Solar cycle effects upon the relationship of Ne and Te in the F-region

Employing Atmsophere Explorer-C measurements made in 1974, just prior to solar minimum, Brace and Theis /1/ demonstrated that a remarkably consistent inverse relationship existed between the electron density N_e and temperature T_e in the F-region. In this paper we use later data from AE-C, taken when solar activity was rising (1975–1978), and Dynamics Explorer-2 data taken at solar maximum (1981), to examine how the temperature and density relationship changes with solar activity. We find that the solar maximum T_e is a factor of two larger than the solar minimum T_e for the same values of N_e. T_e does not necessarily increase with solar activity, however, because N_e increases enough to approximately cancel the effect of higher solar extreme ultraviolet heating. We find that the effect of solar activity can be accounted for by a simple function of the F_10.7 cm index that multiplies the solar minimum equation of Brace and Theis /1/.     

Thermosphere–ionosphere response to a severe magnetic storm: A case study

This paper reports the response of the ionosphere–thermosphere system to an intense geomagnetic storm. For that, data taken by instruments on board Dynamic Explorer 2 at heights of the F2-layer (molecular nitrogen N₂ and atomic oxygen O compositions, neutral temperature Tg and electron density Ne) were used. The ionospheric response is characterized by a negative storm effect expanding from mid–high to low latitude. It is observed during this severe geomagnetic storm that negative effects were caused mainly by an increase in molecular nitrogen composition N₂ and almost no changes in atomic oxygen composition O.     

The role of atomic oxygen and molecular nitrogen in the relationship between electron temperature and electron density in the ionosphere

Atomic oxygen and molecular nitrogen play several roles in controlling electron temperature in the F-region. Both O and N₂ are ionised by EUV radiation and produce photoelectrons. Ion-exchange with N₂ controls the recombination of O⁺ and hence the equilibrium electron density. In the transfer of photoelectron energy to thermal electrons competition arises from ionisation and excitation of oxygen and nitrogen. Finally, the three most important processes by which thermal electrons lose energy are Coulomb collision with 0⁺, excitation of the fine-structure states of 0 and vibrational cooling by N₂. A simple model expresses all these processes and accurately describes the observed relationship between electron temperature, electron density and solar flux.     

Pre-storm behaviour of NmF2 and TEC (GPS) over equatorial and low latitude stations in the Indian sector

The pre-storm behavior of NmF₂ and TEC over an equatorial station, Trivandrum (8.47°N, 76.91°E, dip 0.6°S) and a low latitude station, Waltair (17.7°N,83.3°E, dip 20°N) has been studied for a total of 18 strong geomagnetic storms with DST ? −100 nT. The simultaneous measurements of GPS-TEC and NmF₂ over Trivandrum and Waltair during the period 2000–2005 have been considered for the present study. It is found that there is a substantial increase in NmF₂ and TEC before the onset of the storm over Waltair, while the increase is not present at Trivandrum. The origin of pre-storm enhancements in electron density still remains unresolved owing to several conditions in their potential sources and occurrence mechanisms. In the present study an attempt is made to identify the possible mechanisms responsible for such enhancements in electron density of the F-region.     

The global response of terrestrial ionosphere to the December 2015 space weather event

This paper investigates the ionospheric storm of December 19–21, 2015, which was initiated by two successive CME eruptions that caused a G3 space weather event. We used the in situ electron density (N_e) and electron temperature (T_e) and the Total Electron Content (TEC) measurements from SWARM-A satellite, as well as the O/N₂ observations from TIMED/GUVI to study the ionospheric impact. The observations reveal the longitudinal and hemispherical differences in the ionospheric response to the storm event. A positive ionospheric storm was observed over the American, African and Asian regions on 20 December, and the next day showed a negative storm. Both these exhibited hemispheric differences. A positive storm was observed over the East Pacific region on 21 December. It is seen that the net effect of both the disturbance dynamo electric field and composition differences become important in explaining the observed variability in topside ionospheric densities. In addition, we also discuss the T_e variations that occurred as a consequence of the space weather event.     

