A morphological study of GPS-TEC data at Agra and their comparison with the IRI model

The temporal and seasonal variations of Total Electron Content (TEC) are studied at Agra (Geographic Lat. 27.17°N, Long. 78.89°E, Dip: 41.4°), India, which is in the equatorial anomaly region, for a period of 12 months from 01 January to 31 December, 2007 using a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. The mean TEC values show a minimum at 0500 h LT (LT = UT + 5.5 h) and a peak value at about 1400 h LT. The lowest TEC values are observed in winter whereas largest values are observed in equinox and summer. Anomalous variations are found during the period of magnetic disturbances. These results are compared with the TEC derived from IRI-2007 using three different options of topside electron density, NeQuick, IRI01-corr, and IRI-2001. A good agreement is found between the TEC obtained at Agra and those derived from IRI models.     

1996-2003年大耀斑事件引起的TEC突然增强的统计分析

利用1996—2003年期间GOES卫星耀斑观测资料和国际GPS观测网的GPS—TEC资料分析X级大耀斑事件引起的电离层电子浓度总含量(TEC)的突然增强(SITEC)现象．对X射线耀斑等级、耀斑日面位置与SITEC的关系进行了分析．结果表明,两者都与SITEC现象的强弱有着一定的正相关性．在消除X射线耀斑等级、耀斑日面位置对电离层SITEC现象的影响后,进而分析了日地距离以及耀斑持续时间对电离层SITEC现象的影响．结果表明,日地距离和耀斑持续时间都是影响SITEC现象的重要参数,日地距离较近时发生的耀斑事件引起的SITEC现象较为强烈．另外,耀斑持续时间越长,SITEC现象越微弱,但是当耀斑持续时间继续延长时,SITEC现象的强弱逐渐趋于不再改变,最后在某值附近达到平衡．还对某些没有在电离层中引起明显SITEC现象的耀斑事件进行了讨论,发现了这类耀斑的一些特征．     

2004年11月一次磁暴期间全球电离层TEC扰动分析

利用全球分布的GPS原始观测数据提取的电离层总电子含量(TEC)分析了2004年11月6日至12日期间全球电离层暴的形态特点与发展过程.结果表明,11月8日磁暴主相期间电离层暴以大范围的强烈正暴为主,在11月10日的恢复相,Dst又一次降到最低值前后期间,电离层再次受到很强的扰动,大范围的正暴和负暴交替出现.这次磁暴期间夏季半球的负暴更加强烈,反映出负暴偏向于在夏季半球发生的季节变化特点.另外,磁暴期间,夜晚TEC值普遍比磁暴前的平静期要低,具体是什么机制导致还需要进一步收集数据和分析.      

2009年7月22日日全食期间电离层参量的变化

利用多个电离层垂测站的数据和IGS-TEC数据资料, 结合日地空间环境指数, 分析了2009年7月22日日全食期间中国地区电离层参量(反射回波最低频率fmin及f0F2和TEC)的变化特征. 结果表明, 日食发生后fmin迅速降低, 日食结束后fmin迅速恢复到正常水平; 在食甚时刻附近, f0F2和TEC出现明显的降低, 显示了明显的光食效应. 日食结束后5~6 h, f0F2和TEC出现不同程度的正扰动, 在驼峰区更明显; 日食结束后9~10 h, f0F2和TEC出现较显著的负扰动. 由于此次日食发生时伴随着中等强度的磁暴和低纬电场穿透等空间天气事件, 给此次日食电离层效应的深入分析带来很大困难.      

GPS电离层反演方法研究及其在地震方面的应用

利用地基GPS数据计算了电离层单球壳模型穿刺点上的垂向总电子含量(VTEC), 根据VTEC和卫星及测站接收机的差分码间偏差DCB的不同时变特性采用了复弧法, 将VTEC作为局部变量(每30 min 一组, 可调), DCB作为一天的全局量进行解算. 在解算的过程中, 充分考虑VTEC的空间分布特性, 利用变异函数通过Kriging插值法建立电离层VTEC的二维格网模型, 并给出了卫星和接收机的差分码间偏差DCB. 通过与IGS结果的比较, 发现其结果可靠, 且时空分辨率和稳定性都有较大提高. 同时, 基于简化的三元样条插值基函数对电离层电子密度进行三维展开, 利用乘型代数重建技术MART算法构建了同批数据的四维层析成像结果, 获得了电离层电子密 度的四维分布. 其结果与CHAMP无线电掩星结果非常一致. 利用上面两种算法又分别对2008年5月长江三角洲地区地基GPS数据进行处理, 简要分析了该时段该地区上空电离层总电子含量和电子密度的变化情况及其对汶川地震的响应.      

Time variations of the total electron content in the Southeast Asian equatorial ionization anomaly for the period 2006–2011

This study presents the time variations of the total electron content in the South East Asian equatorial ionization anomaly. The time variation of the TEC is analyzed through the period 2006–2011 by using a latitudinal chain of GPS stations extending in the northern and southern hemisphere. The data shows that the shape of the diurnal variation of the TEC depends on the latitude: a plateau is observed at the stations near the equator and a Gaussian at the station distant from the equator. We observe a semiannual pattern in all the stations with maxima at equinox. In both hemispheres, the amplitude of the crest is larger in spring than autumn from 2006 to 2008 and smaller in spring than in autumn from 2009 to 2011. We also observe an asymmetry between the amplitude and the position of the two crests of ionization. There is a very high level of correlation between the amplitude of the TEC at the two crests and the sunspot number: ∼0.88. During the deep solar minimum 2008–2009, the amplitude of crests of ionization becomes small during several months in summer and winter. The results show that both crests move significantly equatorward in winter than other seasons and there is a tendency for both crests to appear earlier in winter and later in summer.     

