SAMI2 model results for the quiet time low latitude ionosphere over India

Efficacy of SAMI2 model for the Indian low latitude region around 75°E longitudes has been tested for different levels of solar flux. With a slight modification of the plasma drift velocity the SAMI2 model has been successful in reproducing quiet time ionospheric low latitude features like Equatorial Ionization Anomaly. We have also showed the formation of electron hole in the topside equatorial ionosphere in the Indian sector. Simulation results show the formation of electron hole in the altitude range 800–2500?km over the magnetic equator. Indian zone results reveal marked differences with regard to the time of occurrence, seasonal appearances and strength of the electron hole vis-a-vis those reported for the American equatorial region.     

高效弯掠对转桨扇流动特点与桨距调节规律

采用数值计算的方法分析了高亚声速来流条件下弯掠对转桨扇的流动特点,开展了不同自由来流马赫数下的高效对转桨扇桨距调节规律的研究。研究表明：在弯掠桨扇的内部流场,从约30%相对叶高位置处开始形成明显激波结构,但当弯掠桨扇通道内峰值马赫数在1.2及以下时激波强度相对较弱,流动损失在可接受范围。由于桨距角对桨扇的推进效率影响显著,研究提出了可行有效的对转桨扇桨距调节方法,数值计算表明桨扇的推进效率均在75%以上。数值仿真预测的各马赫数下桨扇的推力值表明前叶推力对马赫数的变化更加敏感。     

Vertical TEC in the equatorial anomaly region from satellite altimetry data

The high-precision demands imposed by the ocean altimetry community of the late 1980 resulted in the TOPEX/Poseidon mission. This mission was the first to carry as its main instrument a dual-frequency sea-altimeter on board a satellite. This instrument together with other state-of-the-art technologies involved in the mission, led to sea-height determinations with precision better than 2 cm. As a by-product, the TOPEX/Poseidon mission provided vertical TEC determinations that since they became available, have demonstrated to be a powerful tool for ionospheric studies.     

GPS scintillation and TEC depletion near the northern crest of equatorial anomaly over South China

This study presents a statistical analysis of GPS L-band scintillation with data observed from July 2008 to March 2012 at the northern crest of equatorial anomaly stations in Guangzhou and Shenzhen of South China. The variations of the scintillation with local time, season, solar activity and duration of scintillation patches were investigated. The relationship between the scintillation and TEC depletion was also reported. Our results revealed that GPS scintillation occurred from 19:30 LT (pre-midnight) to 03:00 LT (post-midnight). During quiet solar activity years, the scintillation was only observed in pre-midnight hours of equinox months and patches durations were mostly less than 60 min. During high solar activity years, more scintillation occurred in the pre-midnight hours of equinox and winter months; and GPS scintillation started to occur in the post-midnight hours of summer and winter. The duration of scintillation patches extended to 180 min in high solar activity years. Solar activity had a larger effect to strong scintillations (S₄ > 0.6) than to weak scintillations (0.6 ? S₄ > 0.2). Strong scintillations were accompanied by TEC depletion especially in equinox months. We also discussed the relationship between TEC depletion and plasma bubble.     

Comparison between African equatorial station ground-based inferred vertical E × B drift,Jicamarca direct measured drift,and IRI model

