Sporadic sodium layers and the average vertical distribution of atmospheric sodium

We have used atmospheric sodium profiles obtained at São José dos Campos over the period 1993–2004 to study the influence of sporadic layers on the average sodium distribution. All the profiles for the time period 19–22 h local standard time were individually classified as either normal or sporadic. Profiles were considered sporadic if they contained sharp increases above the background profile by more than a factor of 2, occurring on the topside of the layer, with a width of less than 5 km. For each night’s data, the averages of the normal and sporadic profiles were stored separately. A comparison between the long-term means of these two average profiles, for those days on which both normal and sporadic profiles were observed, showed no significant difference between them. This indicates that, on average, there is no additional sodium in the sporadic profiles. This analysis suggests that at least part of the topside of the normal sodium layer originates in a source that also gives rise to sporadic layers, which would occur when the source itself becomes layered. The most likely source is sodium-containing ions, which would be layered by the tide and/or gravity wave driven wind-shear mechanism generally accepted as being responsible for some types of ionospheric sporadic-E.     

A comprehensive study on middle atmospheric thermal structure over a tropic and sub-tropic stations

The general characteristics of middle atmospheric thermal structure have been studied by making use of the Rayleigh lidar data collected over the period of about four years (1998–2001). Here, the data has been used from two different stations in the Indian sub-continent in tropics (Gadanki; 13.5°N, 79.2°E) and in sub-tropics (Mt. Abu; 24.5°N, 72.7°E). The observed monthly mean temperature profiles are compared with different model atmospheres (CIRA-86 and MSISE-90). We observed, the mean temperature profiles have closer agreement with MSISE-90 than CIRA-86. The temperature profiles measured by lidar and HALOE satellite overpass nearby lidar site are generally in agreement with each other. The systematic and statistical errors in deriving temperature are found to be uniform for both the stations, as 1 K at 50 km, 3 K at 60 km and 10 K at 70 km. The special features of mesospheric temperature inversion (MTI) and double stratopause structure (DBS) are also addressed for both the stations.     

Seasonal variation in the solar diurnal tide and its possible influence on the atmospheric sodium layer

In a paper published 12 years ago, we showed that the height of the atmospheric sodium layer at our location is about 1 km lower in November than at any other time of the year. We also showed that the decrease in height of the sodium layer was accompanied by an increase in the intensity of the OI 557.7 nm and OH(9,4) band airglow emissions. At that time we suggested that this behavior could be the result of large scale convective transport in the MLT region. We have now had the opportunity to compare the diurnal variations of the sodium layer and airglow emissions with the tidal winds measured by meteor radar over the past 5 years. We find that the amplitude of the diurnal tide is much smaller in November than at other times of the year. Since most of the sodium measurements and all of the airglow observations are for night-time conditions only, a change in the amplitude of the 24-h tide could strongly influence the average measured sodium and airglow parameters. It is shown that the observed changes in the tidal winds are qualitatively consistent with the sodium measurements, but the amplitude of the observed height change is much greater than would be expected from the tidal winds.     

Venus atmospheric circulation: Observations and implications of the thermal structure

Continued analysis of Pioneer Venus imaging and polarimetry data indicates that the average cloud-top level circulation is mainly zonal (east to west) with a small meridional component. Presence of planetary scale waves and a possible sun-related component are evident in the data. If the tracked features refer to the same vertical level, then some variability of the circulation would have to be present to account for the Pioneer and Mariner 10 cloud-tracking results. However, the implied balanced flow from the observed thermal structure analysis strongly suggests that at least some of the variations in these observations is due to apparent cloud-top variations and that the circulation itself is relatively stable.Direct cyclostrophic calculations based on the observed thermal structure of the atmosphere yield a balanced zonal circulation with distinct mid-latitude jets (peak velocities about 110–120 ms^?1) located between 50 and 40 mb in each hemisphere of the planet near 45° latitude. The calculations which extend to about 40 km altitude from 80 km above the surface agree well with the observed entry probe zonal components and indicate breakdown of the balance condition near the upper and lower boundaries at low latitudes.The balanced flow results are consistent with the Mariner 10 and Pioneer cloud tracked estimates of the zonal circulation provided the effective altitude of the tracked features is slightly different at different observation periods. The features in the Pioneer Venus data would then lie on a sloping surface that extends from about 68 km (40 mb) at low latitudes to about 75 km (10 mb) in mid-latitudes. The polarization features would occur on a roughly parallel surface that is 1–2 km above the effective cloud-height surface, and Mariner 10 features would have effective altitudes somewhat lower than the Pioneer ultraviolet features. A slight asymmetry is evident in the balanced zonal circulation arising out of an asymmetry in the thermal field.Finally, the solenoids formed by intersecting isobaric and isosteric (constant specific volume) surfaces deduced from the Pioneer Venus radio occultation data show distinct evidence of a direct meridional circulation that may be important in sustaining the Venus atmospheric circulation.     