Global characteristics of ionospheric electric fields and disturbances during the first hours of magnetic storms

The ionospheric plasma density can be significantly disturbed during magnetic storms. In the conventional scenario of ionospheric storms, the negative storm phases with plasma density decreases are caused by neutral composition changes, and the positive storm phases with plasma density increases are often related to atmospheric gravity waves. However, recent studies show that the global redistribution of the ionospheric plasma is dominated primarily by electric fields during the first hours of magnetic storms. In this paper, we present the measurements of ionospheric disturbances by the DMSP satellites and GPS network during the magnetic storm on 6 April 2000. The DMSP measurements include the F region ion velocity and density at the altitude of ∼840 km, and the GPS receiver network provides total electron content (TEC) measurements. The storm-time ionospheric disturbances show the following characteristics. The plasma density is deeply depleted in a latitudinal range of ∼20° over the equatorial region in the evening sector, and the depletions represent plasma bubbles. The ionospheric plasma density at middle latitudes (20°–40° magnetic latitudes) is significantly increased. The dayside TEC is increased simultaneously over a large latitudinal range. An enhanced TEC band forms in the afternoon sector, goes through the cusp region, and enters the polar cap. All the observed ionospheric disturbances occur within 1–5 h from the storm sudden commencement. The observations suggest that penetration electric fields play a major role in the rapid generation of equatorial plasma bubbles and the simultaneous increases of the dayside TEC within the first 2 h during the storm main phase. The ionospheric disturbances at later times may be caused by the combination of penetration electric fields and neutral wind dynamo process.     

Ionospheric differential error determination using ray tracing for a short baseline

Since the United States government discontinued Selective Availability (SA) on 1 May 2000, ionospheric effects have been responsible for the largest errors in GPS systems. The standard Differential GPS (DGPS) method is incapable of completely eliminating the ionospheric error. This paper describes a new approach to determine the differential ionospheric error between geographically distributed receiver stations. The ray paths of GPS signals were simulated using a modified Jones 3D ray tracing programme that includes the effect of the geomagnetic field. A Nelder–Mead optimisation algorithm was embedded in the program to precisely determine the satellite-to-station path. A realistic ionospheric model is essential for accurate ray tracing results and for estimates of differential error that are accurate on sub-centimetre scales. Here, the ionospheric model used in the ray tracing programme was developed by fitting realistic ionosphere profiles with a number of exponential functions. Results were compared to the theoretical approach. Results show that the differential delay is about 1–5 cm at low elevation angles for a short baseline of 10 km, as reported in other literature. This delay is often neglected in DGPS application. The differential delay also shows a pattern similar to that predicted by the Klobuchar model. The method proposed here can be used to improve future GPS applications.     

Diagnostics of equatorial and low latitude ionosphere by TEC mapping over Brazil

The total electron content (TEC) in the equatorial and low-latitude ionosphere over Brazil was monitored in two dimensions by using 2011 data from the ground-based global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver network operated by the Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics. It was possible to monitor the spatial and temporal variations in TEC over Brazil continuously during both day and night with a temporal interval of 10 min and a spatial resolution of about 400 km. The daytime equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) and post-sunset plasma enhancement (PS-EIA) were monitored over an area corresponding to a longitudinal extension of 4000 km in South America. Considerable day-to-day variation was observed in EIA and PS-EIA. A large latitudinal and longitudinal gradient of TEC indicated a significant ionospheric range error in application of the GNSS positioning system. Large-scale plasma bubbles after sunset were also mapped over a wide range. Depletions with longitudinally separated by more than 800 km were observed. They were extended by more than 2000 km along the magnetic field lines and drifted eastward. It is expected that 2-dimensional TEC mapping can serve as a useful tool for diagnosing ionospheric weather, such as temporal and spatial variation in the equatorial plasma trough and crest, and particularly for monitoring the dynamics of plasma bubbles.     

“双顺差”下中国经济隐含的危机

中国的国际收支正处于“双顺差”阶段,一些学者认为“双顺差”是中国经济迅速腾飞的必经阶段,而另一些学者提出“双顺差”正给中国带来巨大的福利损失。文章对“双顺差”的成因进行分析,指出“双顺差”使中国经济孕育的风险增加,环境污染加剧,资源和能源耗竭速度加快,企业遭遇贸易争端的风险增加,政府储备机构承受的风险越来越高。要控制和缓解“双顺差”带来的危机,可采取以下对策：优化利用外资结构,提高外商投资的门槛;优化和提升出口产品结构,禁止战略性资源出口;扩大内需,降低中国经济的对外贸易依存度;适当放松资本管制,但要抑制非法资本的流入;制定鼓励进口的政策,扩大进口贸易。