The Balloon Array for RBSP Relativistic Electron Losses (BARREL)

BARREL is a multiple-balloon investigation designed to study electron losses from Earth’s Radiation Belts. Selected as a NASA Living with a Star Mission of Opportunity, BARREL augments the Radiation Belt Storm Probes mission by providing measurements of relativistic electron precipitation with a pair of Antarctic balloon campaigns that will be conducted during the Austral summers (January-February) of 2013 and 2014. During each campaign, a total of 20 small (～20 kg) stratospheric balloons will be successively launched to maintain an array of ～5 payloads spread across ～6 hours of magnetic local time in the region that magnetically maps to the radiation belts. Each balloon carries an X-ray spectrometer to measure the bremsstrahlung X-rays produced by precipitating relativistic electrons as they collide with neutrals in the atmosphere, and a DC magnetometer to measure ULF-timescale variations of the magnetic field. BARREL will provide the first balloon measurements of relativistic electron precipitation while comprehensive in situ measurements of both plasma waves and energetic particles are available, and will characterize the spatial scale of precipitation at relativistic energies. All data and analysis software will be made freely available to the scientific community.     

Observations of Magnetospheric Waves and their Relation to Precipitation

Magnetospheric wave observations are discussed from the viewpoint of their potential importance for precipitation of charged particles into the auroral zones. While wave processes are a fundamental part of magnetospheric plasma physics, occurring most of the time in most of the magnetospheric regions, their direct role in and relative importance for auroral precipitation are not easy to assess. The role of the waves varies from one spatial region to another and is very different for electrons and ions. Furthermore, the distinction between wave processes and other precipitation mechanisms is not at all straightforward. This review focuses on four main topics: The problem of diffuse electron precipitation, the recent surprise on the detailed structure of broad-banded electrostatic noise in the plasma sheet boundary layer, ion precipitation through electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves, and the role of low-altitude waves in precipitation. It is concluded that, while the observational status of high-altitude ion cyclotron waves is reasonably good, in most areas more thorough studies of existing data as well as refined observations are very much needed. Successful observational studies are to be carried out jointly with theoretical work as well as with studies on the large-scale context of the often localized wave processes. This is especially important when interests are moving toward more nonlinear phenomena, such as shocks, double layers, or strong quasi-static gradients, where a strict adherence to classical wave concepts is becoming more and more diffuse and less motivated.     

Alfvénic Electron Acceleration in Aurora Occurs in Global Alfvén Resonosphere Region

Auroral emission caused by electron precipitation (Hardy et al., 1987, J. Geophys. Res. 92, 12275–12294) is powered by magnetospheric driving processes. It is not yet fully understood how the energy transfer mechanisms are responsible for the electron precipitation. It has been proposed (Hasegawa, 1976, J. Geophys. Res. 81, 5083–5090) that Alfvén waves coming from the magnetosphere play some role in powering the aurora (Wygant et al., 2000, J. Geophys. Res. 105, 18675–18692, Keiling et al., 2003, Science 299, 383–386). Alfvén-wave-induced electron acceleration is shown to be confined in a rather narrow radial distance range of 4–5 R _E (Earth radii) and its importance, relative to other electron acceleration mechanisms, depends strongly on the magnetic disturbance level so that it represents 10% of all electron precipitation power during quiet conditions and increased to 40% during disturbed conditions. Our observations suggest that an electron Landau resonance mechanism operating in the “Alfvén resonosphere” is responsible for the energy transfer.     