Sporadic sodium layers and the average vertical distribution of atmospheric sodium: Comparison of different Nas layer strengths

In an earlier study of sporadic sodium layers (Na_s) [Simonich, D.M., Clemesha B.R., Batista, P.P. Sporadic layers and the vertical distribution of atmospheric sodium. Adv. Space Res. 35, 1976–1980, 2005], observed by lidar at São José do Campos (23°S, 46°W) we found that, although individual profiles give the impression that Na_s layers involve sodium additional to the normal background layer, there is very little difference between the long-term averages of profiles with and without the presence of Na_s. This led us to conclude that Na_s layers result from the redistribution of an omnipresent source, rather than an additional source mechanism. We have now extended this study to investigate whether or not the relative magnitude of Na_s layers influences this conclusion. To this end we manually characterized all the profiles obtained in the time interval from 1900 to 2200 LT for the years 1993–2004. This involved registering the upper and lower limits to each Na_s layer observed, the height of the peak and the sodium concentration at each of these three points. We then computed average profiles for Na_s layers of differing strengths, with strength defined as the concentration at the peak divided by the mean of the concentrations at the upper and lower boundaries. For strengths up to 4 the results confirmed our earlier conclusion but for Na_s layer strengths greater than 4 we found a significant difference between the average profiles with and without Na_s. For the strong Na_s layers both the average abundance and the average peak sodium concentration were about 10% greater than for layers without Na_s. This leads to the possibility that a different mechanism might be responsible for very stronger sporadic layers although we do not think this very likely.     

The effect of surface reflection function and of atmospheric parameters on the shortwave radiation budget

Errors in the determination of the shortwave radiation budget from broadband satellite measurements at the top and at the bottom of a cloudless atmosphere due to uncertainties of the actual parameters of the atmosphere and the surface are derived by computer modelling. The model uses measured bidirectional reflectance functions and realistic values of the optical parameters of the atmosphere. Examples are presented which show the range of such uncertainties. Neglecting the anisotropy of the reflection function of land surfaces results in high uncertainties of the shortwave radiation budget, both at the top and the bottom of the atmosphere. The uncertainties caused by actual uncertain atmospheric parameters are low if data of the meteorological network are properly used.     

Response of OH,O2 and OI5577 airglow emissions to the mesospheric bore in the equatorial region of Brazil

An all-sky CCD imager capable of measuring wave structure in the airglow OH, O₂ and OI (557.7 nm) emissions was operated in the equatorial region at São João do Cariri (Cariri), Brazil (7°S, 36°W), in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE). Occurrence of mesospheric bore events was studied using the data from September 2000 to September 2002. Sixty-four bore events were detected during the observation period. Most of the bores showed the complementary effects suggested by Dewan and Picard [E.M. Dewan, R.H. Picard, Mesospheric bores. Journal of Geophysical Research 103, 6295–6305, 1998], except in a few cases where the relative variations were inconsistent with this model.     

The high-latitude ionosphere structure on 22 March, 1979 magnetic storm from multi-satellite and ground-based observation

Variations in the high-latitude ionosphere structure during March 22, 1979 geomagnetic storm are examined. Electron density Ne and temperature Te from the Cosmos-900 satellite, NmF2, Ne and He⁺ from the ISS-b satellite, precipitation of soft electrons from the Intercosmos-19 satellite, and the global picture of the auroral electron precipitation from the DMSP, TIROS and P78 satellites are used. These multi-satellite databases allow us to investigate the storm-time variations in the locations of the following ionospheric structures: the day-time cusp, the equatorial boundary of the diffuse auroral precipitation (DPB), the main ionospheric trough (MIT), the day-time trough, the ring ionospheric trough (RIT) and the light ions trough (LIT). The variations in NmF2, Ne, He⁺ and Te in the high-latitude ionosphere for the different local time sectors are analyzed also. The features of the high-latitude ionospheric response to a strong magnetic storm are described.     

