The low and middle latitude semi-annual anomaly in NmF2 near noon: A statistical study

Hourly values of the F2-layer peak density, NmF2, measured by 99 ionosonde stations near noon from 1957 to 2010 at low and middle geomagnetic latitudes of the northern and southern geographic hemispheres are used in a statistical study of the F2-region semi-annual anomaly. The equinox/winter and equinox/summer geomagnetically quiet NmF2 ratios, X and Y, taken near noon over each ionosonde for approximately the same winter, equinox, and summer solar activity conditions are analyzed. The conditional probabilities of occurrences of X and Y in intervals of X and Y, the most frequent values of X and Y, the mean expected values of X and Y, and the conditional probability to observe the F2-region semi-annual anomaly are calculated and studied for the fist time for low, moderate, and high solar activity conditions. These statistical parameters are averaged over 5° geomagnetic latitude interval in the northern and southern geographic hemispheres, and the trends in these averaged statistical characteristics of the NmF2 semi-annual anomaly are calculated and studied for the fist time. It is shown that the median approach can produce the incorrect conclusions about the absence of the NmF2 semi-annual anomaly.     

Equatorial vertical E × B drift velocities inferred from ionosonde measurements over Ouagadougou and the IRI-2007 vertical ion drift model

F-region vertical plasma drift velocities were deduced from the hourly hmF2 values acquired from ionogram data over a near dip equatorial station Ouagadougou (12.4°N, 358.5°E, dip angle 5.9°N) in Africa. Our results are compared against the global empirical model of Scherliess and Fejer (1999) incorporated in the IRI model (IRI-2007) for 1600 to 0800 LT from 1 year of data during sunspot maximum year of 1989 (yearly average solar flux intensity, F10.7 = 192) corresponding to the peak phase of solar cycle 22, under magnetically quiet conditions. The drifts are entirely downward between 2000 and 0500 LT bin for both techniques and the root mean square error (RMSE) between the modeled and the ionosonde vertical plasma drifts during these periods is 3.80, 4.37, and 4.74 m/s for June solstice, December solstice and equinox, respectively. Ouagadougou average vertical drifts show evening prereversal enhancement (PRE) velocity peaks (V_ZP) of about 16, 14, and 17 m/s in June solstice, December solstice, and equinox, respectively, at 1900–2000 LT; whereas global empirical model average drifts indicate V_ZP of approximately 33 m/s (June solstice), 29 m/s (December solstice), and 50 m/s (equinox) at 1800 LT. We find very weak and positive correlation (+0.10376) between modeled V_ZP versus F10.7, while ionosonde V_ZP against F10.7 gives worst and opposite correlation (−0.05799). The results also show that modeled V_ZP–Ap indicates good and positive correlation (+0.64289), but ionosonde V_ZP–Ap exhibits poor and negative correlation (−0.22477).     

Multifunctional Martian habitat composite material synthesized from in situ resources

The two primary requirements for a Martian habitat structure include effective radiation shielding against the Galactic Cosmic Ray (GCR) environment and sufficient structural and thermal integrity. To significantly reduce the cost associated with transportation of such materials and structures from earth, it is imperative that such building materials should be synthesized primarily from Martian in situ resources. This paper illustrates the feasibility of such an approach. Experimental results are discussed to demonstrate the synthesis of polyethylene (PE) from a simulated Martian atmosphere and the fabrication of a composite material using simulated Martian regolith with PE as the binding material. The radiation shielding effectiveness of the proposed composites is analyzed using results from radiation transport codes and exposure of the samples to high-energy beams that serve as a terrestrial proxy for the GCR environment. Mechanical and ballistic impact resistance properties of the proposed composite as a function of composition, processing parameters, and thermal variations are also discussed to evaluate the multifunctionality of such in situ synthesized composite materials.     

