Radiometric estimation of water vapor content over Brazil

A multi-channel microwave radiometre (make: Radiometrics Corporation) is installed at Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais–INPE, Brazil (22°S). The radiometric output of two channels of the radiometer in the form of brightness temperature at 23.834 GHz and 30 GHz, initially, were used to find out the ambient water vapor content and the non-precipitable cloud liquid water content. The necessary algorithm was developed for the purpose. The best results were obtained using the hinge frequency 23.834 GHz and 30 GHz pair having an r.m.s. error of only 2.64. The same methodology was then adopted exploiting 23.034 GHz and 30 GHz pair. In that case the r.m.s. error was 3.42. These results were then compared with those obtained over Kolkata (22°N), India, by using 22.234 GHz and 31.4 GHz radiometric data. This work conclusively suggests the use of a frequency should not be at the water vapor resonance line. Instead, while measuring the vapor content for separation of vapor and cloud liquid, one of them should be a few GHz left or right from the resonance line i.e., at 23.834 GHz and the other one should be around 30 GHz.     

Variability study of the crest-to-trough TEC ratio of the equatorial ionization anomaly around 120°E longitude

In this paper, latitudinal profiles of the vertical total electron content (TEC) deduced from the dual-frequency GPS measurements obtained at ground stations around 120°E longitude were used to study the variability of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA). The present study mainly focuses on the analysis of the crest-to-trough TEC ratio (TEC-CTR) which is an important parameter representing the strength of EIA. Data used for the present study covered the time period from 01 January, 1998 to 31 December, 2004. An empirical orthogonal function analysis method is used to obtain the main features of the TEC-CTR’s diurnal and seasonal variations as well as its solar activity level dependency. Our results showed that: (1) The diurnal variation pattern of the TEC-CTR at 120°E longitude is characterized by two remarkable peaks, one occurring in the post-noon hours around 13–14 LT, and the other occurring in the post-sunset hours around 20–21 LT, and the post-sunset peak has a much higher value than the post-noon one. (2) Both for the north and south crests, the TEC-CTR at 120°E longitude showed a semi-annual variation with maximum peak values occurring in the equinoctial months. (3) TEC-CTR for the north crest has lower values in summer than in winter, whereas TEC-CTR for the south crest does not show this ‘winter anomaly’ effect. In other words, TEC-CTR for both the north and south crests has higher values in the northern hemispheric winter than in the northern hemispheric summer. (4) TEC-CTR in the daytime post-noon hours (12–14 LT) does not vary much with the solar activity, however, TEC-CTR in the post-sunset hours (19–21 LT) shows a clear dependence on the solar activity, its values increasing with solar activity.     

Ozone trends in the mid-latitude stratopause region based on microwave measurements at Lindau (51.66° N, 10.13° E), the ozone reference model,and model calculations

We compared 8 years of ozone measurements taken at Lindau (51.66° N, 10.13° E) at altitudes between 40 and 60 km using the microwave technique with the CIRA ozone reference model that was established 20 years ago (Keating et al., 1990). We observed a remarkable decrease in ozone density in the stratopause region (i.e., an altitude of 50 km), but the decrease in ozone density in the middle mesosphere (i.e., up to 60 km in altitude) is slight. Likewise, we observed only a moderate decrease in the atmospheric region below the stratopause. Other studies have found the strongest ozone decrease at 40 km and a more moderate decrease at 50 km, which is somewhat in contradiction to our results. This decrease in ozone density also strongly depends on the season. Similar results showed model calculations using the GCM COMMA-IAP when considering the increase in methane. In the lower mesosphere/stratopause region, the strongest impact on the concentration of odd oxygen (i.e., O₃ and O) was observed due to a catalytic cycle that destroys odd oxygen, including atomic oxygen and hydrogen radicals. The hydrogen radicals mainly result from an increase in water vapor with the growing anthropogenic release of methane. The finding suggesting that the stratopause region is apparently attacked more strongly by the water vapor increase has been interpreted in terms of the action of this catalytic cycle, which is most effective near the stratopause and amplified by a positive feedback between the ozone column density and the ozone dissociation rate, thereby chemically influencing the ozone density. However, the rising carbon dioxide concentration cools the middle atmosphere, thereby damping the ozone decline by hydrogen radicals.     