The Incoherent Scatter Radar measurement over Jicamarca, together with the IRI model-2007 measurements were compared with ground-based digisonde inferred E × B drift over Ilorin in the African region during year of solar minima (F10.7 = 81). Seasonally, Ilorin pre-reversal enhancement (PRE) had peak drift velocities of 7.2, 3.7 and 7.9 m/s for March equinox, September equinox and December solstice respectively, while Jicamarca drifts indicated 13.0, 10.5 and 5.2 m/s; as well as the IRI model with 14.3, 8.4 and 0.7 m/s in similar order. PRE value was insignificant during June solstice. The PRE magnitude of the IRI-model during the equinoxes is twice the value obtained at Ilorin. The daytime E × B drift peaked over Ilorin 1–2 h earlier than both the modeled and Jicamarca observations. This could be due to the difference in sunset time at the conjugate points corresponding to the altitude of the observation. During the evening time PRE, the respective correlation coefficients (R) for Vz–F10.7 relation over Jicamarca, Ilorin and the modeled observations are −0.5559, 0.4796 and −0.4979. Similarly, the Vz–Ap relation exhibit excellent anti-correlation coefficient (R = −0.8637) for the IRI-model, −0.4827 over Jicamarca and 0.3479 for Ilorin. Annual mean drift velocities over Jicamarca, Ilorin and IRI model measurements respectively are 10, 5.6 and 10 m/s for the peak PRE observation; 15, 16 and 21 m/s for the daytime pre-sunrise peak values; and −21, −9 and −16 m/s for the nighttime downward reversals. The root-mean square (RMS) deviation between IRI-model and the Ilorin drift between 2000 and 0500 h is 4.37, 2.03, 3.71 and 2.42 m/s for March equinox, June solstice, September equinox and December solstice respectively. For Jicamarca–Ilorin drift relation, RMS deviation is 5.48, 2.30, 3.47 and 1.27 m/s in the same order respectively. Annual hmF2 inferred drift over Ilorin during daytime is higher by a factor of ≈2 and 3 at Jicamarca and IRI model measurements respectively; and by a factor of ≈5 for both during the night-time period. The limitations in using hmF2 to infer drifts are discussed.     

Longitudinal differences in the equatorial spread F characteristics between Vietnam and Brazil

We present the results of a comparative study of the equatorial spread F (ESF) and the F layer critical parameter, the base height of the F layer bottomside (h′F) over the two equatorial sites, Ho Chi Minh City – HCM (dip latitude: 2.9°N) in Vietnam and Sao Luis – SL (dip latitude: ∼2°S) in Brazil. The study utilizes simultaneous data collected by a CADI at HCM and a digisonde at SL during the year 2002 with the monthly mean solar 10.7 cm flux (F10.7) varying from ∼120 to ∼185. This study focuses on the quiet time seasonal behavior of the F layer parameters in the two widely separated longitude sectors, and addresses the question as to what can we learn from such comparative studies with respect to the ambient ionospheric and thermospheric parameters that are believed to control the ESF generation and hence its longitudinal occurrence pattern. The observed differences/similarities in the diurnal and seasonal patterns of the F Layer height vis-à-vis the ESF occurrences are evaluated in terms of the known longitudinal differences in the F layer heights, thermospheric meridional winds and the geomagnetic peculiarities of the two sites.     

Short term variations of total electron content (TEC) fitting to a regional GPS network over the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

The ionosphere is a dispersive medium for radio waves with the refractive index which is a function of frequency and total electron content (TEC). TEC has a strong diurnal variation in addition to monthly, seasonal and solar cycle variations and small and large scale irregularities. Dual frequency GPS observations can be utilized to obtain TEC and investigate its spatial and temporal variations. We here studied short term TEC variations over the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). A regional GPS network is formed consisting of 16 sites in and around KSA. GPS observations, acquired between 1st and 11th February 2009, were processed on a daily basis by using the Bernese v5.0 software and IGS final products. The geometry-free zero difference smoothed code observables were used to obtain two hour interval snapshots of TEC and their RMS errors at 0.5 × 0.5 degree grid nodes and regional ionosphere models in a spherical harmonics expansion to degree and order six. The equatorial ionized anomaly (EIA) is recovered in the south of 20°N from 08:00 to 12:00 UT. We found that day-by-day TEC variation is more stable than the night time variation.     

Equatorial total electron content (TEC) at low and high solar activity

Total electron content (TEC) derived from ionosonde data recorded at the station of Korhogo (Lat = 9.33°N, Long = 5.43°W, Dip = 0.67°S) are compared to the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model predicted TEC for high (1999) and low (1994) solar activity conditions. The results show that the model represents the diurnal variation of the TEC as well as a solar activity and seasonal dependence. This variation is closer to that of the ionosonde-inferred TEC at high solar activity. However, at low solar activity the IRI overestimates the ionosonde-inferred TEC. The relative deviation ΔTEC is more prominent in the equinoctial seasons during nighttime hours where it is as high as 70%. At daytime hours, the relative deviation is estimated to 0–30%.