Ionosphere-plasmasphere electron fluxes at middle latitudes obtained from whistlers

985 whistlers observed between 1970 and 1975 in Hungary have been processed for equatorial plasmaspheric electron density and tube electron content above 1000 km (N_T). The hourly median value of N_T exhibits a diurnal variation with an amplitude of 1×10¹³ electrons/cm²-tube. 75 per cent of the electron flux values obtained from the time variation of N_T are lower than 6×10⁸ el cm^?2s^?1, while in some cases the fluxes reach a value as high as 3×10⁹ el cm^?2s^?1. Between 17 and 04 LT the dominant flux direction is toward the ionosphere. The data also indicate that the day to day filling of the plasmasphere after magnetic disturbances continues through several days without exhibiting saturation, with higher filling rates for lower values of average K_p.     

Study of maximum electron density NmF2 at Karachi and Islamabad during solar minimum (1996) and solar maximum (2000) and its comparison with IRI

The monthly hourly medians of maximum electron density, N_mF₂, at two Pakistani ionospheric stations, Karachi and Islamabad, have been determined for solar minimum (1996) and solar maximum (2000) and compared with IRI predictions using the URSI coefficients. At night and pre-noon period the N_mF₂ values at both stations are almost equal during the 2 years. However, at post-noon the values at Karachi are considerably larger than those at Islamabad due to the equatorial or geomagnetic anomaly. Karachi (geomag. coord. 16.44°N, 139.08°E) lies near the region of the equatorial anomaly (+20 and −20 geomagnetic latitude), so most of the N_mF₂ values at Karachi are larger than those at Islamabad (geomag. coord. 24.46°N, 145.67°E). The maximum monthly values of N_mF₂ show a semi-annual variation at Karachi and Islamabad both during 1996 and 2000 as predicted by IRI.     

Charges on dust particles

We discuss the potential (charge) on dust particles in various environments. We first consider the classical case of a single isolated dust particle. In conditions which apply to planetary dust rings, the exact value of the dust potential depends critically on several effects (e.g. secondary electron emission, photoelectric efficiency) which are not well known for small dust particles of relevant material and surface conditions. In dust clouds of high dust densities the classical approach fails to give the correct value of the dust potential due to the neglect of collective effects. In terms of an ordering parameter P = a_μN_d0/n₀ (dust radius in microns × cloud dust density/exterior plasma density) the collective effects on the dust potential become apparent at P ～ 10^?6. For increasing values of P the collective effects increase, whence the dust potentials decrease and eventually approach zero.     

Implementation of a new characteristic parameter into the IRI sub-peak electron density profile

The shape of electron density profile in the International Reference Ionosphere could be improved significantly if the height h_g and electron density N_g of the F region sub-peak inflexion point were entered in the set of the profile standard parameters. To study variations of these important parameters, the N(h) analysis of the statistically-summarized ionograms at the latitudes of 40–80°N of the Eastern hemisphere has been carried out for the two-hours intervals of local time, three seasons (winter, equinox and summer) and two levels of solar activities characterized by Covington indicesF_10.7 = 100 and 200. It is shown that the parameters of the inflexion point can be expressed in most cases via the peak parameters of the F2 layer ash_g= 0.8 hmF2 and N_g= 0.5 NmF2.     

A different method to update monthly median hmF2 values

The height, h_mF2, and the electron density, N_mF2, of the F2 peak are key model parameters to characterize the actual state of the ionosphere. These parameters, or alternatively the propagation factor, M3000F2, and the critical frequency, f_oF2, of the F2 peak, which are related to h_mF2 and N_mF2, are used to anchor the electron density vertical profile computed with different models such as the International Reference Ionosphere ( Bilitza, 2002), as well as for radio propagation forecast purposes. Long time series of these parameters only exist in an inhomogeneous distribution of points over the surface of Earth, where dedicated instruments (typically ionosondes) have been working for many years. A commonly used procedure for representing median values of the aforementioned parameters all over the globe is the one recommended by the ITU-R ( ITU-R, 1997). This procedure, known as the Jones and Gallet mapping technique, was based on ionosondes measurements gathered from 1954 to 1958 by a global network of around 150 ionospheric stations (  and ). Even though several decades have passed since the development of that innovative work, only few efforts have been dedicated to establish a new mapping technique for computing h_mF2 and N_mF2 median values at global scale or to improve the old method using the increased observational database. Therefore, in this work three different procedures to describe the daily and global behavior of the height of the F2 peak are presented. All of them represent a different and simplified method to estimate h_mF2 and are based on different mathematical expressions. The advantages and disadvantages of these three techniques are analyzed, leading to the conclusion that the recommended procedure to represent h_mF2 is best characterized by a Spherical Harmonics expansion of degree and order equal to 15, since the differences between the h_mF2 values obtained with the Jones and Gallet technique and those obtained using the abovementioned procedure are of only 1%.     

