Vertical shear at the equatorial F-region ionosphere during post-sunset hours

The characteristics of the equatorial F-region zonal plasma drift during post-sunset period have been investigated using the multi-frequency HF Doppler radar. The pattern of the zonal plasma drift is such that it starts with a westward drift during the pre-sunset hours, followed by an eastward drift shortly after the E-region sunset. The zonal plasma drift is characterized by the presence of a positive vertical shear around the post-sunset period and maximum shear is observed at the time of the peak of the pre-reversal enhancement in the vertical drift. The presence of vertical shear in the zonal drift is associated with the post-sunset velocity vortex existing at the equatorial F-region.     

电推进静止轨道转移与空间环境分析

针对基于连续电推进的由GTO轨道向地球静止轨道的转移问题,考虑星上自主变轨的计算能力,将轨道转移简化为推力方向固定的两阶段变轨策略,对轨控方向角进行优化.针对电推进轨道转移持续时间长,受空间环境影响较大的特点,对轨道转移过程中卫星穿越电离层、地球辐射带的情况进行分析.最后,进一步探讨了利用远地点高度高于标准GTO的轨道作为初始轨道,用以降低空间环境对卫星影响的可行性.     

初值不确定轨道可达区域计算

为计算航天器轨道初值不确定造成的可达区域（RD）,提出一种适用于椭圆参考轨道的计算方法。以航天器的名义轨道作为基线,定义一个随时间变化的移动参考平面,在此移动平面上建立名义轨道到可达区域上任一点的距离函数,函数的极大值点即为可达区包络的边界点,从而将问题转换为非线性方程组的求解问题,并对动力学模型部分线性化带来的误差进行了分析。随后采用变参数的自适应同伦算法对方程组进行求解。最后对航天器释放微小卫星的实例进行数值仿真,结果显示该方法可行有效。     

Temporal and spatial variation of equatorial ionization anomaly by using multistation ionosonde data for the 19th solar cycle over the Indian region

The paper deals with the study of temporal and spatial variation of equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) phenomenon along with its dependence on solar activity and season during the 19th solar cycle by using seven Indian ionosonde stations. Present study is an attempt to carry out the comprehensive study of EIA by using the limited number of ground based instruments. This has been achieved by performing the Gaussian fitting over the latitudinal distribution of F2-region critical frequency (foF2) data. Results reveal that the phenomenon of EIA has a strong dependence on solar activity and seasons. The EIA crest exhibits the feature of latitudinal shifting and expansion with increasing solar activity. It is found out that the effect of solar cycle and seasons on EIA is local time dependent. The observations were also compared with the IRI-2001 model predictions and results reveal that the model values are in general agreement with the observed values with some discrepancies, particularly during the high solar activity period and morning sector. The results have been discussed in the light of relative contribution from transequatorial interhemispheric neutral wind and strength of equatorial fountain process during different local time, season and solar activity levels. Furthermore, an attempt is made to parameterize the location and foF2 of the EIA crest by using the regression analysis. These results can be used to predict the latitudinal position and foF2 of the EIA crest for any given 12-month running average sunspot number (R12).     

Characteristics of field line resonance type geomagnetic pulsations and variations of plasmaspheric plasma density distribution

The period of field line resonance (FLR) type geomagnetic pulsations depends on the length of the field line and on the plasma density in the inner magnetosphere (plasmasphere), where field lines are closed. Here as FLR period, the period belonging to the maximum occurrence frequency of the occurrence frequency spectrum (equivalent resonance curve) of pulsations has been considered. The resonance system may be replaced by an equivalent resonant circuit. The plasma density would correspond to the ohmic load. The plasma in the plasmasphere originates from the ionosphere, thus FLR period, occurrence frequency are also affected by the maximum electron density in the ionosphere. The FLR period has shown an enhancement with increasing F region electron density, while the occurrence frequency indicated diminishing trend (possible damping effect). Thus, the increased plasma density may be the cause of the decreased occurrence of FLR type pulsations in the winter months of solar activity maximum years (winter anomaly).     