0 °C isotherm height for satellite communication in Malaysia

The 0 °C isotherm height is an important parameter for prediction of rain attenuation of microwave and millimeter wave for Earth-space communication. The variations of 0 °C isotherm heights for two monsoon seasons have been studied based on an analysis of radiosonde over three stations. The exceedence probability statistics of rain height are compared between the two seasons. The results on the 0 °C isotherm height can be utilized for the estimation of attenuation of microwave and millimeter wave due to rain over Earth-space paths. Attenuations of radio wave due to rain at frequencies above 10 GHz and above have also been estimated using the 0 °C isotherm height so derived.     

Identification of window frequency at different places of India

Millimeterwave window frequencies between the two successive absorption maxima of 60?GHz and 120?GHz respectively, play a significant role in the context of radar and communication applications. Atmospheric parameters like temperature, water vapour and oxygen play major roles for determination of window frequencies which are latitude dependent. Radiosonde data were analyzed to identify a frequency at which minimum signal attenuation occurs in the millimeterwave band, between 60?GHz and 120?GHz, at various places in India. The data are taken from British Atmospheric Data Centre (BADC, U.K). Analysis shows that water vapour plays a dominant role for determining window frequency during the monsoon season. On the other hand, temperature dominates water vapour in shifting window frequency during the winter and summer seasons. The results obtained also show that minimum attenuation occurs at 73?GHz and maximum at 83?GHz over the chosen places in India during January to December depending on the latitudinal position. Another salient result obtained from our analyses is that water vapour is mainly responsible for lowering the window frequency from its conventionally accepted value, over certain places in India. Hence, these climatological parameters play a major role in determining window frequency over certain places of choice in India throughout the year.     

Measurement of mesopause temperature from hydroxyl nightglow at Kolhapur (16.8°N, 74.2°E), India

The paper reports the nightglow observations of hydroxyl (8–3), (7–2) and (6–2) Meinel band carried out at a low latitude station Kolhapur (16.8°N, 74.2°E, dip latitude 10.6°N), India during November 2002 to May 2005 with the objective of investigating mesopause dynamics based on derived OH rotational temperature. Overall, 132 nights of quality data were collected using filter-tilting photometer and an all-sky scanning photometer. The mean mesopause temperature observed at Kolhapur is 195 ± 11, 196 ± 9 and 195 ± 7 K from OH (8–3), (7–2) and (6–2) band emissions, respectively, using transition probabilities given by Langhoff et al. [Langhoff, S.R., Werner, H.J., Rosmus, P. Theoretical transition probabilities for the OH Meinel system. Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy 118, 507–529, 1986]. Small wave-like variations (periodicities ∼ few hours) existing over long period variations in derived temperatures are also present. A steady decrease of emission intensities from evening to dawn hours has been observed in approximately 59% of nights. No significant change of nightly mean temperatures has been noted. Furthermore, about 62% of observed nightly mean temperatures lie within one error bar of MSISE-90 model predictions.     

Long term variability of total ozone yearly minima and maxima in the latitudinal belt from 20°N to 60°N derived from the merged satellite data in the period 1979–2008

This paper deals with the behavior of the annual cycle of total ozone (ACO3) and its amplitude (O3_AMP) in the latitudinal belt from 20°N to 60°N. The prominent feature of the O3_AMP spatial pattern is the sharp maximum over the north-east coast of Asia. The spatial correlation of O3_AMP with its highest/lowest value varies with location: in the middle latitudes it correlates predominantly with the values of annual maxima of total ozone, while in the lower latitudes, there is a strong negative correlation with the values of ACO3 minima. Regarding temporal evolution of O3_AMP we detected distinct negative trend in the period of 1979–1995 which is caused by stronger negative trend of maxima than the negative trend of minima in ACO3. In the period 1995–2008 we found the positive trend of ACO3 in most regions due to stronger positive trend of maxima than that of minima in ACO3 in the middle latitudes (especially over the central and northern Europe and the north-east Asia). In the lower latitudes a weak negative trend of O3_AMP was identified and linked to weaker positive trend of maxima than positive trend of minima in ACO3. The behavior of the temporal trends was linked to the changes in Brewer–Dobson circulation and to the trends of tropopause pressure.     

The equatorial ionization anomaly at the topside F region of the ionosphere along 75°E

Electron density measured by the Indian satellite SROSS C2 at the altitude of ∼500 km in the 75°E longitude sector for the ascending half of the solar cycle 22 from 1995 to 1999 are used to study the position and density of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA). Results show that the latitudinal position and peak electron density of the EIA crest and crest to trough ratios of the anomaly during the 10:00–14:00 LT period vary with season and from one year to another. Both EIA crest position and density are found to be asymmetric about the magnetic equator and the asymmetry depends on season as well as the year of observation, i.e., solar activity. The latitudinal position of the crest of the EIA and the crest density bears good positive correlation with F_10.7 and the strength of the equatorial electrojet (EEJ).     

