Millstone地区垂直等效风场的气候学变化

基于1976---2006年美国Millstone非相干散射雷达的电离层观测数据, 分析了美国Millstone地区不同太阳活动条件下, 包括中性风场和电场漂移共同贡献的垂直等效风场的变化特征. 结果表明, Millstone地区的垂直等效风场表现出比较明显的周日、太阳活动和季节变化特征. 晚间垂直向上的等效风较强, 白天等效风较弱, 甚至接近于零. 在不同太阳活动和季节变化条件下, Millstone地区的等效风场都表现出类似的周日变化特征, 低太阳活动条件下, 晚间表现出较大的向上漂移. 这种周日变化和太阳活动变化特征与Millstone地区受到极区热源驱动大气循环的调制以及离子曳力的增减有关. 春季和秋季有相似的幅度和相位变化趋势, 表现出分点对称性; 冬季晚间向上漂移比夏季弱, 且随着太阳活动增强, 差异更加明显, 这再次体现了极区热源驱动大气循环的影响.      

Nighttime thermospheric meridional neutral winds inferred from ionospheric h′F and hpF2 data

Nighttime thermospheric meridional winds aligned to the magnetic meridian have been inferred using h′F and hpF2 ionosonde data taken from two equatorial stations, Manaus (2.9°S, 60.0°W, dip latitude 6.0°N) and Palmas (10.17°S, 48.2°W, dip latitude 6.2°S), and one low-latitude station, Sao Jose dos Campos (23.21°S, 45.86°W, dip latitude 17.26°S), during geomagnetic quiet days of August and September, 2002. Using an extension of the ionospheric servo model and a simple formulation of the diffusive vertical drift velocity, the magnetic meridional component of the thermospheric neutral winds is inferred, respectively, at the peak (hpF2) and at the base (h′F) heights of the F region over Sao Jose dos Campos. An approach has been included in the models to derive the effects of the electrodynamic drift over Sao Jose dos Campos from the time derivative of hpF2 and h′F observed at the equatorial stations. The magnetic meridional winds inferred from the two methods, for the months of August and September, are compared with winds calculated using the HWM-90 model and with measurements from Fabry–Perot technique. The results show varying agreements and disagreements. Meridional winds calculated from hpF2 ionospheric data (servo model) may produce errors of about 59 m/s, whereas the method calculated from the F-region base height (h′F) ionospheric data gives errors of about 69 m/s during the occurrence of equatorial spread-F.     

用电离层特性参量提取等效风场信息

导出了利用中低纬电离层特性参量获取电离层F层峰区高度上等效风场（包含电场和风场信息在内）的基本方程，并尝试用该方法从电离层特性参量（峰高和临频）提取等效风场信息，利用武汉站DGS-256电离层数字测高仪数据及由美国Massachusetts Lowell大学最新版的剖面反演程序换算得到F层峰高，获得了武汉地区夏季至日点附近，冬季至日点附近，冬季地磁特别宁静的九天和冬季平均等效风场的初步特征，并利用Fejer经验电场模式计算冬季电场引起的垂直漂移，估计电场和风场对武汉地区的垂直等效风场的贡献大小，结果表明：等效风场呈现出白天与夜晚幅度和方向的差异。至日点附近冬季与夏季白天的幅度差异以及明显的凌晨凹陷现象；平均情况下，垂直等效风场幅度和方向的变化主要是由中性风引起，受电场的影响不大。     

On the role of tidal winds in the descending of the high type of sporadic layer (Esh)

As the prevailing tidal winds in the E region are generated by heating mechanisms, the dynamics of Es layers impacted by solar tides is a relevant theme in the space weather studies. This paper aims to identify the tidal wind component involved in the mechanism of formation and descending of the high type of sporadic layer (Es_h). The Es_h layers observed at altitudes between around 120 and 150 km in the Brazilian low latitude stations of Jataí and São José dos Campos during the months of April, June, September and December of 2016 are used in this analysis. The height variability and altitude descent of the Es_h layers are analyzed from the h′Es parameter obtained by ionosonde data. In this study, the observational data are compared with the simulations generated by an extended version of the Ionospheric E-Region Model (MIRE). At higher altitudes in the E region, the results show that the prevailing tidal pattern and wind direction controlling the Es_h layer formation and descent are different depending on month: (a) in April and June the zonal wind component and the associated semidiurnal tidal oscillations prevail, with some differences in terms of time of occurrence and descending speeds, and (b) in September and December the diurnal tidal periodicities become dominant, and both the meridional and zonal wind components seem to control the descending of the Es_h layers. Since the role of the tidal periodicities and wind directions changed depending on the month, the results suggest a possible seasonal tidal wind pattern, which is not well understood from the present study but requires further investigation. Other relevant aspects of the observations and the modeling are highlighted and discussed.     

