Application of small-size antennas for estimation of angles of arrival of HF signals scattered by ionospheric irregularities

A modification of the Doppler Interferometry Technique is suggested to enable estimating angles of arrival of comparatively broadband HF signals scattered by random irregularities of the ionospheric plasma with the use of small-size weakly directional antennas. The technique is based on the measurements of cross-spectra phases of the probe radiation recorded at least in three spatially separated points. The developed algorithm has been used to investigate the angular and frequency-time characteristics of HF signals propagating at frequencies above the maximum usable one (MUF) for the direct radio path Moscow-Kharkiv. The received signal spectra show presence of three families of spatial components attributed, respectively, to scattering by plasma irregularities near the middle point of the radio path, ground backscatter signals and scattering of the sounding signals by the intense plasma turbulence associated with auroral activations. It has been shown that the regions responsible for the formation of the third family components are located well inside the auroral oval. The drift velocity and direction of the auroral ionosphere plasma have been determined. The obtained estimates are consistent with the classical conception of the ionospheric plasma convection at high latitudes and do not contradict the results of investigations of the auroral ionosphere dynamics using the SuperDARN network.     

GPS卫星信标信噪比的统计分析

GPS卫星信标信噪比(SNR)受到卫星上的发射机增益、地面站的接收机增益、卫星与接收机之间的几何距离、接收机处的仰角、信标传播路径上电离层介质衰减等因素的共同影响.首先提出了一种从SNR观测数据中分离出SNR在电离层中衰减的算法,并应用于MANA接收站(273.751°E,12.149°N)2003年的观测数据,得到了一个电离层介质引起的对L波段信标SNR衰减日变化的平均情况.通过与IRI模式计算的电波垂直穿过电离层时衰减的SNR比较发现,由我们得到的SNR在电波垂直穿过电离层时的衰减与IRI模式计算的衰减随地方时的变化符合得比较好.      

Geoeffectivity of Coronal Mass Ejections

Coronal mass ejections and post-shock streams driven by them are the most efficient drivers of strong magnetospheric activity, magnetic storms. For this reason there is considerable interest in trying to make reliable forecasts for the effects of CMEs as much in advance as possible. To succeed this requires understanding of all aspects related to CMEs, starting from their emergence on the Sun to their propagation to the vicinity of the Earth and to effects within the magnetosphere. In this article we discuss some recent results on the geoeffectivity of different types of CME/shock structures. A particularly intriguing observation is that smoothly rotating magnetic fields within CMEs are most efficient in driving storm activity seen in the inner magnetosphere due to enhanced ring current, whereas the sheath regions between the shock and the ejecta tend to favour high-latitude activity.     

Space weather: its effects and predictability

Terrestrial technology is now, and increasingly, sensitive to space weather. Most space weather is caused by solar storms and the resulting changes to the Earth's radiation environment and the magnetosphere. The Sun as the driver of space weather is under intense observation but remains to be adequately modelled. Recent spacecraft measurements are greatly improving models of solar activity, the interaction of the solar wind with the magnetosphere, and models of the radiation belts. In-situ data updates the basic magnetospheric model to provide specific details of high-energy electron flux at satellite orbits. Shock wave effects at the magnetopause can also be coarsely predicted. However, the specific geomagnetic effects at ground level depend on the calculation of magnetic and electric fields and further improvements are needed. New work on physical models is showing promise of raising geomagnetic and ionospheric predictability above the synoptic climatological level. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

海南地区电离层闪烁监测及初步统计分析

为开展赤道区的电离层闪烁形态特性及相关物理过程的研究,空间中心海南台站建立了一套GPS电离层闪烁监测系统．该系统是利用Plessey GPS Builder-2系统开发的,对软件的源码进行了修改,使其能以高采样率(50／s)同时并行记录11个通道GPS信号强度数据．对2003年7—12月间L-波段电离层闪烁事件的初步统计分析结果表明,电离层闪烁主要发生在日落后到午夜附近,其中9—11月较7—8月闪烁发生和结束的时间明显提前;电离层闪烁发生的频率和强度在9—11月较其他月份明显增强,其中10月达到最大;电离层闪烁的逐日变化具有很强的随机性,闪烁的发生在秋分附近9月底到10月中旬的磁静日期间达到最大;太阳和地磁活动的增强通常会抑制电离层闪烁的发生,这种情形在秋分附近尤为明显．     