Temperature comparison between CHAMP radio occultation and TIMED/SABER measurements in the lower stratosphere

Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver on the CHAllenging Mini-satellite Payload (CHAMP) and the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument, one of four on board the TIMED satellite, provide middle atmosphere temperature profiles by Radio Occultation (RO) and limb viewing infrared emission measurements, respectively. These temperature profiles retrieved by two different techniques in the stratosphere are compared with each other using more than 1300 correlative profiles in March, September and December 2005. The over-all mean differences averaged over 15 and 35 km are approximately −2 K and standard deviation is less than 3 K. Below 20 km of altitude, relatively small mean temperature differences ∼1 K are observed in wide latitudinal range except for June (during the SABER nighttime observation). In the middle to low latitudes, between 30°S and 30°N, the temperature difference increases with height from ∼0–1 K at 15 km, to ∼−4 K at 35 km of altitude. Large temperature differences about −4 to −6 K are observed between 60°S and 30°N and 31–35 km of altitude for all months and between 0° and 30°N below 16 km during June (nighttime).     

Study of complex dielectric properties of lunar simulants and comparison with Apollo samples at microwave frequencies

Laboratory characterization of dielectric properties of terrestrial analogues of lunar soil (JSC-1A) and comparison with lunar samples returned from various Apollo missions is made at different as well as normalized bulk density. Here measurements of dielectric constants and losses were made at four microwave frequencies such as 1.7 GHz, 2.5 GHz, 6.6 GHz and 31.6 GHz. Complex permittivity of lunar simulant was measured at temperature ranging from −190 °C to + 200 °C using Wave-Guide cell method. Comparison of permittivity of JSC-1A with Apollo sample also has been done at similar microwave frequencies. The investigations reveal that dielectric constant and loss factor of terrestrial analogues of lunar soil are temperature dependent. As temperature is gradually increased both these parameter (storage factor and loss factor) also gradually increases. These temperatures were chosen because the Moon undergoes at that extremes level of temperature. It is scorching heat at 110 °C during the day and freezing cold at −180 °C during night. The measured value of ε can be useful for designing passive as well as active sensors.     

Response of the extratropical middle atmosphere to the September 2002 major stratospheric sudden warming

The effects of a major stratospheric sudden warming (SSW) at extratropical latitudes have been investigated with wind and temperature observations over a Brazilian station, Cachoeira Paulista (22.7°S, 45°W) during September–October 2002. In response to the warming at polar latitudes a corresponding cooling at tropical and extratropical latitudes is prominent in the stratosphere. A conspicuous signature of latitudinal propagation of a planetary wave of zonal wavenumbers 1 and 2 from polar to low latitude has been observed during the warming period. The polar vortex which split into two parts of different size is found to travel considerably low latitude. Significant air mass mixing between low and high latitudes is caused by planetary wave breaking. The meridional wind exhibits oscillations of period 2–4 days during the warming period in the stratosphere. No wave feature is evident in the mesosphere during the warming period, although a 12–14 day periodicity is observed after 2 weeks of the warming event, indicating close resemblance to the results of other simultaneous investigations carried out from high latitude Antarctic stations. Convective activity over the present extratropical station diminishes remarkably during the warming period. This behavior is possibly due to destabilization and shift of equatorial convective active regions towards the opposite hemisphere in response to changes in the mean meridional circulation in concert with the SSW.     

The statistical features of radio bursts with fine structure at 1.1–7.6 GHz

This work presents the spectral and temporal features of radio bursts with fine structures (FSs) at broad band from 1.1 to 7.6 GHz. Fifteen burst events are studied with high frequency and temporal cadence observation from the Solar Broadband Radio Spectrometer at three frequency bands. It is found that the amount and species of radio FS decrease with increasing frequency band; the pulsation, type III burst and continuum are most frequently recorded; almost in all the burst events, more radio FSs occur before the soft X-ray (SXR) maximum than after; at 1.1–2.06 GHz, all types of radio FSs have more before the SXR peak except fiber; at 2.6–3.8 GHz, pulsation, fiber and spike prefer to appear after the peak; the separation between neighboring emission lines of zebra pattern increases with increasing frequency and the magnetic field deduced from the whistler model is 29–86 G at 1.1–2.06 GHz and 89–268 G at 2.6–3.8 GHz.     