Thermospheric tides during thermosphere mapping study periods

Neutral exospheric temperatures at 53°, 43° and 33° latitude from Millstone Hill steerable-antenna Thomson scatter measurements, and at 19° latitude from the Arecibo Observatory, obtained during three Thermosphere Mapping Study (TMS) coordinated campaign intervals during 1984 and 1985, are analyzed for diurnal and semidiurnal tidal components. The resulting amplitude and phase latitudinal structures are compared with numerical simulations. The observed semidiurnal tidal components are thought to be significantly affected by tidal waves propagating upwards from below the thermosphere during these solar minimum periods. We speculate that current inadequacies in specifying F-region plasma densities and mean zonal winds at lower altitudes within the simulation model may account for certain discrepancies between observations and theory.     

中国廊坊中间层和低热层大气平均风观测模拟

利用中国廊坊站（39.4°N,116.7°E）流星雷达在2012年4月1日至2013年3月31日的水平风场观测数据,分析廊坊上空80~100km的中间层与低热层（Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere,MLT）大气平均纬向风和经向风的季节变化特征.结果表明平均纬向风和经向风都表现出明显的季节变化特征.平均纬向风在冬季MLT盛行西风,极大值位于中间层顶,随高度增加西风减弱;在夏季中间层为东风,低热层为强西风,风向转换高度约为82km.平均经向风在冬季以南风为主,在夏季盛行北风.纬向风和经向风在春秋两季主要表现为过渡阶段.流星雷达观测结果与WACCM4模式和HWM93模式模拟的气候变化特点基本一致,但WACCM4模式纬向风和经向风风速偏大,而HWM93模式纬向风和经向风风速偏小.      

Mesosphere/lower thermosphere wind regime parameters using a newly installed SKiYMET meteor radar at Kazan (56°N, 49°E)

New meteor radar (MR) horizontal wind data obtained during 2015–2018 at Kazan (56°N, 49°E) are presented. The measurements were carried out with a state-of-the-art SKiYMET meteor radar. Monthly mean vertical profiles of zonal and meridional components of the prevailing wind speeds, also amplitudes and phases of the components of diurnal (DT) and semidiurnal tide (SDT) winds are displayed as contour plots for a mean calendar year over the four recent years and compared with distributions of these parameters provided by the previous multiyear (1986–2002) meteor radar (MR) measurements at Kazan and by the recent HWM07 empirical model. The analysis shows that the SKiYMET zonal and meridional prevailing wind speeds are generally in good agreement, sharing the same seasonal features, with the earlier MR seasonal winds. Comparisons with the HWM07 model are not favourable: eastward solstitial cells as modelled are significantly larger, >30?m/s compared to 15–20?m/s. Also, reversal lines are too variable with height, and the positions of modelled cells (positive and negative) are unlike those of either MRs at Kazan or other MLT radars. Both MR systems provide the large SDT amplitudes, approximately 30?m/s and vertical wavelengths, approximately 55?km, for both components at middle latitudes in winter. They also show the well known strong SDT September feature (heights 85–100?km, the vertical wavelength ～55–60?km), and the weak summer SDT for 80–91?km. HWM07 shows unrealistic amplitudes and phases above 90?km by height and month: minimal amplitudes in equinoxes and no September feature.The weak DT of middle to high latitudes provide similar amplitude and phase structures from both MRs, 1986–2002 and 2015–2017: largest amplitudes (10–12 or 8–10?m/s) for the evanescent meridional tide in summer, peaking in late July; weakest (0–2, 2–4?m/s) at 80 to 92–96?km, when the tide is vertically propagating (January, February, November, December) with a vertical wavelength near 40?km. Again, HWM07 differs in amplitude and phase structures: showing peak amplitudes in equinoxes: April, 15?m/s at 88?km; October, 21?m/s at 89?km.Coupling of the MR wind parameters with the ERA5 wind parameters is studied for a case in 2016. It is shown that the prevailing winds and DT amplitudes and phases of both datasets can be simply linked together, but that the ERA5 SDT amplitudes are significantly underestimated at the top model levels of the ERA5 reanalysis project.     