GNSS single frequency ionospheric range delay corrections: NeQuick data ingestion technique

A study of the performance of the NeQuick model and the Klobuchar model for GNSS single frequency range delay correction on a global scale was done using data for moderate solar activity. In this study NeQuick was used in the way intended for Galileo. This study is to assess the performance of the two models at each ionospheric geographic region during moderate solar activity as previously published studies were concentrated only on high solar activity. The results obtained showed that NeQuick outperformed Klobuchar for the whole year at the three geographical regions of the ionosphere. In terms of monthly root mean square of mismodeling, NeQuick outperformed Klobuchar by 15 TECU or more at low-latitudes, 5 TEC or more at mid-latitudes, and 1 TECU or more at high-latitudes.     

Digital signal processing and numerical analysis for radar in geophysical applications

Numerical solutions for signal processing are described in this work as a contribution to study of echo detection methods for ionospheric sounder design. The ionospheric sounder is a high frequency radar for geophysical applications. The main detection approach has been done by implementing the spread-spectrum techniques using coding methods to improve the radar’s range resolution by transmitting low power. Digital signal processing has been performed and the numerical methods were checked. An algorithm was proposed and its computational complexity was calculated.     

磁静日期间中国大陆地区外源弱磁场研究

利用第四代地磁场综合模型CM4, 研究了中国大陆地区1960-2000年磁静日期间地磁外源弱磁场的变化情况, 计算并分析了外源场中的电离层感应场、环形场以及磁层感应场的分布和变化. 结果显示, 北向分量X的磁层感应场强度总体呈先增加后减少的趋势, 共减少了约7.3nT; 东向分量Y的磁层感应场强度呈先减少后增加的趋势, 共增加了约0.8nT; 垂直分量Z的磁层感应场强度呈先增加后减少的趋势, 共增加了约5.5nT. 三个分量的电离层感应场以及环形场变化幅度很小, 其分布在1960-1970和1970-1980年, 1980-1990 和1990-2000年呈现正负互相变换的现象, 认为该现象可能与太阳11年活动周期有关. 最后对弱磁场随时间变化的结果进行了分析说明.      

Galileo卫星导航系统广播Nequick模型及其参数拟合

提出了基于IGRF模型的Galileo广播Nequick模型及其参数拟合算法, 解决了Galileo信号仿真中地理场景映射与地磁坐标下的电离层延时修正参数拟合问题. 应用IGRF模型, 可计算出任意给定位置和时间点的地磁参数以及E层、 F₁层、F₂层的电子密度, 从而计算出Galileo电离层修正参数. 仿真结果表明, 该算法拟合的全球电离层延时与IGS提供的实际观测值基本一致, 仿真精度高于一般的经验电离层模型, 实现了Galileo卫星信号的电离层延时修正参数的精确仿真.      

Response of Hainan GPS ionospheric scintillations to the different strong magnetic storm conditions

Using the GPS ionospheric scintillation data at Hainan station (19.5°N, 109.1°E) in the eastern Asia equatorial regions and relevant ionospheric and geomagnetic data from July 2003 to June 2005, we investigate the response of L-band ionospheric scintillation activity over this region to different strong magnetic storm conditions (Dst < −100 nT) during the descending phase of the solar cycle. These strong storms and corresponding scintillations mainly took place in winter and summer seasons. When the main phase developed rapidly and reached the maximum near 20–21 LT (LT = UT + 8) after sunset, scintillations might occur in the following recovery phase. When the main phase maximum occurred shortly after midnight near 01–02 LT, following the strong scintillations in the pre-midnight main phase, scintillations might also occur in the post-midnight recovery phase. When the main phase maximum took place after 03 LT to the early morning hours no any scintillation could be observed in the latter of the night. Moreover, when the main phase maximum occurred during the daytime hours, scintillations could also hardly be observed in the following nighttime recovery phase, which might last until the end of recovery phase. Occasionally, scintillations also took place in the initial phase of the storm. During those scintillations associated with the nighttime magnetic storms, the height of F layer base (h’F) was evidently increased. However, the increase of F layer base height does not always cause the occurrence of scintillations, which indicates the complex interaction of various disturbance processes in ionosphere and thermosphere systems during the storms.