Hemisphere-coupled modeling of nighttime medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances

Nighttime medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs), which have tilted frontal structures in the midlatitude ionosphere, are investigated by the midlatitude ionosphere electrodynamics coupling (MIECO) model in this study. It has been proposed that the electrodynamic coupling between the E and F regions plays an important role in generating MSTIDs within a few hours. An intriguing aspect of MSTIDs is that they were simultaneously observed at magnetic conjugate locations in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. In order to study the hemisphere-coupled electrodynamics, the MIECO model has been upgraded to consist of two simulation domains for both hemispheres in which the electrostatic potential is solved by considering electrodynamics in both hemispheres. The simultaneous occurrence of MSTIDs at the magnetic conjugate stations has clearly been reproduced when the F-region neutral wind satisfies the unstable condition in both hemispheres and a sporadic-E layer is given only at the Northern (summer) Hemisphere. Even if the unstable condition is satisfied in the summer hemisphere, an unfavorable F-region neutral wind in the winter hemisphere largely suppresses the growth of MSTIDs in both hemispheres.     

The ionosphere and the Latin America VLF Network Mexico (LAVNet-Mex) station

In order to detect and study the ionospheric response to solar flares (transient high energy solar radiation), we have constructed a radio receiver station at Mexico City, which is part of the “Latin American Very low frequency Network” (LAVNet-Mex). This station extends to the northern hemisphere the so called “South American VLF Network”.     

D-region ionospheric disturbances associated with the Extremely Severe Cyclone Fani over North Indian Ocean as observed from two tropical VLF stations

The D-region ionospheric disturbances due to the tropical cyclone Fani over the Indian Ocean have been analysed using Very Low Frequency (VLF) radio communication signals from three transmitters (VTX, NWC and JJI) received at two low latitude stations (Kolkata-CUB and Cooch Behar-CHB). The cyclone Fani formed from a depression on 26th April, 2019 over the Bay of Bengal (Northeastern part of the Indian Ocean) and turned into an extremely severe cyclone with maximum 1-min sustained winds of 250 km/h on 2 May, 2019 which made landfall on 3 May, 2019. Out of six propagation paths, five propagation paths, except the JJI-CHB which was far away from the cyclone track, showed strong perturbations beyond $3\sigma$ level compared to unperturbed signals. Consistent good correlations of VLF signal perturbations with the wind speed and cyclone pressure have been seen for both the receiving stations. Computations of radio signal perturbations at CUB and CHB using the Long Wave Propagation Capability (LWPC) code revealed a Gaussian perturbation in the D-region ionosphere. Analysis of atmospheric temperature at different layers from the NASA’s TIMED satellite revealed a cooling effect near the tropopause and warming effects near the stratopause and upper mesosphere regions on 3 May, 2019. This study shows that the cyclone Fani perturbed the whole atmosphere, from troposphere to ionosphere and the VLF waves responded to the disturbances in the conductivity profiles of the lower ionosphere.     

E region electric fields at the dip equator and anomalous conductivity effects

Zonal and vertical electric fields were estimated at E region heights in the Brazilian sector. Zonal electric fields are obtained from the vertical electric fields based on their relation through the Hall-to-Pedersen ionospheric conductivities ratio. The technique for obtaining the vertical electric field is based on its proportionality to the Doppler velocities of type 2 irregularities as detected by coherent radars. The 50 MHz backscatter coherent (RESCO) radar was used to estimate the Doppler velocities of the type 2 irregularities embedded in the equatorial electrojet. A magnetic field-line integrated conductivity model was developed to provide the conductivities. It considers a multi-species ionosphere and a multi-species neutral atmosphere, and uses the IRI 2007, the MISIS 2000 and the IGRF 10 models as input parameters for ionosphere, neutral atmosphere and Earth’s magnetic field, respectively. The ion-neutral collision frequencies of all the species are combined through the momentum transfer collision frequency equation, and different percentages of electron-neutral collisions were artificially included for studying the implication of such increase in the zonal electric field, which resulted ranging from 0.13 to 0.49 mV/m between the 8 and 18 h (LT), under quiet magnetic conditions.     