Comparisons of winds at (44°S, 173°E), 65–110km,with CIRA 72

In the 95km height region of the atmosphere, ground-based techniques made an important contribution to the CIRA 72 [1] wind model. Recent wind measurements from a partial reflection experiment at 44S covering one and a half years are presented and compared with CIRA 72. The zonal wind component compares favourably, although the measured values are more easterly above 80km in autumn and winter; a feature of the autumn winds is a temporary easterly reversal above 90km. Winter mesospheric winds can be very disturbed. The summer mesosphere easterly maximum appears earlier in the season and at a higher altitude than the model. A much poorer comparison is shown between the measured meridional wind component and the 1969 model of Groves [2].     

The mesopause region wind field over Central Europe in 2003 and comparison with a long-term climatology

Using the D1 method in the LF range, monthly mean zonal and meridional winds in the mesosphere/lower thermosphere height range are measured continuously at Collm, Germany. The wind data are accompanied by reference height measurements since 1983, allowing the construction of an empirical long-term climatology of mean winds and tidal amplitudes and phases at 52N, 15E, which covers the height range of 80–110 km in winter, and about 83–107 km in summer. The climatology includes the time interval from 1983 to date, thus covering nearly two solar cycles. Vertical wind parameter profiles can also be constructed for individual years, so that from the time series interannual variability and long-term trends can be deduced. Here, we present the results for 2003 in comparison with the climatological means.     

Climatology of the quasi two-day wave over Saskatoon (52°N, 107°W): 14 Years of MF radar observations

Oscillations in the wind field due to the “quasi two-day” wave (Q2DW) have been studied using 14 years of Medium Frequency (MF) radar data over Saskatoon (52°N). The results of analyses have shown that the Q2DW exhibits complex seasonal variability: in addition to the well-known strong summer activity the wave also has been found in winter months. In summer the amplitudes of the Q2DW in meridional (NS) and zonal (EW) winds have comparable values, while they tend to be larger in EW winds in winter. The heights of the maximum amplitude are lower in winter than in summer and there are indications of changes in the dominant period of oscillations throughout the year.     

Electric field measurements at a southern mid-latitude station obtained using an HF digital ionosonde

It is important to understand the convection of the inner magnetosphere to fully describe the response of the low- to mid-latitude thermosphere-ionosphere system to geomagnetic storms. Realistic numerical simulations of mid-latitude electric fields suffer from limited knowledge of lower thermospheric winds and ionospheric conductivity on a global scale. Even empirical models of mid-latitude electric fields suffer from the paucity of measurements made by the handful of incoherent scatter radars concentrated in the American-European sector, and the intermittent satellite measurements made in other regions. Thus it would be very useful to show the extent to which Doppler velocity measurements made with the numerous digital ionosondes deployed around the globe can be used to infer F-region electric fields. The monthly average diurnal variation of Doppler velocity measured by a recently commissioned Digisonde at Bundoora (145.1°E, 37.7°S, geographic; 49°S magnetic) is seen to resemble the average diurnal variation of ion drift measured by the incoherent scatter radar at Millstone Hill (71.5°W 42.6°N; 57°N). Moreover, the Bundoora measurements exhibit the nighttime westward perturbation drifts found in Dynamics Explorer-2 ion drift measurements.     

