The nighttime anomalies using Global IGS VTEC Maps

In this paper we show the VTEC variations at night, considering their geomagnetic, seasonal and solar activity dependences. The variations are analyzed in two time periods 10 p.m. (pre-midnight) and 2 a.m. (post-midnight); and for two different solar conditions; one during high solar activity (2000) and the other during low solar activity (2008). Spatial and temporal ionosphere variability is investigated from Global IGS VTEC maps applying Principal Component Analysis (PCA).     

Crop parameters estimation by fuzzy inference system using X-band scatterometer data

Learning fuzzy rule based systems with microwave remote sensing can lead to very useful applications in solving several problems in the field of agriculture. Fuzzy logic provides a simple way to arrive at a definite conclusion based upon imprecise, ambiguous, vague, noisy or missing input information. In the present paper, a subtractive based fuzzy inference system is introduced to estimate the potato crop parameters like biomass, leaf area index, plant height and soil moisture. Scattering coefficient for HH- and VV-polarizations were used as an input in the Fuzzy network. The plant height, biomass, and leaf area index of potato crop and soil moisture measured at its various growth stages were used as the target variables during the training and validation of the network. The estimated values of crop/soil parameters by this methodology are much closer to the experimental values. The present work confirms the estimation abilities of fuzzy subtractive clustering in potato crop parameters estimation. This technique may be useful for the other crops cultivated over regional or continental level.     

On the uncertainties in the measurement of absolute (true) TEC over Indian equatorial and low latitude sectors

The Indian sector encompasses the equatorial and low latitude regions where the ionosphere is highly dynamic and is characterized by the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) resulting in large latitudinal electron density gradients causing errors and uncertainties in the estimation of range delays in satellite based navigation systems. The diurnal and seasonal variations of standard deviations in the TEC data measured during the low sunspot period 2004–2005 at 10 different Indian stations located from equator to the anomaly crest region and beyond are examined and presented. The day-to-day variability in TEC is found to be lowest at the equatorial station and increases with latitude up to the crest region of EIA and decreases beyond.     

Mini-magnetosphere: Laboratory experiment,physical model and Hall MHD simulation

Magnetosphere with a size comparable to the ion kinetic scales is investigated by means of laboratory experiment, analytical analysis and Hall MHD simulation. In experiment a specific magnetic field was observed which is non-coplanar to dipole field, does not change sign at dipole moment inversion and could be generated only via the quadratic Hall term. Magnetopause position and plasma stand off distance were found to be profoundly different between the experimental regimes with small and large ion inertia length. In the previous studies of a mini-magnetosphere by kinetic codes such novel features were observed as absence of the bow shock and plasma stopping at the Stoermer particle limit instead of the pressure balance distance. Proposed analytical model explains these features by Hall currents which tend to cancel magnetic field convection by ions. Performed numerical simulation shows a good agreement with experiment and analytical model. It gives detailed spatial structure of the Hall field and reveals that while ions penetrate deep inside mini-magnetosphere electrons overflow around it along magnetopause boundary.     

Perpendicular transport of charged particles: Results for the unified nonlinear transport theory derived from the Newton–Lorentz equation

The perpendicular diffusion coefficient is calculated by combining a recently developed Unified Nonlinear Transport (UNLT) theory with the Newton–Lorentz equation. The total perpendicular mean free path can be described as a combination of a guiding center contribution and a microscopic contribution. It is shown that the total mean free path depends strongly on the energy range of the turbulence power spectrum and on particle energy. Further, a slab/2D composite model is used to investigate the influence of each contribution to the total mean free path for a quasi-3D turbulence model. For pure 2D turbulence the UNLT reduces to the NLGC-theory. For pure slab turbulence the guiding center contribution is subdiffusive in accordance with simulations and the theorem on reduced dimensionality. Conversely, the microscopic contribution is non-zero, which has to be interpreted as normal diffusion.     

Phototropism in Arabidopsis roots is mediated by two sensory systems.

Phototropism has been well-characterized in stems and stem-like organs, but there have been relatively few studies of root phototropism. Our experiments suggest that there are two photosensory systems that elicit phototropic responses in roots of Arabidopsis thaliana: a previously identified blue-light photoreceptor system mediated by phototropin (=NPH1 protein) and a novel red-light-based mechanism. The phototropic responses in roots are much weaker than the graviresponse, which competes with and often masks the phototropic response. It was through the use of mutant plants with a weakened graviresponse that we were able to identify the activity of the red-light-dependent phototropic system. In addition, the red-light-based photoresponse in roots is even weaker compared to the blue-light response. Our results also suggest that phytochrome may be involved in mediating positive phototropism in roots.     

Ontogeny of plants under various gravity condition.

The results of experiments performed under conditions of microgravity (MG) or under its simulation on the horizontal clinostat (HC) with the callus, seedlings of various species and embryogenic structures have revealed a definite role of gravity as an ecological factor in the processes of cytomorphogenesis, growth, and development. The transformation of differentiated somatic cells of arabidopsis seed into undifferentiated callus was not inhibited under MG, though modifications of the whole callus morphology and of mean cell and nucleus size were observed. The morphogenesis of polar structures such as root-hair bearing cells of Lactuca primary root has been shown to be modified in the course of differentiation under mass acceleration diminished below 0.1 g. Seed germination and seedling morphogenesis under MG follow their normal course, but a significant stimulation of shoot growth with no effect on primary root growth has been determined. A successful in vitro regeneration of Nicotiana tabacum plantlets from leaf cells and subsequent formation of shoots and roots on a continuously rotating HC as well as the formation of viable seeds during seed-to-seed growth of Arabidopsis plants under MG have indicated that gravity plays but a limited role in the processes of embryogenesis and organogenesis.     

Electron beams and their interactions with the ionosphere — A review of the E| |B series

A review is presented of results from a series of experiments which began with an attempt to reflect electrons from the potential change which is thought to generate the aurora. In order to understand the experiment, this series then expanded to study beam-plasma interactions in the laboratory as well as in the ionosphere. Results from the electron reflection experiment, as well as in situ and ground-based observations of the waves generated by beam-plasma interactions will be reviewed. Measurements bearing on modifications of the ambient plasma by the beam-emitting rocket will be presented.     

Chromospheric line emission in seismically active flares

Some flares are known to drive seismic transients into the solar interior. The effects of these seismic transients are seen in helioseismic observations of the Sun’s surface thousands of km from their sources in the hour succeeding the impulsive phase of the flare. Energetic particles impinging from the corona into the chromosphere are known to drive strong, downward-propagating shocks in active region chromospheres during the impulsive phases of flares. H observations have served as an important diagnostic of these shocks, showing intense emission with characteristic transient redshifts. In most flares no detectable transients penetrate beneath the active region photosphere. In those that do, there is a strong correlation between compact white-light emission and the signature of seismic emission. This study introduces the first known H observations of acoustically active flares, centered in the core of the line. The morphology of line-core emission H in the impulsive phase of the flare is similar to that of co-spatial line-core emission in NaD₁, encompassing the site of seismic emission but more extended. The latter shows a compact red shift in the region of seismic emission, but a similar feature is known to appear in a conjugate magnetic footpoint from which no seismic emission emanates. Radiative MHD modelling based on the profiles of chromospheric line emission during the impulsive phases of flares can contribute significantly to our understanding of the mechanics of flare acoustic emission penetrating into the solar interior and the conditions under which it occurs.