Global characteristics of ionospheric electric fields and disturbances during the first hours of magnetic storms

The ionospheric plasma density can be significantly disturbed during magnetic storms. In the conventional scenario of ionospheric storms, the negative storm phases with plasma density decreases are caused by neutral composition changes, and the positive storm phases with plasma density increases are often related to atmospheric gravity waves. However, recent studies show that the global redistribution of the ionospheric plasma is dominated primarily by electric fields during the first hours of magnetic storms. In this paper, we present the measurements of ionospheric disturbances by the DMSP satellites and GPS network during the magnetic storm on 6 April 2000. The DMSP measurements include the F region ion velocity and density at the altitude of ∼840 km, and the GPS receiver network provides total electron content (TEC) measurements. The storm-time ionospheric disturbances show the following characteristics. The plasma density is deeply depleted in a latitudinal range of ∼20° over the equatorial region in the evening sector, and the depletions represent plasma bubbles. The ionospheric plasma density at middle latitudes (20°–40° magnetic latitudes) is significantly increased. The dayside TEC is increased simultaneously over a large latitudinal range. An enhanced TEC band forms in the afternoon sector, goes through the cusp region, and enters the polar cap. All the observed ionospheric disturbances occur within 1–5 h from the storm sudden commencement. The observations suggest that penetration electric fields play a major role in the rapid generation of equatorial plasma bubbles and the simultaneous increases of the dayside TEC within the first 2 h during the storm main phase. The ionospheric disturbances at later times may be caused by the combination of penetration electric fields and neutral wind dynamo process.     

Polarization pattern of low and mid-frequency magnetic pulsations in the polar cap: A comprehensive analysis at Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica)

The polarization pattern of ULF pulsations (f ≈ 1–100 mHz) at Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica, CGM λ ∼ 80°) has been determined for the entire 2003, soon after the solar maximum. A comparison with the results of previous investigations, conducted at the same station close to the solar minimum (1994–96), allows to focus common elements and major differences among different frequency bands which persist through the entire solar cycle. Basically, between f ∼ 1.5 and 5 mHz, the day can be divided into four sectors with alternate polarizations. The local time and latitudinal dependence of the observed pattern can be tentatively interpreted in terms of a latitude of resonant field lines reaching λ ∼ 80° in the noon sector; on the other hand, resonance effects of lower latitude field lines can be clearly identified also far from the noon meridian when the station moves into the deep polar cap. Moreover, in the morning sector the resonance region would extend to lower latitudes than in the evening sector. The proposed profile of the resonant region can interpret also the results obtained at other cusp/auroral stations and appears consistent with that one inferred in the northern hemisphere at smaller latitudes. The resonance region progressively shifts toward lower latitude with increasing frequency; correspondingly, the four-sector pattern progressively disappears at TNB. Above f ∼ 20 mHz, the experimental observations might suggest an additional contribution from Sunward propagating waves, possibly via the magnetotail lobes.     

Signatures of the Sudden Stratospheric Warming events of January–February 2008 in Seoul,S. Korea

The period January–February 2008 was characterized by four Sudden Stratospheric Warmings (SSWs) in the Northern Hemisphere, of which the last warming, at the end of February 2008, was a major warming. A significant decrease in mesospheric water vapour (H₂O) of more than 2 ppmv (∼40%) was observed by the ground-based microwave (GBMW) radiometer in Seoul, S. Korea [37.3°N, 126.3°E] during the major SSW. A comparison with ground-based mesospheric H₂O observations from the mid-latitude station in Bern [46.9°N, 7°E] revealed an anticorrelation in the mesospheric H₂O data during the major SSW. In addition, prior to the major warming, strong periodic fluctuations were recorded in the Aura MLS vertical temperature distribution between 15 and 0.05 hPa at Seoul. The mesospheric temperature oscillation was found to have a period of ∼10–14 days with a persistency of 3–4 cycles.     

Ground-based millimeter-wave observations of water vapor emission (183 GHz) at Atacama,Chile

We report the first results of ground-based millimeter-wave measurements of 183 GHz atmospheric water vapor spectra from Atacama highland (4800 m alt.), Chile. The measurements were carried out in December 2005 by using a spectroscopic radiometer equipped with a superconductive heterodyne receiver. A conspicuous H₂O spectrum at 183 GHz was detected with an integration time of only 1.5 min, and this is the first high frequency-resolution H₂O spectrum at 183 GHz obtained in the southern subtropical region. The vertical profile of H₂O volume mixing ratio between 40 and 64 km were retrieved from the spectrum by using the modified optimal estimation method.     