Observations of inverted-V electron precipitation

The characteristics of inverted-V electron precipitation fluxes deduced predominantly from observations by the Atmosphere Explorer satellites are reviewed. The energy and pitch angle distributions are presented and shown to be generally in agreement with acceleration by a parallel electrostatic potential. Characteristics of secondary electrons are examined, and effects of beam plasma instabilities on these electrons are discussed. The properties of the monoenergetic component are compared with theoretical models of creating parallel DC electric fields, and found to favor the anomalous resistivity model. The article also discusses relations of inverted-V events with other auroral phenomena including auroras, electrostatic shocks, convective electric field reversals, field-aligned currents and wave emissions. The principal conclusions are: (1) plasma sheet electrons are continuously accelerated to form inverted-V structures in the pre-midnight hemisphere independent of substorm phase, (2) the acceleration processes are probably related to large scale electrostatic wave turbulence observed at altitudes of a few thousand kilometers, (3) narrow bursts of intense electron precipitation fluxes are found to be imbedded within some inverted-V's. It is argued that the narrow bursts of intense electron precipitation have the proper characteristics to cause discrete auroral arcs in the atmosphere. We suggest that these narrow bursts are accelerated by an electrostatic shock at higher altitude and capable of producing discrete auroral arcs below the observing satellite.     

Global Imaging of Proton and Electron Aurorae in the far Ultraviolet

The IMAGE spacecraft carries three FUV photon imagers, the Wideband Imaging Camera (WIC) and two channels, SI-12 and SI-13, of the Spectrographic Imager. These provide simultaneous global images, which can be interpreted in terms of the precipitating particle types (protons and electrons) and their energies. IMAGE FUV is the first space-borne global imager that can provide instantaneous global images of the proton precipitation. At times a bright auroral spot, rich in proton precipitation, is observed on the dayside, several degrees poleward of the auroral zone. The spot was identified as the footprint of the merging region of the cusp that is located on lobe field lines when IMF B_z was northward. This identification was based on compelling statistical evidence showing that the appearance and location of the spot is consistent with the IMF B_z and B_y directions. The intensity of the spot is well correlated with the solar wind dynamic pressure and it was found that the direct entry of solar wind particles could account for the intensity of the observed spot without the need for any additional acceleration. Another discovery was the observation of dayside sub-auroral proton arcs. These arcs were observed in the midday to afternoon MLT sector. Conjugate satellite observations showed that these arcs were generated by pure proton precipitation. Nightside auroras and their relationship to substorm phases were studied through single case studies and in a superimposed epoch analysis. It was found that generally there is substantial proton precipitation prior to substorms and the proton intensity only doubles at substorm onset while the electron auroral brightness increases on average by a factor of 5 and sometimes by as much as a factor of 10. Substorm onset occurs in the central region of the pre-existing proton precipitation. Assuming that nightside protons are precipitating from a quasi-stable ring current at its outer regions where the field lines are distorted by neutral sheet currents we can associate the onset location with this region of closed but distorted field lines relatively close to the earth. Our results also show that protons are present in the initial poleward substorm expansion however later they are over taken by the electrons. We also find that the intensity of the substorms as quantified by the intensity of the post onset electron precipitation is correlated with the intensity of the proton precipitation prior to the substorms, highlighting the role of the pre-existing near earth plasma in the production of the next substorm.     

电场均匀化对 2091Al-Li 合金的显微组织及力学性能的影响

 应用扫描电镜（SEM）及电子探针（EPMA）研究了强电场作用下Al-Li合金的均匀化过程。实验结果表明，强电场加速了2091Al-Li合金的均匀化过程，但是随着电场作用时间的增加，发生了镁、铜原子的上坡扩散，导致镁、铜原子的非平衡偏聚。因此，电场及非电场的联合处理方法是一个有效的均匀化处理制度。同时，还研究了强电场均匀化对显微组织及力学性能的影响，发现强电场均匀化促进T1相的形核，抑制δ‘和S’相析出，提高了Al-Li合金的屈强比。     

Waves in space plasmas: Highlights of a Conference held in Hawaii, 7–11 February 1983

The Conference was called to bring together investigators of magnetospheric plasma waves having frequencies from VLF whistlers and emissions down through ELF and ULF to Pc5 long period pulsations. The emphasis was on the physics and techniques underlying the entire frequency range. Topics included wave electron interactions and electron precipitation, ray tracing and other methods to track down sources of VLF and ULF waves, VLF-ULF relationships, heavy ion effects in ULF propagation, and long period ULF waves.     