The N4,5 - OO Auger and “N3” N4,5O2,3 Coster-Kronig spectra of xenon induced by electron impact

The N_4,5OO Auger electron spectrum in the kinetic energy region (14–37) eV has been measured with high resolution at electron incident energies between 71 eV and 2019 eV. The Auger and satellite lines are assigned by comparison with previous literature data. Several states which correspond to the resonant Auger transitions from the 4d_{3/2, 5/2} 6p states are observed. The PCI effects on the N₅-O_2,3O_2,3(¹S₀) Auger peak when the incident electron energy approaches to the N₅ edge (67.55 eV) is investigated and it is found that the dependence of the energy shift on the excess energy, E_exc, is well represented by the function E_exc^β with β = (-1.40 ± 0.05). The ^“N₃^” N_4,5O_2,3 Coster-Kronig spectrum is measured at various electron incident energies. The assignments of the features are made in comparison with a similar spectrum from synchrotron radiation measured by Kivimäki et al. [J. Electron Spectrosc. Relat. Phenom. 1999, 101–103, 43–47]. The Auger spectrum in the kinetic energy regions (68–78) eV and (90–138) eV is observed for the first time in an electron impact experiment and a comparison is made with the photoionization experiment by Hikosaka et al. [Phys. Rev. A 2007, 76, 032708].     

An empirical model of electron density in low latitude at 600 km obtained by Hinotori satellite

An empirical model of electron density (Ne) was constructed by using the data obtained with an impedance probe on board Japanese Hinotori satellite. The satellite was in circular orbit of the height of 600 km with the inclination of 31 degrees from February 1981 to June 1982. The constructed model gives Ne at any local time with the time resolution of 90 min and between −25 and 25 degrees in magnetic latitude with its resolution of 5 degrees in the range of F_10.7 from 150 to 250 under the condition of K_p < 4. Spline interpolations are applied to the functions of day of year, geomagnetic latitude and solar local time, and linear interpolation is applied to the function of F_10.7. Longitude dependence of Ne is not taken into account. Our density model can reproduce solar local time variation of electron density at 600 km altitude better than current International Reference Ionosphere (IRI2001) model which overestimates Ne in night time and underestimates Ne in day time. Our density model together with electron temperature model which has been constructed before will enable more understanding of upper ionospheric phenomenon in the equatorial region.     

Particle and Joule heating of the neutral polar thermosphere in cusp region using Atmosphere Explorer-C satellite measurements

Simultaneous measurements taken by instruments on the Atmosphere Explorer - C satellite were used to compare electron and proton particle energy deposition, Joule heating, and neutral density perturbations in the region of the cusp.Altitude profiles of Joule heating, electron energy deposition, and electron density are derived using measurements taken by the satellite as input to a computer model. Electric fields are calculated using ion drift measurements. Figures are presented for a representative orbital pass.A peak Joule heating rate of 0.059 Wm^?2 occurred in the cusp region with a peak of 0.025 Wm^?2 in the evening auroral electrojet. Peak volume heating rates corresponding to these regions were 1.4 × 10^?6Wm^?3 and 7.10^?7 Wm^?3, both occurring at an altitude of 115 km. Particle energy deposition was about an order of magnitude less than Joule heating. Large neutral density perturbations are related to regions of heating.     

The glow of the night ionosphere due to energetic ion beams

This paper discusses photometric measurements made of the ionospheric excitation of the line $\text{λ = 5577}\text{A}\text{?}$ at the time of electron beam injection from a rocket into the Earth's ionosphere. The gradual increase of the glow intensity per impulse occurs due to accumulation of the energy of excited states of N₂(A³Σ⁺_u) and O(′S) during their lifetimes. The large disturbed zone in the near-rocket environment (size >500 m) is connected via the interaction of ions accelerated in the rocket potential field with ionospheric components. The glow intensity modulation is observed at a height of ～98 km during the electron beam injection simultaneously with the ignition of the beam-plasma discharge (BPD). The intensity minima are explained by a decrease of the energy of accelerated ions due to effective neutralization of the rocket body by the BPD plasma. The height profile of the glow intensity revealed two maxima at heights of ～103 km and ～115 km. The second maximum (at ～115 km) indicates that, at these heights, both collision and collision-free mechanisms of accelerated ion energy transport to ionospheric components exist.     