Two-dimensional phase plane structure and the stability of the orbital motion for space debris in the geosynchronous ring

Based on the orbital resonance model, we study the two-dimensional phase plane structure of the motion of space debris orbiting the geosynchronous ring under the combined effects of the tesseral harmonics J₂₂, J₃₁ and J₃₃ of the Earth’s gravitational field. We present the main characteristic parameters of the two-dimensional phase plane structure. We also analyze the stability of the two-dimensional phase plane structure with numerical method. Our main findings indicate that the combined effects of the tesseral harmonics J₂₂, J₃₁ and J₃₃ fully determine the two-dimensional phase plane structure of the space debris, and it remains robust under the effect of the Earth’s actual gravitational field, the luni-solar perturbations and the solar radiation pressure with the normal area-to-mass ratios.     

Influence of different atmospheric models and seeing effects on the nonlinear calibration

This paper describes a technique intended to improve calibration of vector magnetograms achieved by the spectral line Fei 5324.19 Å which was first described in detail by Hagyard and Kineke [Hagyard, M.J., Kineke, J.I., Improved method for calibrating filter vector magnetographs, Solar Phys., 158, 11–28, 1995.]. The technique attempts to compensate for nonlinear behavior of the measured linear and circular polarizations of the line as functions of inclination angle and field strength. This method depends on different atmospheric models. To the three different atmospheric models, the VAL-C quiet photosphere model, the Ding and Fang penumbra model and Allen umbral model, the circular polarization signal is directly linearly proportional to the longitudinal field strength in the range of 800 G, 1000 G and 1300 G, respectively. For the transverse field, however, this linear relationship holds over much smaller ranges which are 200 G, 300 G and 200 G. The improved method improves the accuracy in calibrating the polarization signals over a wide range of field strengths and inclination angles. With the seeing effects decreasing in the magnetic observation, the longitudinal fields and the transverse ones are underestimated. The differences in the zero-iterative longitudinal and transverse field are relatively minor, but differences in the multi-iterative longitudinal and transverse field can be as high as 260 G and 500 G. The improved calibration method is more sensitive to the seeing effects variation than the former calibration method.     

The effect of track structure on cell inactivation and chromosome damage at a constant LET of 120 keV/micrometer.

The influence of track structure on chromosome damage and cell inactivation are being investigated. Plateau-phase normal human fibroblast cultures were irradiated with gamma rays, and He, Ne and Ar ions. Particle velocities were chosen so that all beams had an LET of 120 keV/micrometer. In this constant-LET experimental design, the radial distribution of excitations and ionizations about the particle track is the most significant variable. Using premature chromosome condensation, chromatin breaks were measured at two time points, promptly after irradiation and after a prolonged incubation to allow for repair. These measurements give an indication of both initial chromosomal damage and also residual damage that is either not repaired or is misrepaired. Survival was measured under the same conditions. Results indicate that the RBEs for both cell inactivation and, to a lesser extent, chromosome damage decrease as particle energy increases.     

Investigation of the atmospheric aerosols by the visible and IR channels of the AVHRR radiometer on NOAA-6

The diffusely reflected radiation in the daytime and diffusely transmitted radiation at night from an inhomogeneous, plane parallel planetary atmosphere bounded by the ocean surface was calculated at the visible and IR region. In the daytime the effect of the solar radiation from top was taken into account. The present study has dealt with the problem of no cloud contamination in data. In the atmosphere, water vapor, molecular nitrogen, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and methane as absorbent constituents and aerosols as the scattering constituent were taken into account. The ocean surface as a lower boundary was simulated by many facets whose slopes are according to the isotropic Gaussian distribution [1]. It was found that it is suitable for deriving the total optical thickness in the direction of about 15 degrees away from the specular direction at 3.7μm in the daytime, with the aid of visible region of spectrum [2]. As for sea surface temperature, for a sample analysis, derived SST was within the accuracy of 1–2K at the center of the sun glint and within the accuracy of 0.5K in the rest of the region at 3.7μm in the daytime, Furthermore computational results suggest that the comparison of temperature in the daytime with that at night at 3.7μm make it possible to separate the effect of aerosols from the total optical thickness. Thus it was found from the computations that with the aid of daytime and night time data, it is possible to derive the atmospheric water vapor, aerosols and sea surface temperature simultaneously.     