Early winter meteor wind over Bologna (45°N, 11°E)

The Bologna meteor radar was operational during two winter campaigns, from 6 January 1982 to 1 February 1982 and from 10 December 1982 to 2 February 1983. As occurrence of minor stratospheric warmings has been reported for these intervals, possible effects on meteor wind over Bologna related to this kind of warming are pointed out. Zonal and meridional prevailing winds are found to exhibit the maximum peak to peak value in their oscillations when a minor stratospheric warming reaches such an intensity that ΔT_{(90°N–60°N)} at 10 mbar is reversed. Diurnal and semidiurnal tides exhibit usual amplitude variations, but the semidiurnal tide has a noticeable phase shift at the time of a minor warming occurrence, while a similar shift is less evident in the diurnal tide phase.     

An analysis of the topside ionosphere parameters based on the long-duration Irkutsk incoherent scatter radar measurements

The topside ionosphere parameters are studied based on the long-duration Irkutsk incoherent scatter radar (52.9N, 103.3E) measurements conducted in September 2005, June and December 2007. As a topside ionosphere parameter we chose the vertical scale height (VSH) related to the gradient of the electron density logarithm above the peak height. For morphological studies we used median electron density profiles. Besides the median behavior we also studied VSH disturbances (deviations from median values) during the magnetic storm of September 11th 2005. We compared the Irkutsk incoherent scatter radar data with the Millstone Hill and Arecibo incoherent scatter radar observations, the IRI-2007 prediction (using the two topside options) and VSH derived from the Irkutsk DPS-4 Digisonde bottomside measurements.     

Mesospheric OH temperatures: Simultaneous ground-based and SABER OH measurements over Millstone Hill

We present rotational temperature measurements of the mesospheric OH emission layer using a meridional imaging spectrograph at Millstone Hill (42.6°N, 72.5°W). The system is equipped with a state-of-the-art bare-CCD detector and can yield simultaneous quasi-meridional images of the mesospheric OH and O₂ intensity and temperature fields at 87 and 94 km altitude during the course of each night. A cross-validation study of the rotational OH temperature measurements obtained on 61 nights during the autumnal months of 2005–2007 was undertaken with near-simultaneous kinetic temperature measurements made by the SABER instrument aboard the NASA TIMED satellite during overpasses of Millstone Hill. Excellent agreement was obtained between the two datasets with the small differences being attributable to differences in the spatial and temporal averaging inherent between the two datasets.     

Thermospheric winds over Abuja during solar minimum period

Monthly variations of averaged nighttime thermospheric winds have been investigated over Abuja, Nigeria (Geographic: 9.06°N, 7.5°E; Geomagnetic: 1.60°S). The reports are based on Fabry-Perot interferometer measurements of Doppler shifts and Doppler broadening of the 630.0 nm spectral emission. The results were obtained during a period of weak solar activity with the solar flux (F10.7) typically below 70 solar flux units. Inspection of the average monthly thermospheric winds from October 2017 to December 2017 found December meridional winds to be more equatorward than the October and November winds. Zonal winds are eastward with pre-midnight maximum speeds going above 100 m/s. Compared to Jicamarca zonal winds in the Peruvian sector for the same month of October, the magnitude of maximum Abuja zonal wind speed is weaker. We compare the observed diurnal variation with the recently updated Horizontal wind model (HWM 14). Most of the observational features of thermospheric wind diurnal variation are captured in the model variation. The HWM14 generally showed good agreement with the Abuja October and November zonal wind observations but overestimates the December meridional winds. Expected longer period analysis of the results from Abuja will stimulate a better understanding of wind climatology over the West African sector.     

A global model of circulation and temperature for the upper mesosphere - lower thermosphere region

The zonal mean model of zonal and meridional wind for the Northern and Southern Hemisphere based the analysis of meteor radar wind and partial reflection drift data for the 70–110-km height interval is constructed. The height-latitudinal cross-sections of vertical wind are calculated from data on the latitudinal structure of a meridional wind field using the continuity equation. The temperature field cross-sections from the zonal wind model using the thermal wind equation are derived.     

