Comparison of GPS TEC variations with IRI-2007 TEC prediction at equatorial latitudes during a low solar activity (2009–2011) phase over the Kenyan region

This work presents an analysis of the Total Electron Content (TEC) derived from the International GNSS Service (IGS) receivers at Malindi (mal2: 2.9^oS, 40.1^oE, dip −26.813^o), Kasarani (rcmn: 36.89^oE, 1.2^oS, dip −23.970^o), Eldoret (moiu: 35.3^oE, 0.3^oN, dip −21.037^o) and GPS-SCINDA (36.8^oE, 1.3^oS, dip −24.117^o) receiver located in Nairobi for the period 2009–2011. The diurnal, monthly and seasonal variations of the GPS derived TEC (GPS-TEC) and effects of space weather on TEC are compared with TEC from the 2007 International Reference Ionosphere model (IRI-TEC) using the NeQuick option for the topside electron density. The diurnal peaks in GPS-TEC is maximum during equinoctial months (March, April, October) and in December and minimum in June solstice months (May, June, July). The variability in GPS-TEC is minimal in all seasons between 0:00 and 04:00 UT and maximum near noon between 10:00 and 14:00 UT. Significant variability in TEC at post sunset hours after 16:00 UT (19:00 LT) has been noted in all the seasons except in June solstice. The TEC variability of the post sunset hours is associated with the occurrence of the ionization anomaly crest which enhances nighttime TEC over this region. A comparison between the GPS-TEC and IRI-TEC indicates that both the model and observation depicts a similar trend in the monthly and seasonal variations. However seasonal averages show that IRI-TEC values are higher than the GPS-TEC. The IRI-TEC also depicts a double peak in diurnal values unlike the GPS-TEC. This overestimation which is primarily during daytime hours could be due to the model overestimation of the equatorial anomaly effect on levels of ionospheric ionization over the low latitude regions. The IRI-TEC also does not show any response to geomagnetic activity, despite the STORM option being selected in the model; the IRI model generally remains smooth and underestimates TEC during a storm. The GPS-TEC variability indicated by standard deviation seasonal averages has been presented as a basis for extending the IRI-model to accommodate TEC-variability.     

E region electric fields at the dip equator and anomalous conductivity effects

Zonal and vertical electric fields were estimated at E region heights in the Brazilian sector. Zonal electric fields are obtained from the vertical electric fields based on their relation through the Hall-to-Pedersen ionospheric conductivities ratio. The technique for obtaining the vertical electric field is based on its proportionality to the Doppler velocities of type 2 irregularities as detected by coherent radars. The 50 MHz backscatter coherent (RESCO) radar was used to estimate the Doppler velocities of the type 2 irregularities embedded in the equatorial electrojet. A magnetic field-line integrated conductivity model was developed to provide the conductivities. It considers a multi-species ionosphere and a multi-species neutral atmosphere, and uses the IRI 2007, the MISIS 2000 and the IGRF 10 models as input parameters for ionosphere, neutral atmosphere and Earth’s magnetic field, respectively. The ion-neutral collision frequencies of all the species are combined through the momentum transfer collision frequency equation, and different percentages of electron-neutral collisions were artificially included for studying the implication of such increase in the zonal electric field, which resulted ranging from 0.13 to 0.49 mV/m between the 8 and 18 h (LT), under quiet magnetic conditions.     

Comparison of Polar and Equatorial Coronal Holes Observed by UVCS/SOHO: Geometry and Physical Properties

We analyzed UVCS/SOHO data and compared the H I Lyα (121.6 nm) and O VI (103.2 nm, 103.7 nm) emission in the polar and equatorial coronal holes. We found that the emission lines have similar characteristics in these two types of coronal holes. Both types show evidence for superradially diverging boundaries. The latitudinal distribution of the O VI line ratio may indicate that the equatorial coronal hole has O⁺⁵ outflow velocities lower than in the polar coronal holes. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