MHD modeling of the outer heliosphere: Achievements and challenges

An overview is presented of magnetic-field-related effects in the solar wind (SW) interaction with the local interstellar medium (LISM) and the different theoretical approaches used in their investigation. We discuss the possibility that the interstellar magnetic field (ISMF) introduces north–south and east–west asymmetries of the heliosphere, which might explain observational data obtained by the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft. The SW–LISM interaction parameters that are responsible for the deflection of the interstellar neutral hydrogen flow from the direction of propagation of neutral helium in the inner heliosheath are outlined. The possibility of a strong ISMF, which increases the heliospheric asymmetry and the H–He flow deflection, is discussed. The effect of the combination of a slow-fast solar wind during solar minimum over the Sun’s 11-year activity cycle is illustrated. The consequences of a tilt between the Sun’s magnetic and rotational axes are analyzed. Band-like areas of an increased magnetic field distribution in the outer heliosheath are sought in order to discover regions of possible 2–3 kHz radio emission.     

高超声速进气道内激波－边界层干扰研究

为了研究高超声速进气道内激波干扰和流场结构，对一个二维进气道模型在中国空气动力研究与发展中心超高速所风洞流场中进行了实验（Ｍ＿∞＝５．０，Ｒｅ＿∞＝７．５×１０￣６ｍ￣（－１））。采用纹影方法，结合压力测量对进气道内流结构进行诊断，同时用Ｙｅｅ的ＴＶＤ有限差分格式通过求解二维Ｎ─Ｓ方程对相应实验状态下的进气道内流场进行了数值模拟。风洞实验与数值模拟取得了较好的一致。进一步的分析还表明高超声速进气道内的激波─边界层干扰对进气道性能有很大的影响。     

全球电离层发电机方程的一种数值解法

为了将建立在赤道为对称面假设基础上的二维半球域对称）电离层发电机理论扩展到全球,本文在解发电机方程时,去掉赤道对称面这一假设条件和两极附加的边界条件,使通常的边值问题变成一种“无边界’问题．它更合理地描述了电离层发电机过程,而且可以给出半球发电机理论所不能给出的特征,例如,可以对Ｓｑ电流体系的ＵＴ变化、季节变化、非偶极子地磁场部分的发电机效应等南北半球不对称的情况进行数值计算．计算实例表示,在简单的赤道对称情况下,它可以复现二维半球（对称）发电机模型的结果．在不对称情况下,电流体系的强度、焦点位置、电流方向等显示出较为复杂的变化,而半球发电机理论则无法解释这些特征．     

大功率无线电波对高电离层的加热

根据动量方程、能量方程和电子的连续性方程，在偶极扩散的假设下，建立了地面入射的大功率无线电波加热高电离层的理论模型．作为应用，对以上方程组数值求解，计算了高电离层(150-400km)电子温度和电子密度随时间的变化．计算结果表明，对于一定参数的发射机，一定的吸收模型，电离层电子温度和密度均有明显的变化．我们发现，应用本文选取的加热参数，在电波反射点附近，电子温度有10％-25％的增加，电子密度有1％-2％左右的减少．电子温度达到稳态的时间要快于电子密度达到稳态的时间．最后，用本文的结果解释了电离层加热实验中的一些观测现象。     

侧滑角对鼓包诱导曲面激波/边界层干扰特性的影响

利用仿真方法对侧滑条件下设计马赫数为2的三维壁面鼓包诱导流场进行了研究。结果表明:随着侧滑角的增大,迎风面的展向压力梯度增大,鼓包表面高压中心向迎风面偏移使得迎风面前缘旋涡强度增强,迎风侧出口总压恢复损失,最终导致鼓包下游流场畸变增加。同时鼓包表面流动拓扑结构表明,随着侧滑角的增加,迎风面分离区的准锥形相似特性增强,而背风面由准锥形相似逐渐发展为准柱形相似。      

基于非定常面元/黏性涡粒子法的低雷诺数滑流气动干扰

针对太阳能无人机螺旋桨滑流与机翼的气动干扰,考虑了低雷诺数流动下气体黏性和压缩性影响,并根据黎曼边界条件和涡量等效原则建立了能够快速计算分析螺旋桨-机翼气动干扰的非定常面元/黏性涡粒子的混合方法。首先使用有试验数据的风洞模型以及数值模拟技术对混合方法进行验证,在此基础上研究了不同安装位置与工况下螺旋桨与机翼的气动干扰。结果表明:螺旋桨对轴向气流的加速以及滑流诱导的上洗和下洗效应使机翼气动力呈现出增升增阻的现象,机翼升阻比有所下降。较大的弦向间距以及较高的垂直安装位置在减缓机翼升阻比下降的同时也使得螺旋桨拉力有所减小。对于多个螺旋桨的气动干扰,不同的桨叶旋转方向导致机翼气动力不同的变化规律,当旋转方向与机翼翼尖涡反向时,螺旋桨滑流能够抑制翼尖涡的强度,提高机翼气动效率。