Ionospheric response to the storm-time disturbance of 29 May, 2010

The Ionospheric F2-layer peak parameters response to a magnetic storm had been investigated over Ilorin, Nigeria (Lat. 8:53°N, Long. 4.5°E, dip angle, −2.96°), Jicamarca, Peru (11.95°S, 76.87°W, dip angle, 0.8°) and Hermanus, South Africa (34.42°S, 19.22°E, dip angle, −60.77°), using percentage enhancement/depletion values. Our results showed an enhancement in NmF2 at all of these stations. Averagely, pre-noon and post-noon peaks are highest at Ilorin during quiet time. The similar pattern observed for quiet condition between Ilorin and Jicamarca was due to their latitudinal positions. For disturbed NmF2 condition, Jicamarca and Ilorin recorded higher peaks at nighttime than during the daytime for the storms main phase, and the reverse over Hermanus. The nighttime and daytime increases were observed respectively at Ilorin and Hermanus during the recovery period. The hmF2 variation recorded higher enhancement at Jicamarca during the daytime and at Hermanus at nighttime during the main phase. During the recovery phase, the highest enhancement was recorded during the daytime at Jicamarca, and over Hermanus at nighttime. These observations find their explanation in the magnetospheric current, solar wind and E × B drift.     

Ionospheric disturbances under low solar activity conditions

The paper is focused on ionospheric response to occasional magnetic disturbances above selected ionospheric stations located at middle latitudes of the Northern and Southern Hemisphere under extremely low solar activity conditions of 2007–2009. We analyzed changes in the F2 layer critical frequency foF2 and the F2 layer peak height hmF2 against 27-days running mean obtained for different longitudinal sectors of both hemispheres for the initial, main and recovery phases of selected magnetic disturbances. Our analysis showed that the effects on the middle latitude ionosphere of weak-to-moderate CIR-related magnetic storms, which mostly occur around solar minimum period, could be comparable with the effects of strong magnetic storms. In general, both positive and negative deviations of foF2 and hmF2 have been observed independent on season and location. However positive effects on foF2 prevailed and were more significant. Observations of stormy ionosphere also showed large departures from the climatology within storm recovery phase, which are comparable with those usually observed during the storm main phase. The IRI STORM model gave no reliable corrections of foF2 for analyzed events.     

Three-dimensional magnetic reconnection regimes: A review

The magnetic field in many astrophysical plasmas – such as the solar corona and Earth’s magnetosphere – has been shown to have a highly complex, three-dimensional structure. Recent advances in theory and computational simulations have shown that reconnection in these fields also has a three-dimensional nature, in contrast to the widely used two-dimensional (or 2.5-dimensional) models. Here we discuss the underlying theory of three-dimensional magnetic reconnection. We also review a selection of new models that illustrate the current state of the art, as well as highlighting the complexity of energy release processes mediated by reconnection in complicated three-dimensional magnetic fields.     

压气机试验器排气节气门控制系统设计

通过调节压气机转速和试验器的进、排气节气门的开度,可以获得所需的压气机气动试验特性。压气机试验器调节系统采用双冗余液压系统、成熟的可编程控制器和适合压气机性能试验特点的控制软件,很好地解决了试验状态控制精度低和试验风险高的问题。该系统的成功应用使试验器的工作效率显著提高,并减少了设备损耗和大量的能源消耗。     

自励模式霍尔推力器设计

为实现P70霍尔推力器自励模式稳定放电运行,分别设计了满足自励模式放电要求的磁路和电路。其磁路设计是基于霍尔推力器他励运行模式最优放电性能参数和磁势不变原理,采用FEMM有限元磁场计算软件建模,将推力器内铁心半径由7 mm减至4 mm,可得到满足自励模式运行要求的优化磁场。针对电磁线圈串入主放电回路不同位置对放电的影响,考虑电磁线圈绝缘要求,提出将电磁线圈串入放电电源负极性端,整体电路设计可使放电可靠。性能对比实验表明,自励模式与他励模式性能接近,在放电电压为420V时,自励模式最高效率达到61%。自励模式实验获得了稳定放电,且放电电流低频振荡幅值很小。     

