASIMR uses a helicon antenna with up to 20 kW of power to generate plasma. This plasma is energized by an RF booster stage that uses left hand polarized slow mode waves launched from the high field side of the ion cyclotron resonance. The present setup for the booster uses 2–4 MHz waves with up to 20 kW of power. This process is similar to the ion cyclotron heating in tokamaks, but in the VASIMR the ions only pass through the resonance region once. The rapid absorption of ion cyclotron waves has been predicted in recent theoretical studies. These theoretical predictions have been supported with several independent measurements in this paper. The ICRH produced a substantial increase in ion velocity. Pitch angle distribution studies show that this increase takes place in the resonance region where the ion cyclotron frequency is equal to the frequency on the injected RF waves. Downstream of the resonance region the perpendicular velocity boost should be converted to axial flow velocity through the conservation of the first adiabatic invariant as the magnetic field decreases in the exhaust region of the VASIMR. In deuterium plasma, 80% efficient absorption of 20 kW of ICRH input power has been achieved. No evidence for power limiting instabilities in the exhaust beam has been observed.     

极区顶部电离层离子上行的太阳活动依赖性研究

利用第23太阳活动周DMSP F12,F13和F15卫星数据,分别对南北半球极区顶部电离层离子上行的太阳活动依赖性进行了研究.结果表明,南北半球上行事件对太阳活动的响应特征基本一致,即高（低）太阳活动时,离子上行通量以及上行数密度较大（小）,但是上行速度及上行发生率较低（高）.以南半球高纬为例,计算得到离子上行通量、数密度、速度及发生率在高低太阳活动条件下的比值分别约为2.26,3.35,0.71,0.51.对离子上行太阳活动依赖性的可能原因进行了分析.不同太阳活动水平下,光致电离及高能粒子沉降的差异会导致电离层离子密度的不同,而电离层离子密度的变化会改变离子elax-elax中性大气之间的碰撞频率,这是影响离子上行发生率的一个重要原因.      

Variation of ionospheric electron and ion temperatures during periods of minimum to maximum solar activity by the SROSS-C2 satellite over Indian low and equatorial latitudes

To study the variation of ionospheric electron and ion temperatures with solar activity the data of electron and ion temperatures were recorded with the help of Retarding Potential Analyzer payload aboard Indian SROSS-C2 satellite at an average altitude of ∼500 km. The main focuses of the paper is to see the diurnal, seasonal and latitudinal variations of electron and ion temperatures during periods of minimum to maximum solar activity. The ionospheric temperatures in the topside show strong variations with altitude, latitude, season and solar activity. In present study, the temperature variations with latitude, season and solar activity have been studied at an average altitude ∼500 km. The peak at sunrise has been observed during all seasons, in both electron and ion temperatures. Further, the ionospheric temperatures vary with latitude in day time. The latitudinal variation is more pronounced for low solar activity than for high solar activity.     

A 3NM-64_He added to LARC for Solar Extreme Event studies during solar cycle 24

The Antarctic Laboratory for Cosmic Rays (LARC, acronym for Laboratorio Antartico per i Raggi Cosmici or Laboratorio Antártico para Rayos Cósmicos) operates on King George Island (South Shetlands). Since January 1991 a standard 6NM-64 detector has been recording continuous cosmic ray measurements and several Ground-Level Enhancements have been registered. Here we describe the different phases performed in Italy for the realization of a 3NM-64_³He detector, which started its measurements during the Italian XXII Antarctic Summer Campaign. Data recorded during solar activity cycle 24 will furnish an useful research tool for the next Solar Extreme Events.     

Italian polar data center for capacity building associated with the IHY

The International Heliophysical Year offers a good opportunity to develop and coordinate studies on the Sun–Earth system by using a large variety of simultaneous data obtained by satellite/spacecraft and ground based instruments. Among these data we recall the ones coming from solar and interplanetary medium observations, auroral, neutron monitor, geomagnetic field, ionospheric, meteorological, and other atmospheric observatories. In this context, an Information System for the Italian Research in Antarctica has started in 2003, aiming to collect information on the scientific research projects funded by the National Antarctic Research Program of Italy since its establishment (1985). It belongs to Joint Committee on Antarctic Data Management of Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research as Italian Antarctic Data Center. This project, as the Italian Polar Database, gathers also information on research activities conducted in North Pole regions. This Information System can be a relevant resource for capacity building associated with the International Heliophysical Year, especially for people involved in interdisciplinary researches. We describe the present status of the Italian Polar Data Center and its potential use.     

Satellite observations of sea ice

An overview is presented of Antarctic and Arctic sea ice studies using data from the Nimbus-5 ESMR and the Nimbus-7 SMMR passive microwave radiometers. Four years (1973–1976) of ESMR data for the Antarctic Ocean define the characteristics of the seasonal cycle including regional contrasts and interannual variations. Major advances include the discovery of the Weddell polynya and the presence of substantial areas of open water in the Antarctic winter pack ice. Regional differences in sea ice extent on time-scales of about a month are shown to be associated with variations in surface-wind fields. In the Arctic, the computation of sea ice concentration is complicated by the presence of multiyear ice, but the amount of multiyear ice becomes an important measurable quantity with dual-polarized, multifrequency passive microwave sensors. Analysis of SMMR data demonstrates its advantage for studying the spatial and temporal variability of the Arctic ice cover. Large observed interannual variations in the distribution of the multiyear pack ice and the presence of significant divergent areas in the central Arctic during winter contrast markedly with the classical view of the Arctic pack ice.     

A preliminary comparison of two perennially ice-covered lakes in Antarctica: analogs of past Martian lacustrine environments.

Perennially ice-covered lakes in the Antarctic have been suggested as analogs to lakes which may have existed on the surface of Mars 3.5 billion years ago. During the 1991-1992 austral summer, a joint Russian/American research effort was directed at studies of ice-covered lakes in the Bunger Hills Oasis, Antarctica (66 degrees S, 100 degrees E). The primary objective of the expedition was to investigate this ice-free area for features analogous to ancient martian environments that may have been capable of supporting life and to compare the ice-covered lakes of the Bunger Hills with those in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of southern Victoria Land (77 degrees S, 166 degrees E) as part of the continuing studies of Antarctic-Mars analogs.     

高纬极区电离层中离子声波谱线增强的解释

大量的实验研究表明, 在顶部极光区电离层, 利用EISCAT非相干散射雷达和Millstone Hill雷达可以观测到不对称、增强的离子声波谱线. 考虑到低能H+离子束沉降到背景电离层, 以及电离层顶部O+离子的外流事件, 采用含有场向热流项的双麦克斯韦分布描述H+离子束的分布函数, 进而基于离子－离子双流不稳定性理论来解释增强的离子声波谱线. 场向热流的引入可以减小离子声波谱线的不对称现象, 这样得到的结果更符合实际.      

Comparison of the polar D-region behavior in the Arctic and Antarctic

The behavior of the polar D-region in the Arctic and Antarctic is studied on the basis of the database of the electron concentration measurements onboard the M-100B meteorological rockets launched at the Heiss Island and Molodezhnaya sites. All the measurements have been conducted by the same method, so their intercomparison is valid independently on the well known absolute calibration problem. It is found that there is a pronounced difference in the diurnal behavior of [e] in the upper D region at both sites. The [e] values demonstrate a correlation with the ΣKp magnetic index, the dependence being better pronounced in the dark period The [e] values demonstrate also a dependence on the neutral gas temperature T, the fact being a manifestation of the meteorological control of the D region even at high latitudes.