应力对DD5单晶高温合金持久过程中析出相的影响

利用扫描电镜和透射电镜研究了DD5单晶高温合金在持久性能测试过程中试样不同位置析出相的析出规律,分析了应力对析出相析出行为的影响并鉴定了两种析出相的种类。研究结果表明该合金在1 038 ℃/172 MPa条件下随着局部拉应力的增大,枝晶间和枝晶干析出相数量都明显增加;合金在871 ℃/552 MPa条件下只在枝晶间区域析出少量粒状析出相,且随拉应力的增大,析出相数量有所增加;透射电镜分析表明合金的枝晶干区域的析出相主要为μ相,枝晶间析出粒状析出相主要为M₂₃C₆碳化物相。     

Plasma observations in the auroral and polar cap region

The last decade has seen a period of rapid growth in our understanding of the processes which occur in the auroral regions. Much of our understanding is based on the copious new observations which have been made available in the auroral community. The present work is a short overview of the plasma conditions which obtain throughout much of the auroral region. It covers the diffuse and discrete auroral electron precipitation in the morning and evening oval, cusp, and polar cap. The ionospheric ion outflow throughout the high latitude regime is also described and related to the electron observations.     

预拉伸处理对2 A97薄板组织和性能的影响

通过室温拉伸、腐蚀试验、TEM等手段,研究人工时效前预拉伸处理对2A97铝锂合金组织和性能的影响。结果表明：在相同时效工艺下,经3%的预拉伸变形后,2A97合金的强度和耐蚀性能都有较大提高,其中抗拉强度提高了32 MPa,晶间腐蚀等级变为点蚀等级;预拉伸处理促进了时效过程中T1相在晶内的均匀弥散析出,降低了δ′相的含量,抑制了晶界平衡相的析出,从而改善了合金的强度和耐蚀性能。     

Electron precipitations and polar auroras

In the first part (Sections I–III) a brief historical review of the progress of our knowledge of the precipitation of auroral electrons is given. Observations by different techniques, in terms of detectors aboard balloons, sounding rockets, and polar-orbiting satellites, are reviewed (Sections I). The precipitation morphology is examined in terms of synoptic statistical results (Section II) and of latitudinal survey along individual satellite passes (Section III). In the second part (Section IV), a large number of simultaneous observations of auroras and precipitating auroral electrons by DMSP satellites are examined in detail, and it is shown that precipitation characteristics of auroral electrons are distinctly different for the discrete aurora and the diffuse aurora. In the third part (Section V), the source region of auroral electrons is discussed by comparing the auroral electron precipitation at low altitudes observed by DMSP satellites with the simultaneous ATS-6 observations near the magnetospheric equatorial plane approximately along the same geomagnetic field line. It is shown that the diffuse aurora is caused by direct dumping of the plasma sheet electrons from the equatorial region, whereas discrete auroras require acceleration of electrons between the plasma sheet and the polar atmosphere. The parallel electric field along the geomagnetic field line above the ionosphere is a likely candidate for the acceleration mechanism.Applied Physics Laboratory, The Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, Maryland 20810, U.S.A.     

航空用铝合金超微结构实验表征

为了使铝合金更好的服役于航空领域,就有必要对其微观结构进行实验表征,从而可以在铝合金微观结构和宏观性能之间搭建桥梁,最终优化铝合金的综合性能。本文介绍了航空用2xxx,6xxx和7xxx系铝合金发展历程以及时效析出过程中的微观结构演变,如Al-Cu合金GP区、Al-Cu-Mg合金GPB区等重要物相的结构特征,以及AlCu-Mg合金S相析出行为等都已得到了透彻的研究;阐述了透射电镜、扫描透射电镜、三维原子探针等技术的结合在Al-Cu-Mg-Ag合金Ω相、Al-Mg-Si-Cu合金β″相的晶体结构及界面结构以及铝合金晶间腐蚀机理等研究上的应用;本小组实现了复杂选区电子衍射谱的快速模拟及标定,并基于会聚束电子衍射实现了对析出相体积分数的精确测量;最后指出,高分辨透射电镜原位加热研究及透射电镜原位力学测试等新技术手段的应用,对深层次研究铝合金相变规律、变形行为具有跨时代意义。     