Models of Venus neutral upper atmosphere: Structure and composition

Models of the Venus neutral upper atmosphere, based on both in-situ and remote sensing measurements, are provided for the height interval from 100 to 3,500 km. The general approach in model formulation was to divide the atmosphere into three regions: 100 to 150 km, 150 to 250 km, and 250 to 3,500 km. Boundary conditions at 150 km are consistent with both drag and mass spectrometer measurements. A paramount consideration was to keep the models simple enough to be used conveniently. Available observations are reviewed. Tables are provided for density, temperature, composition (CO₂, O, CO, He, N, N₂, and H), derived quantities, and day-to-day variability as a function of solar zenith angle on the day- and nightsides.Estimates are made of other species, including O₂ and D. Other tables provide corrections for solar activity effects on temperature, composition, and density. For the exosphere, information is provided on the vertical distribution of normal thermal components (H, O, C, and He) as well as the hot components (H, N, C, O) on the day- and nightsides.     

On the physical state in the narrow-line region of the classical Seyfert galaxy NGC 7469

Based on the spectrophotometric data, by decomposition of the observed continuum, the power - law continuum characteristics of the central source are obtained. The behaviour of both electron temperature T_e and density n_e in the Narrow - Line Region (NLR) of NGC 7469 is discussed on the thermal and ionization equilibria calculations. T_e in NLR of the Sy1 galaxies are higher than the Sy2 ones, and the possible explanation is the lack of the dense (n_e 10¹⁰ cm⁻³) zone close to the central source in the Sy2 galaxies.     

微阴极电弧推力器羽流探针诊断研究

微阴极电弧推力器（micro-cathode arc thruster,μCAT）具备功率低和结构简单的特点,能够满足微纳卫星的任务需求,具有良好的发展前景。μCAT羽流的诊断可以揭示推力器的加速机理,对提高其性能具有重要意义。利用朗缪尔三探针对μCAT羽流进行诊断,得到了μCAT羽流不同位置的电子温度、电子密度和离子速度等羽流特性,研究了外加磁场、充电时间和阴极材料对羽流特性的影响。研究结果表明,μCAT放电初期产生的等离子体电子温度较高,密度较大;随着等离子体向下游运动,电子温度和电子密度降低,离子速度增大;外加磁场的磁感应强度越强,电子温度和离子速度越高,电子密度有所降低;磁场位置适当向推力器下游平移,能够有效提高推力器中轴线的电子密度;μCAT充电时间越长,电子温度、电子密度和离子速度越大;相比于CuW和AgW阴极,Ti阴极羽流的电子温度更高,电子密度更低。     

Evidence for a 2200 km extended wave system at the mesopause level

A panoramic view of the nightglow atmospheric emission in the 780–1000 nm spectral range is constructed using CCD images taken at the Pic de Châteaurenard (Altitude 2989 m, Hautes-Alpes) on July 14–15, 1999. A set of 28 images each having a 36° × 36° field of view is assembled to form a panorama covering 360° in azimuth and extending from the horizon to the zenith. Each photograph is processed in order to invert the perpective effect assuming that the emission comes from a thin layer located at the altitude of 85 km. The effect of refraction is calculated and taken into account. The stars are removed using a numerical filter. The inverted panorama appears as a disk having a radius equal to 1100 km. It is comparable to a satellite view of the emissive layer. A wave system extends in the W-NW to E-SE direction over more than 2200 km. A second set of 30 successive images of the same field of view taken on May 18–19, 1998 is used to determine the wave parameters. The main horizontal wavelength is equal to 42 km and the horizontal phase velocity has a value of 40 ± 2 m.s⁻¹. The images show that the atmospheric OH emission is a tracer of the dynamics of the atmosphere at the level where the excited OH radicals are produced. The OH* radical population depends upon its quenching by O, O₂ and N₂. As a result, the emission intensity is a function of the air temperature and density which are subject to variations due to gravity and windshear waves and other dynamic processes such as tides and turbulence.