大功率无线电波加热低电离层

等离子体对大功率电波的欧姆耗散会使电子温度升高,进而导致电子密度和其他等离子体参数改变,实现电离层的地面人工变态.本文基于大功率无线电波与低电离层相互作用的自洽模型,分析了不同入射条件下电离层参数的变化,主要结论如下:电离层D区是电波的主要吸收区,并且其吸收强度随入射频率的升高而降低,当入射频率为6 MHz（有效入射功率为200 MW）时电子温度的最大增幅约为520 K,电子密度最大增幅为7300 cm^-3左右;电子温度达到饱和所需时间小于电子密度的饱和时间,前者具有μs量级,后者具有ms量级;停止加热后,电子温度和密度迅速恢复到初始状态,恢复时间均小于各自的饱和时间,但量级相当;入射功率越高,电子温度和密度的增幅越大,并且饱和时间也越长,在相同入射条件下,夜晚的饱和时间要大于白天.     

火星及其环境

火星环境类似于地球,而探索其生命存在是重大的科学任务。在火星探测中,对火星及其环境的了解与研究是重要的任务目标,事关探测任务的成功实施。文章对国外火星探测已发布的成果进行收集和整理,其中包含大量的相关数据。这些知识和数据是火星探测任务设计的输入条件,可为我国火星探测计划的制定提供参考依据。     

火星土壤物理力学特性分析

火星土壤既是火星表面探测活动的主要探测对象,也是表面探测器设计中需考虑的重要因素之一。火壤的物理力学特性将直接影响着陆器着陆缓冲系统、火星车移动系统等的设计。此外,在着陆器和火星车等表面探测器的地面研制过程中,需要研制模拟火壤,形成模拟的火星表面环境,开展相关的着陆器着陆缓冲性能、火星车移动性能等验证试验。迄今为止,人类已经有多个探测器登陆火星,获取了大量的有关火壤的信息,也研制了多种模拟火壤。通过对已有火壤和模拟火壤的物理力学特性分析,梳理出火壤物理力学特性的参数范围,可为我国火星探测器的研制提供参考。     

Effects of dust polarity and nonextensive electrons on the dust-ion acoustic solitons and double layers in earth atmosphere

Propagation of dustion acoustic solitary waves (DIASWs) and double layers is discussed in earth atmosphere, using the Sagdeev potential method. The best model for distribution function of electrons in earth atmosphere is found by fitting available data on different distribution functions. The nonextensive function with parameter $q=0.58$ provides the best fit on observations. Thus we analyze the propagation of localized waves in an unmagnetized plasma containing nonextensive electrons, inertial ions, and negatively/positively charged stationary dust. It is found that both compressive and rarefactive solitons as well as double layers exist depending on the sign (and the value) of dust polarity. Characters of propagated waves are described using the presented model.     

磁赤道异常区电离层F区不均匀体发展过程中的闪烁谱研究

本文对我国磁赤道异常区海口站的夜间电离层不均匀体引起的闪烁进行了谱分析，并进行了理论模拟。大部分闪烁出现在午夜前后且持续时间较长。分析结果发现：这种持续时间较长的闪烁的末期和初期的闪烁谱结构有显著差异，末期闪烁谱高频段较初期要明显陆峭，即谱指数显著增大。由此推测出不均匀体发展末期费涅耳尺度以下的不均匀体首先衰减消失，这与国外某些轨道卫星就地测量结果大致相符。同时还从闪烁谱推测出不均匀体发展末期的漂     

赤道电离层F区底部准正弦型不均匀体引起闪烁的数值模拟

本文采用多重相屏模型, 考虑不均匀体特征尺度随高度的变化, 模拟了赤道电离层F区底部准正弦型(BSS)不均匀体引起的闪烁。模拟计算结果表明:BSS不均匀体的特征尺度随高度变化可以导致闪烁谱和不均匀体谱之间谱指数的显著差异。      

Ionospheric oscillations caused by geomagnetic Pi2 pulsations and their observations by multipoint continuous Doppler sounding; first results

In 2004, we started operating a continuous Doppler sounding system to investigate ionospheric signatures of infrasonic, short period acoustic gravity waves and geomagnetic pulsations. Since January 2007, four stable 3.59 MHz transmitters have been in operation in the western part of the Czech Republic. Multipoint measurements enable us to investigate horizontal propagation of waves and disturbances in the ionosphere and to estimate horizontal distances over which these waves (disturbances) are correlated.