纳米CeO2粉体的制备及其发光性能研究

以氨水和硝酸铈为反应原料,采用沉淀滴定法制备了纳米CeO2粉体,通过XRD、SEM、TEM等手段对其进行了结构表征和形貌分析;考察了不同溶剂、煅烧温度等对其颗粒尺寸的影响;应用荧光光谱法测试了其发光光谱,首次探讨了纳米CeO2粉体的发光性能。结果表明,前驱体经过300～700℃煅烧后可以得到颗粒尺寸为4-30nm的立方萤石结构CeO2晶体,其形貌接近于球形。在无水乙醇溶剂中得到的纳米CeO2颗粒分散较好,其颗粒尺寸随煅烧温度的升高而增大。纳米CeO2粉体具有良好的蓝光发光性能,在276nm的激发波长作用下,其发射光谱的最大峰值为473nm。     

New Perspectives on Auroral Morphology

The visual aurora takes on a variety of forms. Aurora has a tendency to appear first as very thin, highly structured forms. Over time, these tend to diffuse creating much thicker forms. It is suggested that the extreme variety of auroral forms can be understood in terms of one acceleration mechanism to produce a narrow, field-aligned beam and another process that scatters electrons into trapped orbits. The scattering is due to beam- plasma interactions that generate waves on the upper-hybrid resonance curve. These waves are effective in scattering electrons from parallel to perpendicular directions. The diffuse forms are therefore caused by precipitation of quasi-trapped electrons that have drifted from the field lines on which they were accelerated. Electrons scattered into trapped orbits may also constitute the seed population for the electron radiation belts. It is also suggested that the electron beams are accelerated by inertial Alfven waves that propagate current filaments from the turbulent region in the near-Earth plasma sheet to the auroral zone ionosphere. Electrons can be accelerated by becoming trapped in inertial Alfven waves whose phase velocity increases as they propagate toward the Earth. Specific numerical simulations that could give substance to these suggestions are proposed.     

时效工艺对冷变形多相紧固件GH350合金组织与性能的影响

 利用光学显微镜和扫描电镜(SEM)分析,研究了冷拔态GH350(AEREX350)合金中η-Ni₃Ti相的时效析出规律以及对合金高温拉伸性能的影响。研究发现,冷拔态GH350合金中η-Ni₃Ti相在780~1 060 ℃温度范围内析出,且呈两种形态。晶界片状η相在780~1 060 ℃温度范围内均可析出,但在850~1 060 ℃温度区间,除晶界η相外,在晶内沿(111)面呈魏氏体形态析出片状η相。冷变形GH350合金在980 ℃开始发生再结晶,1 010 ℃可完全再结晶。对二阶时效后冷变形GH350合金的高温拉伸实验表明,随着一阶时效温度的升高,合金的高温塑性增加,强度降低。     

Review of energetic (> 20 ke V) bremsstrahlung X-ray measurements from satellites

Worldwide maps of electron precipitation into the atmosphere can be obtained remotely with a unique separation of spatial and temporal variations by sensing from a satellite the bremsstrahlung X-rays produced in the atmosphere by the incident electrons. From X-ray measurements electron fluxes and energy spectra can be derived over a broad range of energies under both daytime and nighttime conditions. The technique was first demonstrated in 1972 and has now been used sucessfully in several programs. The most continuous and widespread coverage can clearly be achieved from high altitudes, but even at only a few hundred kilometers it has been possible to obtain mappings over a wide area since bremsstrahlung X-ray fluxes are often rather steady in time during the few minute duration of a low altitude satellite pass over the polar region. The satellite bremsstrahlung data already acquired have provided information on the long term morphology of the total fluxes and energy spectra of bremsstrahlung X-rays emitted from a large area and have shown that pronounced longitude structure commonly occurs in the X-ray emissions. The data have tended to be complementary in nature to that obtained by the more well established technique of measuring bremsstrahlung X-rays from balloons, whereby time variations can be studied in detail with more limited geographic coverage. From balloons it is known that the X-rays show a variety of time variations, but many of the faster microburst type phenomena have yet to be observed from satellites. The present status of satellite bremsstrahlung X-ray measurements is reviewed here, some of the key results summarized and suggestions made for future improvements in instrumentation. The review is limited to X-rays > 20 ke V and therefore to the associated precipitation of only the more energetic electrons.     