Ballooning perturbations in the inner magnetosphere of the Earth: Spectrum,stability and eigenmode analysis

We investigate the generation of ballooning perturbations in the inner magnetosphere of the Earth in the dipole model of the geomagnetic field taking into account ionospheric boundary conditions. The ionosphere is considered as a thin layer with finite conductivity. The eigenmode spectrum is discrete and consists of Alfvén, slow magnetosonic, flute and incompressible modes. Their interaction depends on ionospheric conductivity. The decay rate is small in noon and night sectors and large in dawn and dusk sectors. The lowest stability threshold α/γ ≈ 4.25 is determined by flute modes.     

Kinetic theory of the current sheath. II. Effect of polarization on the stability of a current sheath

A procedure for investigating the stability of a current sheath, taking into account the effect of plasma polarization, is offered. The kinetic equation with a self-consistent electromagnetic field for perturbation of the distribution function is solved. On the basis of this solution, the tensor of dielectric permeability for a non-electroneutral current sheath plasma is calculated, and the dispersion equation for the study of possible instability modes of this current sheath is obtained. The instability of the current sheath of the magnetospheric tail with respect to tearing perturbations, and the influence of the effect of plasma polarization on the development of tearing instability, are investigated.     

On the usefulness of atmospheric and oceanic angular momentum in recovering polar motion and gravity field variations in a unified process

Earth rotation parameters (ERPs) are excited by variations in the mass distribution on the Earth’s surface and the exchange of angular momentum between the atmosphere and oceans and the solid Earth. The same mass redistribution causes temporal changes in the gravity field coefficients with the second degree harmonics related to the rotational deformation and hence to changes in the Earth’s inertial tensor. If precise models of the atmospheric and oceanic angular momentum (AM) are available solution for polar motion and degree 2 Stokes harmonics can be unified. In this study we utilize SLR tracking of LAGEOS to compare (i) degree 2 harmonics from ERPs and gravitation, and (ii) LAGEOS excitation functions and geophysical data (mass + motion). Finally, we investigate to what extent a unified approach is possible with current models for AM data and gravity mass change estimated from ERP within orbit determinations.     

Estimates of radiation effect for a spacecraft on the Earth-Mars-Earth route.

The space radiation environment predicted for a spacecraft on the Earth-Mars-Earth route at different solar activity levels is analyzed in terms of the Russian-devised models.     

Effects of geomagnetic activity and atmospheric power variations on quantitative measures of brain activity: Replication of the Azerbaijani studies

This study replicates and extends the observations by Babayev and Allahveriyeva that changes in right hemispheric electroencephalographic activity are correlated with increases in geomagnetic activity. During the geomagnetically quiet interface between solar cycle 23 and 24 quantitative electroencephalographic (QEEG) measurements were completed for normal young adults in three separate experiments involving about 120 samples over 1.5 years. The most consistent, moderate strength correlations occurred for the changes in power within the gamma and theta ranges over the right frontal lobe. Real-time measures of atmospheric power obtained from polar orbiting satellites showed similar effects. The preferential involvement of the right frontal lobe and the regions subject to its inhibition with environmental energetic changes are consistent with the behavioural correlations historically associated with these conditions. They include increased incidence of emotional lability, erroneous reconstruction of experiences, social confrontations, and unusual perceptions.     

The effect of temperature gradient on the motion of a bubble in reduced gravity

The bubble motion is described as a function of thermal variation of surface tension of a bubble, temperature gradient, gravity, bubble diameter, viscosity and density. The relations among those values are shown in graphs, from which the requirements for the measurements to ascertain the velocity due to thermal variation of surface tension are made clear. According to these requirements, the experiments on the velocity of the bubble in a temperature gradient were conducted and the Marangoni effect on a bubble motion was ascertained.     

The effect of total solar eclipse of October 3, 2005, on the total electron content over Europe

GPS observations from EUREF permanent GPS network were used to observe the response of TEC (Total Electron Content) to the total solar eclipse on October 3, 2005, under quiet geomagnetic conditions of the daytime ionosphere. The effect of the eclipse was detected in diurnal variations and more distinctly in the variations of TEC along individual satellite passes. The trough-like variations with a gradual decrease and followed by an increase of TEC at the time of the eclipse were observed over a large region. The depression of TEC amounted to 3–4 TECU. The maximum depression was observed over all stations located at the maximum path of the solar eclipse. The delay of a minimum level of TEC with respect to the maximum phase of the eclipse was about 20–30 min.