扁平型外转子混合磁悬浮飞轮动力学分析

针对扁平型外转子磁悬浮飞轮,考虑轴向被动悬浮刚度影响,采用理论模型与数值模拟相结合的方法,对系统静态悬浮和稳定旋转两种工况下的动力学特性进行了研究.结果表明,静态悬浮时,轴向刚度的变化对径向摆动固有频率影响明显,径向刚度的变化主要影响系统径向刚体平动固有频率,振型交换区内系统振型为转子刚体平动与摆动的叠加;稳定旋转时,轴向刚度的变化主要影响低速圆锥涡动频率,径向刚度的变化主要影响圆柱涡动频率.     

Converging motion of conjugate flaring kernels during two large solar flares

In this paper, we analyze the footpoint motion of two large solar flares using observations made by the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) and Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI). The two flares are the M5.7 flare of March 14, 2002 and the X10 flare of October 29, 2003. They are both classical two-ribbon flares as observed in TRACE 1600 or 171 Å images and have long-duration conjugate hard X-ray (HXR) footpoint emission. We use the ‘center-of-mass’ method to locate the centroids of the UV/EUV flare ribbons. The results are: (1) The conjugate UV/EUV ribbons and HXR footpoints of the two flares show a converging (inward) motion during the impulsive phase. For the two flares, the converging motion lasts about 3 and 10 min, respectively. The usual separation (outward) motion for the flare ribbons and footpoints take place only after the converging motion. (2) During the inward and the outward motion, the conjugate ribbons and footpoints of the two events exhibit a strong unshear motion. In obtaining above results, TRACE UV/EUV and RHESSI HXR data show an overall agreement. The two events demonstrate that the magnetic reconnection for the flares occurs in highly sheared magnetic field. Furthermore, the results support the magnetic model constructed by Ji et al. [Ji, H., Huang, G., Wang, H. Astrophys. J. 660, 893–900, 2007], who proposed that the contracting motion of flaring loops is the signature of the relaxation of sheared magnetic fields.     

新型机电一体化微磁力矩器设计与实现

现代微小卫星的发展需要磁力矩器具备轻量化、低功耗、小型化、集成化等特点。提出了一种新的微型磁力矩器设计方式,采用机电一体化设计思想,使控制电路内嵌于支架的端面上,实现了磁力矩器结构和驱动电路的集成化和整体结构的小型化,明显优于传统的分离设计方式。采用单绕组线圈+脉冲宽度调制(PWM)换向驱动控制的形式,相比常规的双绕组线圈电流幅度控制形式,线圈的重量和体积都减少了一半,功耗更低,控制更加简便。驱动电路具有电流采样功能,可以实现闭环控制,相对于传统的开环控制策略控制精度更高。此外还对磁力矩器的线圈参数和磁芯参数进行了最优设计。所设计的磁力矩器在某微小卫星上已成功应用,表明了该设计方案的有效性和优越性。     

Asymmetric magnetic field inside a cylindrical flux rope

In order to consider an asymmetric field distribution inside a cylindrical tube with a circular cross section, with the field magnitude maximum reached at a point different from the geometrical centre of the tube, we propose a new solution obtained in bi-cylindrical coordinates. If the parameter of the system is very large, the solution approaches the well known symmetric Lundquist solution. The new solution models a field magnitude shift due to relative motion of the cylinder and the ambient solar wind. If the cylinder is moving much faster than the ambient medium, its field maximum is shifted forward, otherwise it is shifted in the opposite direction.     

Heliosphereic Physics Research in China:2002-2003

This brief report summarized the latest advances of the heliospheric physics research in China during the period of 2002-2003, made independently by Chinese space physicists and through international collaboration. The report covers all aspects of the heliospheric physics, including theoretical studies, numerical simulation and data analysis.