The impact of large solar events on the total electron content of the ionosphere at mid latitudes

Ionospheric disturbances associated with solar activity may occur via two basic mechanisms. The first is related to the direct impact on the ionosphere of EUV photons from a flare, and the second by prompt electric field penetration into the magnetosphere during geomagnetic storms. In this paper we examine the possibility that these two mechanisms may have an impact at mid latitudes by calculating the total electron content (TEC) from GPS stations in Mexico during several large X-ray flares. We have found that indeed large, complex flares, which are well located, may affect the mid latitude ionosphere. In fact, in the solar events of July 14, 2000 and April 2001 storms, ionospheric disturbances were observed to increase up to 138 and 150 TECu, respectively, due to the influence of EUV photons. Also, during the solar events of July 2000, April 2001, Halloween 2003, January 2005 and December 2006, there are large ionospheric disturbances (up to 393 TECu in the Halloween Storms), due to prompt penetration electric field, associated with CME producing geomagnetic storm.     

Vertical TEC variations and model during low solar activity at a low latitude station,Xiamen

GPS-derived vertical TEC recorded at Xiamen (24.5°N, 118.1°E, geomagnetic latitude 13.2°N), China, during year 2006 is analyzed for the first time and compared to that predicted by ionosphere model SPIM recommend by ISO. A manifest seasonal anomaly is found with the high value during equinoctial season and low value during summer and winter season. Relative standard deviation for VTEC shows high value at around midnight and before sunrise. The correlation analysis exhibits that the variation of VTEC has a very weak relation with geomagnetic and solar activities (Dst, AP, SSN and F10.7). Comparative results reveal that the SPIM overestimates the observed VTEC at most of the time.     

IRI-2007预测TEC在广州地区的适用性分析

利用广州站(23.2°N, 113.3°E) GPS双频接收机监测的电离层TEC数据和IRI-2007模型不同电离层输入参数计算得到的TEC预测值, 对比分析了太阳活动低年(2008年)广州地区TEC的变化特征. 结果表明, TEC观测值周日变化在16:00LT左右达到最大值, 而IRI-TEC最大值出现时间较GPS-TEC提前1h左右. TEC季节变化在春秋分较高, 两至季节较低, 表现出明显的半年特性和季节依赖性, 并出现冬季异常现象. IRI-TEC与GPS-TEC在白天具有较好的一致性, 夜间偏差较大. 不同电离层输入参数得到的TEC预测值也相差较大, 选用顶部电子密度参数NeQuick、底部厚度参数B0 Table并用URSI系数计算F₂层峰值参数时, 能较好地反映TEC观测值的变化特征. 在对磁暴的响应上, 预测值无明显变化, 观测值则有比较明显的表现. 通过对比, 初步分析了利用IRI-2007模型预测TEC在广州地区的适用性, 并给出了合理的参数选择方案.      

利用人工神经网络提前1h预报电离层TEC

提出了一种利用人工神经网络提前1h预报电离层TEC的简便方法. 考虑到实际工程应用要求, 没有使用其他空间天气参数, 而是选择电离层TEC观测数据本身作为输入参数. 输入参数为当前时刻TEC、一阶差分、相对差分和时间, 输出参数为预报时刻TEC. 利用文中介绍的GPS/TEC处理方法解算厦门站2004年电离层TEC观测数据, 对预报方法进行评估, 全年平均相对误差为9.3744%, 预报结果与观测值相关性达到了0.96678. 结果表明, 利用人工神经网络方法提前1h预报电离层TEC有很好的应用前景.      

Statistical analysis of the total electron content observed at 23°S in the Brazilian sector

The vertical total electron content (VTEC) time series obtained at São José dos Campos (23.2°S, 45.9°W), Brazil, were statistically analyzed to study the low latitude ionosphere in the Brazilian sector during the year of 2006 (a period of low solar activity). Statistical analysis showed that Probability Density Functions (PDFs) and kurtosis have an intermittent behavior on small-scales (periods from minutes to one day) and presence of two functions on large-scales (periods from 3 to 30 days). The skewness result suggests the presence of some kind of waves due to the action of tropospheric sources (lower atmospheric origin). Results obtained by wavelet transform show strong oscillations with scale-sizes between 3 and 30 days, possibly associated with the planetary oscillations. According to these statistical and wavelet analyses we conjecture that there exist two important factors regarding the ionospheric effects: one factor is due to turbulent states found in small scales and the other factor consists in a more or less deterministic state provided by planetary waves (3–16 days or full solar rotation (27–28 days)). Further, these strong oscillations were also noted in multifractal analysis. We found a decrease of multifractality degree of the same scale-sizes.     

空间天文望远镜主动制冷焦面结构设计、分析与热实验

对某天文卫星的可见光望远镜载荷CCD焦面工作温度需求进行了分析计算。为满足CCD焦面 -65℃ 的工作温度需求,设计了主动制冷焦面结构。采用有限元方法分析了工作温度下热电制冷器和导热胶产生的热应力,结果表明热电制冷器最大应力为14Mpa,导热胶最大剪切应力为1.2Mpa,均处于许用安全应力内。研制的焦面组件模拟件顺利通过了真空热试验,验证了焦面组件的制冷性能与安全性。     

Seasonal variations of storm-time TEC at European middle latitudes

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) measurements of the Total Electron Content (TEC) from local (Dourbes, 50.1°N, 04.6°E) and European IGS (International GNSS Service) stations were used to obtain the TEC changes during the geomagnetic storms of the latest solar activity cycle. A common epoch analysis, with respect to geomagnetic storm intensity, season, and latitude, was performed on data representing nearly 300 storm events. In general, the storm-time behaviour of TEC shows clear positive and negative phases, relative to the non-storm (median) behaviour, with amplitudes that tend to increase during more intense storms. The most pronounced positive phase is observed during winter, while the strongest and yet shortest negative phase is detected during equinox. Average storm-time patterns in the TEC behaviour are deduced for potential use in ionosphere prediction services.     

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.