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.     

A 3NM-64_He added to LARC for Solar Extreme Event studies during solar cycle 24

The Antarctic Laboratory for Cosmic Rays (LARC, acronym for Laboratorio Antartico per i Raggi Cosmici or Laboratorio Antártico para Rayos Cósmicos) operates on King George Island (South Shetlands). Since January 1991 a standard 6NM-64 detector has been recording continuous cosmic ray measurements and several Ground-Level Enhancements have been registered. Here we describe the different phases performed in Italy for the realization of a 3NM-64_³He detector, which started its measurements during the Italian XXII Antarctic Summer Campaign. Data recorded during solar activity cycle 24 will furnish an useful research tool for the next Solar Extreme Events.     

Coronal fast wave trains of the decimetric type IV radio event observed during the decay phase of the June 6, 2000 flare

The 22 min long decimetric type IV radio event observed during the decay phase of the June 6, 2000 flare simultaneously by the Brazilian Solar Spectroscope (BSS) and the Ond?ejov radiospectrograph in frequency range 1200–4500 MHz has been analyzed. We have found that the characteristic periods of about 60 s belong to the long-period spectral component of the fast wave trains with a tadpole pattern in their wavelet power spectra. We have detected these trains in the whole frequency range 1200–4500 MHz. The behavior of individual wave trains at lower frequencies is different from that at higher frequencies. These individual wave trains have some common as well as different properties. In this paper, we focus on two examples of wave trains in a loop segment and the main statistical parameters in their wavelet power and global spectra are studied and discussed.     

SVIRCO contribution to the world-wide network of cosmic ray detectors

Since 1954 a research team (called SVIRCO) has been performing measurements of cosmic rays in Rome at La Sapienza University till 1997 and then at Roma Tre University. The experimental work carried out over more than 50 years is summarized in this paper. It describes: the early history of SVIRCO, the evolution from SVIRCO station to SVIRCO observatory, land and sea cosmic-ray surveys and the mini-network of neutron monitors, operating inside the world-wide network of cosmic ray detectors.     

Nonclassical Transport and Particle-Field Coupling: from Laboratory Plasmas to the Solar Wind

Understanding transport of thermal and suprathermal particles is a fundamental issue in laboratory, solar-terrestrial, and astrophysical plasmas. For laboratory fusion experiments, confinement of particles and energy is essential for sustaining the plasma long enough to reach burning conditions. For solar wind and magnetospheric plasmas, transport properties determine the spatial and temporal distribution of energetic particles, which can be harmful for spacecraft functioning, as well as the entry of solar wind plasma into the magnetosphere. For astrophysical plasmas, transport properties determine the efficiency of particle acceleration processes and affect observable radiative signatures. In all cases, transport depends on the interaction of thermal and suprathermal particles with the electric and magnetic fluctuations in the plasma. Understanding transport therefore requires us to understand these interactions, which encompass a wide range of scales, from magnetohydrodynamic to kinetic scales, with larger scale structures also having a role. The wealth of transport studies during recent decades has shown the existence of a variety of regimes that differ from the classical quasilinear regime. In this paper we give an overview of nonclassical plasma transport regimes, discussing theoretical approaches to superdiffusive and subdiffusive transport, wave–particle interactions at microscopic kinetic scales, the influence of coherent structures and of avalanching transport, and the results of numerical simulations and experimental data analyses. Applications to laboratory plasmas and space plasmas are discussed.     

Volatile Trapping in Martian Clathrates

Thermodynamic conditions suggest that clathrates might exist on Mars. Despite observations which show that the dominant condensed phases on the surface of Mars are solid carbon dioxide and water ice, clathrates have been repeatedly proposed to play an important role in the distribution and total inventory of the planet’s volatiles. Here we review the potential consequences of the presence of clathrates on Mars. We investigate how clathrates could be a potential source for the claimed existence of atmospheric methane. In this context, plausible clathrate formation processes, either in the close subsurface or at the base of the cryosphere, are reviewed. Mechanisms that would allow for methane release into the atmosphere from an existing clathrate layer are addressed as well. We also discuss the proposed relationship between clathrate formation/dissociation cycles and how potential seasonal variations influence the atmospheric abundances of argon, krypton and xenon. Moreover, we examine several Martian geomorphologic features that could have been generated by the dissociation of extended subsurface clathrate layers. Finally we investigate the future in situ measurements, as well as the theoretical and experimental improvements that will be needed to better understand the influence of clathrates on the evolution of Mars and its atmosphere.     

Water and Volatiles in the Outer Solar System

Space Science Reviews - Space exploration and ground-based observations have provided outstanding evidence of the diversity and the complexity of the outer solar system. This work presents our...     

The role of AVDR in linear cascade testing

Linear cascade testing plays an important role in the research and development of turbomachinery and is widely used over the world.The ideal cascade model of a turbomachinery blade row is two-dimensional.In actual linear cascade testing, the flow through the test section converges due to the development of the boundary layer and secondary flow along the sidewall surfaces of the test section.Axial velocity density ratio(AVDR) is adopted to account for the deviation of the tested cascade flow from the ideal 2D model.Among numerous published cascade works, the influence of AVDR on cascade performance is seen to be complicated with many affecting factors, such as those related to cascade/blade geometry and flow conditions.Also, controlling AVDR is limited by the facility capability.Furthermore, real blade-to-blade flow in turbomachines is usually associated with AVDR greater than unity due to limited span of blades between the hub and shroud such that cascade testing without reducing AVDR could be favored sometimes.All these facets add complexity and diversification to the matter.The current paper reviews previous studies and results on AVDR.Consolidated understanding on the role of AVDR and recommendations on how to deal with it in linear cascade testing are provided.      

Are small-scale field-aligned currents and magnetosheath-like particle precipitation signatures of the same low-altitude cusp?

We examined some 75 observations from the low-altitude Earth orbiting DMSP, Ørsted and CHAMP satellites which were taken in the region of the nominal cusp. Our objective was to determine whether the actually observed cusp locations as inferred from magnetosheath-like particle precipitation (“particle cusp”) and intense small-scale magnetic field variations (“current cusp”), respectively, were identical and were consistent with the statistically expected latitude of the cusp derived from a huge number of charged particle spectrograms (“statistical cusp”).