Radio fine structures in dm–cm wavelength range associated with magnetic reconnection processes

Radio bursts with fine structures in decimetric–centimetric wave range are generally believed to manifest the primary energy release process during flare/CME events. By spectropolarimeters in 1–2 GHz, 2.6–3.8 GHz, and 5.2–7.6 GHz at NAOC/Huairou with very high temporal (1.25–8 ms) and spectral (4–20 MHz) resolutions, the zebra patterns, spikes, and new types of radio fine structures with mixed frequency drift features are observed during several significant flare/CME events. In this paper we will discuss the occurrence of radio fine structures during the impulsive phase of flares and/or CME initiations, which may be connected to the magnetic reconnection processes.     

Occurrence of equatorial plasma bubbles over Kolhapur

This paper reports the nightglow observations of OI 630.0 nm emissions, made by using all sky imager operating at low latitude station Kolhapur (16.8°N, 74.2°E and dip lat. 10.6°N) during high sunspot number years of 24th solar cycle. The images are analyzed to study the nocturnal, seasonal and solar activity dependence occurrence of plasma bubbles. We observed EPBs in images regularly during a limited period 19:30 to 02:30 LT and reach maximum probability of occurrence at 22:30 LT. The observation pattern of EPBs shows nearly no occurrence during the month of May and it maximizes during the period October–April. The equinox and solstice seasonal variations in the occurrence of plasma bubbles show nearly equal and large differences, respectively, between years of 2010–11 and 2011–12.     

Latitudinal variation of F2-region response to geomagnetic disturbance

The effect of geomagnetic storms on the F2 region was studied by calculating the deviation, ΔfoF2, of foF2 during 40 magnetic storms, ranging from moderate (Dst < −50 nT) to very intense (Dst < −200 nT) of the 21st solar cycle. In order to study the variation of storm-time foF2 with latitude, season and storm strength, ionosonde data were obtained from eight stations spanning a latitudinal range of +60–−60°. The stations chosen lay in a narrow longitudinal range of 140–151°, so that local time difference between the stations is practically negligible. The features exhibited by positive and negative phases were essentially different. The storm time ΔfoF2 clearly exhibited a latitudinal variation and this variation were found to be coupled with the seasonal variation. As for the variation with storm intensity, though ΔfoF2 was found to vary even between two storms of almost equal intensity, the amplitude of a positive or negative phase, |ΔfoF2max| showed a distinct upper limit for each intensity category of storms.     

Ionospheric response of equatorial and low latitude F-region during the intense geomagnetic storm on 24–25 August 2005

In this investigation, we present and discuss the response of the ionospheric F-region in the South American and East Asian sectors during an intense geomagnetic storm in August 2005. The geomagnetic storm studied reached a minimum Dst of −216 nT at 12:00 UT on 24 August. In this work ionospheric sounding data obtained of 24, 25, and 26 August 2005 at Palmas (PAL; 10.2° S, 48.2° W; dip latitude 6.6° S), São José dos Campos (SJC, 23.2° S, 45.9° W; dip latitude 17.6° S), Brazil, Ho Chi Minh City, (HCM; 10.5° N, 106.3° E; dip latitude 2.9° N), Vietnam, Okinawa (OKI; 26.3° N, 127.8° E; dip latitude 21.2° N), Japan, are presented. Also, the GPS observations obtained at different stations in the equatorial and low-latitude regions in the Brazilian sector are presented. On the night of 24–25 August 2005, the h′F variations show traveling ionospheric disturbances associated with Joule heating in the auroral zone from SJC to PAL. The foF2 variations show a positive storm phase on the night of 24–25 August at PAL and SJC during the recovery phase. Also, the GPS-VTEC observations at several stations in the Brazilian sector show a fairly similar positive storm phase on 24 August. During the fast decrease of Dst (between 10:00 and 11:00 UT) on 24 August, there is a prompt penetration of electric field of magnetospheric origin that result in abrupt increase (∼12:00 UT) in foF2 at PAL, SJC (Brazil) and OKI (Japan) and in VTEC at IMPZ, BOMJ, PARA and SMAR (Brazil). OKI showed strong oscillations of the F-region on the night 24 August resulted to the propagation of traveling atmospheric disturbances (TADs) by Joule heating in the auroral region. These effects result a strong positive observed at OKI station. During the daytime on 25 August, in the recovery phase, the foF2 observations showed positive ionospheric storm at HCM station. Some differences in the latitudinal response of the F-region is also observed in the South American and East Asian sectors.