Variations in statistical parameters of the NmF2 equinoctial asymmetry with latitude and solar activity near noon

Hourly values of the F2-layer peak density, NmF2, measured by 95 ionosondes near noon from 1957 to 2011 at low and middle geomagnetic latitudes of the northern and southern geographic hemispheres are used in a statistical study of the NmF2 equinoctial asymmetry. The ratios, R, of NmF2 measured during 61 days around the March equinox to NmF2 measured during 61 days around the September equinox at the same UT near noon during geomagnetically quiet daytime conditions for approximately the same solar activity conditions over the same ionosonde are analyzed. The conditional probability of the occurrence of R in an interval of R, the most probable value of R, and the mean expected value of R are calculated for the first time for the low, moderate, and high solar activity levels to study variations in these statistical parameters with latitude and solar activity. These statistical parameters are averaged over 5° geomagnetic latitude interval in the northern and southern geographic hemispheres to calculate and to study for the first time trends in latitude and solar activity of these averaged NmF2 equinoctial asymmetry statistical characteristics.     

Local-time variations of geomagnetic disturbances during intense geomagnetic storms and possible association with their interplanetary causes

In the present paper the local-time variations in the disturbance of the geomagnetic-field horizontal component (H) for eight intense geomagnetic storms that occurred during the descending phase of solar cycle 23 have been analyzed. The study was based on the plot of contour lines of the H-depletion intensity in the plane local time versus universal time (LT–UT maps) with the objective of observing how the morphology and evolution of the ring current is mapped into the surface of the Earth in presence of intense geomagnetic storms.     

Vertical motions in Thailand after the 2004 Sumatra–Andaman Earthquake from GPS observations and its geophysical modelling

Following previous findings from ongoing GPS research in Thailand since 2004 we continue to exploit the GPS technique to monitor and model land motions induced by the Sumatra–Andaman Earthquake. Our latest results show that up to the end of 2010, Thailand has been co-seismically displaced and is subsequently undergoing a post-seismic horizontal deformation with total displacements (co-seismic plus post-seismic) ranging from 10.5 to 74.7 cm. We observed the largest horizontal displacements in the southern part of Thailand and moderate and small displacements in the central and northern parts. In addition to horizontal displacements throughout Thailand, continuous GPS measurements show that large parts of Thailand are subsiding at rates up to 1 cm/yr. It is the first time that such vertical post-seismic deformations at large distances (650–1500 km away from the Earthquake’s epicentre) have been recorded. We have investigated the physical processes leading to the observed subsidence. While after-slip on the subduction interface induces negligible or even slightly positive vertical motions, relaxation in the asthenosphere is associated with a sizable subsidence. Predictions from a 3D finite element model feature an asthenosphere with an effective viscosity of the order of 3 * 10¹⁸ Pas, fit the horizontal post-seismic data and the observed subsidence well. This model is then used to predict the subsidence over the whole seismic cycle. The subsidence should go on with a diminishing rate through the next two decades and its final magnitude should not exceed 10 cm in the Bangkok area.     

Trapped proton fluxes measured on board LEO satellites in comparison with models

The proton fluxes from the low-Earth orbital satellites databases (NPOES-17 and CORONAS-F) were analyzed for the quiet geomagnetic period in April 2005. The satisfactory consent was found between the experimental and the AP8 model fluxes of the trapped protons with energy more than ∼10 MeV. At the same time, trapped proton fluxes with energy less than 10 MeV measured by LEO satellites were higher than the ones predicted by the AP8 model in the region of the SAA (drift shell L < 1.5).     

The concept of selecting the main parameters of a lightweight airplane with regard to the requirements of the contemporary Russian market

The basic principles of selecting some design parameters of a lightweight airplane for the contemporary Russian market are presented. Recommendations for selecting these parameters with the service requirements specified are given based on the study performed.     

Controlling spacecraft by means of solar radiation

The possibility of using solar sails in Earth orbit is investigated. The characteristic parameters of a solar sail consisting of six spheres attached by mutually orthogonal long rods are estimated.     

Determination of parameters of rotational motion of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Monitor-E</Emphasis> spacecraft from the telemetry data on solar batteries’ current

The Monitor-E spacecraft executed uncontrolled flight due to emergency situation, no telemetry information on parameters of the spacecraft’s attitude motion being available. So, the problem arose to determine the spacecraft’s rotational motion from the accessible indirect information—the electric current provided by solar batteries. In this paper the integrated statistical technique is described, that allows one to solve this problem. The values of current, obtained over the time interval some tens of minutes long, have been processed simultaneously by the least squares method using the integration of the equations of spacecraft’s rotational motion. As a result of processing, the initial conditions of motion were estimated, and the spacecraft’s moments of inertia were updated, as well as the angles, specifying solar batteries position in the spacecraft-fixed coordinate system. The results of processing of 12 data sets are presented, which allowed us to reconstruct the actual rotational motion of the spacecraft.