Prompt effects of solar wind variations on the inner magnetosphere and midlatitude ionosphere

It is well known that the solar wind can significantly affect high-latitude ionospheric dynamics. However, the effects of the solar wind on the middle- and low-latitude ionosphere are much less studied. In this paper, we report observations that large perturbations in the middle- and low-latitude ionosphere are well correlated with solar wind variations. In one event, a significant (20–30%) decrease of the midlatitude ionospheric electron density over a large latitudinal range was related to a sudden drop in the solar wind pressure and a northward turning of the interplanetary magnetic field, and the density decrease became larger at lower latitudes. In another event, periodic perturbations in the dayside equatorial ionospheric E × B drift and electrojet were closely associated with variations in the interplanetary electric field. Since the solar wind is always changing with time, it can be a very important and common source of ionospheric perturbations at middle- and low-latitudes. The relationship between solar wind variations and significant ionospheric perturbations has important applications in space weather.     

Direct Evaluation of Radar Detection Probabilities

A simple and effective procedure for evaluating detectionperformances in radar and sonar detection problems is derived forboth fixed-threshold and adaptive-threshold detection. Using theprocedure, the cumulative probabilities of the test statistic can bedirectly evaluated from the moment generating functions bycalculating residues. The exact formulae for computing the detectionperformances for the chi-square family of fluctuating targets withan integer fluctuation parameter are given in a finite sum formwithout any special functions for both fixed threshold and cellaverageconstant false-alarm rate detection by using the methoddeveloped here.     

Optimum Steady State Position, Velocity, and Acceleration Estimation Using Noisy Sampled Position Data

A one-dimensional tracking filter based on the Kalman filtering techniques for tracking of a dynamic target such as an aircraft is discussed. The target is assumed to be moving with constant acceleration and is acted upon by a plant noise which perturbs its constant acceleration motion. The plant noise accounts for maneuvers and/or other random factors. Analytical results for estimating optimum steady state position, velocity, and acceleration of the target are obtained.