注气离心喷嘴喷注过程稳定性试验

为了解管路注气对补燃循环液氧煤油发动机预燃室煤油离心喷嘴喷注过程稳定性的影响，在大气环境下开展了敞口型离心喷嘴注气时喷注过程稳定性试验。使用注气装置在离心喷嘴的上游供应管路中注入空气，通过高速相机记录管路内的两相流特征和喷嘴喷注过程的振荡特征，采用图像区域亮度分析方法定量评估喷注过程的振荡强度。研究发现：注气能显著改变敞口型离心喷嘴的喷注雾化过程及稳定性特征；注气后雾化液膜破碎距离缩短且喷雾角减小，喷注过程出现明显的振荡并伴随Klystron效应；管路内两相流的气泡尺度较大且切向孔较小时，喷注过程的振荡幅值较大；随着注气量增加，喷注过程的振荡频率降低；气泡尺度及两相流型对离心喷嘴喷注振荡过程的影响与普通气泡雾化喷嘴的显著不同，柱状流型时离心喷嘴喷注过程出现1~3 Hz流量振荡且可能间歇性断流。气泡对切向孔的间歇性堵塞作用可能是喷注过程振荡及Klystron效应的原因。     

高阶矩谱分析与空间等离子体非线性相互作用识别

利用高阶矩统计分析方法对ＡＵＲＥＯＬ－３卫星观测数据进行分析处理，所涉及的信号分别为ＥＬＦ频率范围内的电场扰动Ｅｈ（ｔ）和等离子体密度波动δＮｅ／ｎｅ（ｔ），处理结果表明：利用高阶矩谱分析方法可以很好地识别空间等离了波－粒相互作用过程中的非线性成分     

用于合成金刚石薄膜的微波等离子体CVD系统

研制了一套功率容量大、结构合理、工作稳定的微波等离子体ＣＶＤ系统。描述了系统的基本结构和性能，讨论了它的特点。作者利用该系统，在单晶Ｓｉ等衬底材料上成功地合成了金刚石薄膜。     

水工质微波加热推力器的击穿点火与离解损失估算

对水工质微波等离子推力器(MPT),用微波击穿气体放电产生等离子体的条件,数值估算了其点火的可行性;通过化学动力学计算证明了水工质MPT中离解损失的存在,并初步估算了理解损失的大小。结果表明,在1 kW的输入功率下水工质MPT的点火启动并不特别困难,从点火到稳定工作,能量吸收从场致电离、碰撞电离转变为热电离、碰撞电离和场致电离;水在MPT工作过程中会发生离解,离解损失在各类能量损失中所占的比重较大。     

TEC计算方法探讨和赤道异常北驼峰时空特征测量初析

本文探讨了应用最小曲率原理由单站微分多普勒频移数据计算TEC时所遇到的问题和解决办法。处理了用MX1502大地定位接收机于1989年8月和9月先后在陕西临潼和北京观测的NNSS卫星多普勒频移数据,得到了TEC时空分布曲线。分析这些曲线,得到了TEC赤道异常北驼峰时空特征在太阳活动高年(尤其是8月中旬太阳特大质子事件中)的某些结果。     

磁扰动和磁静时近地等离子体片中脉冲电场的分布

Ｇｅｏｔａｉｌ卫星的电场数据被用于分析近地磁尾等离子体片中电场在磁扰动（Ｄｓｔ＜－２５ｎＴ）和磁静时（Ｄｓｔ＞－２５ ｎＴ的统计分布．结果表明，伴随着地向高速离子流，在Ｘ＞－１６Ｒｅ以内区域出现强电场（高达 ５—８ ｍＶ／ｍ）．磁扰动期间强电场的幅值较磁静时大，并且出现在更靠近地球的位置．较强和较靠近地球的强电场与磁扰动时更薄的等离子体片和更接近地球的等离子体片内边界相联系．观测结果意味着磁扰动期间的亚暴可能更有效地将高能粒子注射到环电流中．这对磁暴和亚暴的关系问题的解决有重要意义．