Variation of monthly mean foF2 and hmF2 over a mid latitude station during the period 1997–2006

Ionosonde data of a mid latitude station Novosibirsk (Geog. Lat. 54.6°N, Geog. Long. 83.2°E) has been analyzed for the years 1997–2006 that covers the major part of solar cycle 23. Our results show the presence of winter anomaly in the daytime F2 layer critical frequency during different phases of solar activity. Results also reveal a semiannual variation of foF₂ with two maxima and a minimum that always appears in summer. While the first maximum is in the spring equinox, the second one is found to shift from autumn to winter with the increase of solar activity. The maximum height of F2 layer during the daytime shows variation with the solar activity. It is higher during the higher activity periods and lower during the periods of low activity. Results of ionosonde observations have been compared with those obtained from IRI-2007 model and it is found that model reproduces gross features of foF₂ variation. However, the modeled hmF₂ variations during equinoxes are significantly different from the ones derived using the ionosonde data. The model also underestimates the hmF₂ values.     

A new method for improving the performance of an ionospheric model developed by multi-instrument measurements based on artificial neural network

There are remarkable ionospheric discrepancies between space-borne (COSMIC) measurements and ground-based (ionosonde) observations, the discrepancies could decrease the accuracies of the ionospheric model developed by multi-source data seriously. To reduce the discrepancies between two observational systems, the peak frequency (foF2) and peak height (hmF2) derived from the COSMIC and ionosonde data are used to develop the ionospheric models by an artificial neural network (ANN) method, respectively. The averaged root-mean-square errors (RMSEs) of COSPF (COSMIC peak frequency model), COSPH (COSMIC peak height model), IONOPF (Ionosonde peak frequency model) and IONOPH (Ionosonde peak height model) are 0.58 MHz, 19.59 km, 0.92 MHz and 23.40 km, respectively. The results indicate that the discrepancies between these models are dependent on universal time, geographic latitude and seasons. The peak frequencies measured by COSMIC are generally larger than ionosonde’s observations in the nighttime or middle-latitudes with the amplitude of lower than 25%, while the averaged peak height derived from COSMIC is smaller than ionosonde’s data in the polar regions. The differences between ANN-based maps and references show that the discrepancies between two ionospheric detecting techniques are proportional to the intensity of solar radiation. Besides, a new method based on the ANN technique is proposed to reduce the discrepancies for improving ionospheric models developed by multiple measurements, the results indicate that the RMSEs of ANN models optimized by the method are 14–25% lower than the models without the application of the method. Furthermore, the ionospheric model built by the multiple measurements with the application of the method is more powerful in capturing the ionospheric dynamic physics features, such as equatorial ionization, Weddell Sea, mid-latitude summer nighttime and winter anomalies. In conclusion, the new method is significant in improving the accuracy and physical characteristics of an ionospheric model based on multi-source observations.     

Horizontal winds in the mesosphere at high latitudes

A total of 146 meteorological rocket flights applying the ‘falling sphere’ technique are used to obtain horizontal winds in the mesosphere at polar latitudes, namely at the Andøya Rocket Range (69°N, 125 flights), at Spitsbergen (78°N, 10 flights), and at Rothera (68°S, 11 January flights only). Nearly all flights took place around noon or midnight, i.e., in the same phase of the semidiurnal tide. Meridional winds at 69°N show a clear diurnal tidal variation which is not observed in the zonal winds. The zonal wind climatology shows a transition from summer to winter conditions with the zero wind line propagating upward from 40 km (end of August) to 80 km (end of September). Zonal winds are smaller at Spitsbergen compared to Andøya which is in line with a common angular velocity at both stations. Meridional winds at noon are of similar magnitude at all three stations and are directed towards the north and south pole, respectively. Horizontal and meridional winds generally agree with empirical models, except for the zonal winds at Antarctica which are similar to the NH, whereas there is a significant SH/NH difference in CIRA-1986.     

Comparison between the IRI ion composition and incoherent scatter measurement and theoretical values

Comparisons have been made between the percentage of light ions in the upper ionosphere as predicted by the IRI model and as found in incoherent scatter (ICS) measurements at the stations Millstone Hill, Arecibo and Jicamarca. Major discrepancies are observed in both day and night. The IRI values are always considerably larger than the ICS measurements. Theoretical values are calculated as well, assuming chemical equilibrium and using the MSIS neutral density model /1/. In most cases these theoretical values favour the ICS values; only for the daytime ion composition above Millstone Hill has better agreement with the IRI model been found.