Lower ionosphere response to external forcing: A brief review

There are two ways of external forcing of the lower ionosphere, the region below an altitude of about 100 km: (1) From above, which is directly or indirectly of solar origin. (2) From below, which is directly or indirectly of atmospheric origin. The external forcing of solar origin consists of two general factors – solar ionizing radiation variability and space weather. The solar ionization variability consist mainly from the 11-year solar cycle, the 27-day solar rotation and solar flares, strong flares being very important phenomenon in the daytime lower ionosphere due to the enormous increase of the solar X-ray flux resulting in temporal terminating of MF and partly LF and HF radio wave propagation due to heavy absorption of radio waves. Monitoring of the sudden ionospheric disturbances (SIDs – effects of solar flares in the lower ionosphere) served in the past as an important tool of monitoring the solar activity and its impacts on the ionosphere. Space weather effects on the lower ionosphere consist of many different but often inter-related phenomena, which govern the lower ionosphere variability at high latitudes, particularly at night. The most important space weather phenomenon for the lower ionosphere is strong geomagnetic storms, which affect substantially both the high- and mid-latitude lower ionosphere. As for forcing from below, it is caused mainly by waves in the neutral atmosphere, i.e. planetary, tidal, gravity and infrasonic waves. The most important and most studied waves are planetary and gravity waves. Another channel of the troposphere coupling to the lower ionosphere is through lightning-related processes leading to sprites, blue jets etc. and their ionospheric counterparts. These phenomena occur on very short time scales. The external forcing of the lower ionosphere has observationally been studied using predominantly ground-based methods exploiting in various ways the radio wave propagation, and by sporadic rocket soundings. All the above phenomena are briefly mentioned and some of them are treated in more detail.     

Equatorial F-region vertical ion drifts during quiet solar maximum

Median values of ionosonde h′F data acquired at Ibadan (Geographic:7.4°N, 3.9°E, Magnetic: dip 6°S, and magnetic declination, 3°W), Nigeria, West Africa, have been used to determine vertical ion drift (electric field) characteristics in the postsunset ionosphere in the African region during a time of high solar activity (average F_10.7 −208). The database spans from January and December 1958 during the era of International Geophysical Year (IGY) for geomagnetic quiet conditions. Bimonthly averaged diurnal variations patterns are very similar, but differ significantly in magnitude and in the evening reversal times. Also, monthly variations of F-region vertical ion drift reversal times inferred from the time of h′F maximum indicates early reversal during equinoxes and December solstice months except for the month of April. Late reversal is observed during the June solstice months. The equatorial evening prereversal enhancement in vertical ion drift (V_zp) occurs largely near 1900 LT with typical values 20–45 m/s. Comparison of Ibadan ionosonde V_zp with the values of prereversal peak velocity reported for Jicamarca (South America), Kodaikanal (India), and Scherliess and Fejer global model show considerable disparity. The changes of postsunset peak in virtual height of F-layer (h′F_P) with prereversal velocity peak V_zp are anti-correlated. Investigation of solar effects on monthly values of V_zp and h′F_P revealed that these parameters are independent of monthly averaged solar flux intensity during quiet-time sunspot maximum conditions.     

基于脉冲响应相关函数的模态辨识算法

利用不同时刻系统测量噪声具有独立同分布的特点,对脉冲响应进行相关处理,可以提高信噪比。为解决传统的基于脉冲响应的模态辨识算法的辨识精度问题,用某点脉冲响应同参考点响应之间的相关函数代替该点的脉冲响应以形成基于脉冲响应相关函数的模态辨识算法,并从理论上证明脉冲响应相关函数算法的辨识精度优于传统的脉冲响应算法。通过对一个四自由度系统模态频率和阻尼比的仿真辨识,验证了脉冲响应相关函数辨识算法的有效性。     

微小型捷联惯导系统解析式对准方法研究

对静基座下微小型捷联惯导系统对准技术进行了研究。给出了6种解析式粗对准的对准方法,通过对这6种方法的理论对准误差进行推导,得出对应的理论对准误差结果,其中2种方法误差较小,同时进行仿真,仿真结果验证了理论对准误差推导的正确性。因此,在传感器精度相同的条件下,本文为静基座下微小型捷联惯导系统的粗对准的实现确定了效果较好的2种方法。最后采用了其中的4种方法对实测的微小型IMU数据分别进行了对准验证分析,获得了很好的效果。     

Four-peak longitudinal distribution of the equatorial plasma bubbles observed in the topside ionosphere: Possible troposphere tide influence

In this paper we consider an idea of the troposphere tide influence on the character of the longitudinal variations in the distribution of the equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) observed in the topside ionosphere. For this purpose, the obtained EPB longitudinal patterns were compared with the thermosphere and ionosphere characteristics having the prominent “wave-like” longitudinal structures with wave number 4, which are uniquely associated with the influence of the troposphere DE3 tides. The characteristics of the equatorial mass density anomaly (EMA), equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA), zonal wind and pre-reversal E?×?B drift enhancement (PRE) were used for comparison. The equinox seasons during high solar activity were under consideration. It was obtained that the longitudinal patterns of the EMA and zonal wind show the surprising similarity with the EPB distributions (R???0.8, R???0.72). On the other hand, the resemblance with the ionosphere characteristics (EIA, PRE) is rather faint (R???0.37, R???0.12). It was shown that the thermosphere zonal winds are the most possible transfer mediator of the troposphere DE3 tide influence. The most successful moment for the transfer of the troposphere DE3 tide energy takes place in the beginning of the EPB production, namely, during the seed perturbation development.