Conjugate features of magnetospheric electron dynamics observed at balloon altitudes

Analysis of recent observations (from balloons, spacecraft, and surface observatories) demonstrate regional, shell, and nearpoint conjugacy at L ～ 7 during precipitative events which were characterized by local acceleration as well as release of gradient-drifted electrons injected during substorms. A number of new features of magnetospheric dynamics relating to substorm development and sudden-commencement effects, have been brought to light which, though poorly understood at present, may prove of considerable importance and are worthy of further investigation.

1. During the initial period of instability in substorm evolution, preceding the slower magnetotail convective injection, precipitation of waves of electrons in rapid polewards motion exhibit L-shell conjugacy near midnight.
2. Transient, large scale expansions of the magnetospheric electron population accompanied by temporally imbedded substorms display large scale regional conjugacy and are simultaneously observed as similarly transient intensity dropouts at balloon altitudes.
3. Precipitation from gradient-drifting electrons in the dayside magnetosphere exhibits near point-conjugacy, at least down to the order of 50 km and quite probably less.

Similarly tight conjugacy applies to the release of electrons showing a specific local response to sudden commencements.

1. Analysis of the approach to and attainment of spectral equilibrium in the precipitation observed from drifting electrons may provide information about either, or both, the source spectrum at injection and the process of local release.
2. The specific precipitation effect sometimes observed at the time of an SC remains a rather puzzling feature, although it seems clear now that the acceleration and/or release process responsible is of a highly local nature and works selectively at small pitch angles well within the magnetospheric boundary. Coupling of the interplanetary shock with the magnetosphere must be an important aspect, but the details are not clear as yet.
3. On at least one occasion, a large part (perhaps all) of the magnetospheric electron population varied in a nearly synchronous manner in response to solar wind induced distortions during the variable compressive phase of a sudden commencement geomagnetic storm.

In the ongoing effort to identify and understand acceleration and release mechanisms involved in magnetospheric dynamics, balloon-borne experiments will continue to be useful, providing essential information presently unattainable by other means.     

Ti-51.8at%Ni形状记忆合金中Ti_3Ni_4相的析出过程

 用透射电镜系统地研究了Ti-51.8at％Ni形状记忆合金在300～600℃时效时Ti_3Ni_4相的析出过程。结果表明:Ti_3Ni_4相以均匀成核方式从过饱和基体中弥散析出。时效初期,Ti_3Ni_4相为细小颗粒状;随时效时间延长或时效温度升高,Ti_3Ni_4相逐渐长大为透镜片状,最终粗化为粗片状。Ti_3Ni_4相通常与基体保持良好的共格关系,其共格应变场衬度随Ti_3Ni_4相尺寸增大而变化,至Ti_3Ni_4相聚集粗化后,与基体的共格关系逐渐丧失,并在其周围基体中产生位错,位错的柏氏矢量为1/2(111)_(B2)或1/2(111)_(B2)。     

AA 7055铝合金板材的微观组织与力学性能

研究AA 7055-T7751板材不同厚度层的力学性能,并采用电子背散射衍射(EBSD)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)、小角度X射线散射(SAXS)等分析技术研究板材不同厚度层的微观组织。结果表明:从板材表层到厚度中心,再结晶程度从69%下降到19.1%,亚晶粒尺寸从10μm减小到2μm;板材厚度中心主要为轧制型织构,远离中心层其含量逐渐减少,板材表层主要为剪切型织构;板材主要强化相为盘状η'相,其盘面半径为3.7 nm,厚度为1~3 nm,与基体的共格应变约为0.0133;板材不同厚度层沿轧制方向的拉伸屈服强度近似呈线性变化:σ_y=-38.7S+604.8(0≤S≤1)。