Space weather: its effects and predictability

Terrestrial technology is now, and increasingly, sensitive to space weather. Most space weather is caused by solar storms and the resulting changes to the Earth's radiation environment and the magnetosphere. The Sun as the driver of space weather is under intense observation but remains to be adequately modelled. Recent spacecraft measurements are greatly improving models of solar activity, the interaction of the solar wind with the magnetosphere, and models of the radiation belts. In-situ data updates the basic magnetospheric model to provide specific details of high-energy electron flux at satellite orbits. Shock wave effects at the magnetopause can also be coarsely predicted. However, the specific geomagnetic effects at ground level depend on the calculation of magnetic and electric fields and further improvements are needed. New work on physical models is showing promise of raising geomagnetic and ionospheric predictability above the synoptic climatological level. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Type II Solar Radio Bursts: Theory and Space Weather Implications

Recent data and theory for type II solar radio bursts are reviewed, focusing on a recent analytic quantitative theory for interplanetary type II bursts. The theory addresses electron reflection and acceleration at the type II shock, formation of electron beams in the foreshock, and generation of Langmuir waves and the type II radiation there. The theory's predictions as functions of the shock and plasma parameters are summarized and discussed in terms of space weather events. The theory is consistent with available data, has explanations for radio-loud/quiet coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and why type IIs are bursty, and can account for empirical correlations between type IIs, CMEs, and interplanetary disturbances. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Real-Time Specifications of the Geospace Environment

We report the recent progress in our joint program of real-time mapping of ionospheric electric fields and currents and field-aligned currents through the Geospace Environment Data Analysis System (GEDAS) at the Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory and similar computer systems in the world. Data from individual ground magnetometers as well as from the solar wind are collected by these systems and are used as input for the KRM and AMIE magnetogram-inversion algorithms, which calculate the two-dimensional distribution of the ionospheric parameters. One of the goals of this program is to specify the solar-terrestrial environment in terms of ionospheric processes, providing the scientific community with more than what geomagnetic activity indices and statistical models provide. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Modelling of the electromagnetic field in the interplanetary space and in the Earth's magnetosphere

A magnetohydrodynamic model of the solar wind flow is constructed using a kinematic approach. It is shown that a phenomenological conductivity of the solar wind plasma plays a key role in the forming of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) component normal to the ecliptic plane. This component is mostly important for the magnetospheric dynamics which is controlled by the solar wind electric field. A simple analytical solution for the problem of the solar wind flow past the magnetosphere is presented. In this approach the magnetopause and the Earth's bow shock are approximated by the paraboloids of revolution. Superposition of the effects of the bulk solar wind plasma motion and the magnetic field diffusion results in an incomplete screening of the IMF by the magnetopause. It is shown that the normal to the magnetopause component of the solar wind magnetic field and the tangential component of the electric field penetrated into the magnetosphere are determined by the quarter square of the magnetic Reynolds number. In final, a dynamic model of the magnetospheric magnetic field is constructed. This model can describe the magnetosphere in the course of the severe magnetic storm. The conditions under which the magnetospheric magnetic flux structure is unstable and can drive the magnetospheric substorm are discussed. The model calculations are compared with the observational data for September 24–26, 1998 magnetic storm (Dst _min=−205 nT) and substorm occurred at 02:30 UT on January 10, 1997. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

CFD计算结果的静态及动态可视化显示方法

针对某翼型设计的 CFD计算结果,采用色调连续变化的图像映射方法,基于划分的计算网格,提出了三角单元结构的抽取和将 Gouraud-Shading与质心坐标插值法相结合的扫描线转换算法,并根据 HSV颜色模型的特点建立了可视化标量与颜色值之间的两种线性对应关系,在此基础上实现了翼型设计的 CFD计算结果中流体流函数和旋涡强度二维标量场的静态和动态可视化显示,实例证明了算法的有效性。     

液体推进系统充填过程的有限元状态变量模型

研究了常温推进剂液体火箭发动机充填过程的建模问题。对推进剂充填管道系统进行有限元分割，应用基本守恒定律于充满推进剂的单元和充满气体的单元，两相单元则采用等效流容方程，建立了常温推进剂管道系统充填过程的有限元状态变量模型。模型面向液体推进系统动态过程控制与通用仿真。利用该模型，对一管道充填过程进行了仿真计算，给出了有关计算结果。     

热处理对Nb-10Si合金显微组织的影响

采用真空电弧熔炼法制备了 Nb-1 0 Si ( at% )合金 ,并在 1 85 0℃和 1 5 5 0℃温度氩气保护下进行了 2～ 1 0 0 h的热处理。综合通过 X射线衍射、透射电子显微术、扫描电子显微术及 X射线能谱对合金的显微组织进行了研究。结果表明 ,铸态 Nb-1 0 Si合金由连续的 Nb3 Si基体与均匀分布的 Nb相组成 ,1 85 0℃温度下热处理 2 h后 ,Nb晶粒明显长大 ;而在 1 5 5 0℃热处理后 ,Nb晶粒尺寸基本不变 ,Nb3 Si逐渐转变为 Nb和 Nb5Si3 相 ,且它们之间存在着一定的取向关系。1 5 5 0℃热处理 1 0 0 h后可以获得稳定的 Nb+ Nb5Si3 双相显微组织 ,是合适的热处理制度     

高温相变单元管蓄热过程数值模拟

对以高温共晶盐 Li F-Ca F2 为相变材料 (PCM)和以干空气为工质的相变蓄热系统 ,采用焓方法建立了以控制体单元为对象的单管相变蓄热模型。在模拟空间站太阳能吸热 /储热器轨道运行参数下进行了数值计算。计算结果与地面模拟试验数据进行了比较 ,吻合良好。     

Composition Variations in the Solar Corona and Solar Wind

Order of magnitude variations in relative elemental abundances are observed in the solar corona and solar wind. The instruments aboard SOHO make it possible to explore these variations in detail to determine whether they arise near the solar surface or higher in the corona. A substantial enhancement of low First Ionization Potential (FIP) elements relative to high FIP elements is often seen in both the corona and the solar wind, and that must arise in the chromosphere. Several theoretical models have been put forward to account for the FIP effect, but as yet even the basic physical mechanism responsible remains an open question. Evidence for gravitational settling is also found at larger heights in quiescent streamers. The question is why the heavier elements don't settle out completely. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

UVCS/SOHO Observations of Spectral Line Profiles in Polar Coronal Holes

Ultraviolet emission line profiles have been measured on 15-29 September 1997 for H I 1216 Å, O VI 1032, 1037 Å and Mg X 625 Å in a polar coronal hole, at heliographic heights ? (in solar radii) between 1.34 and 2.0. Observations of H I 1216 Å and the O VI doublet from January 1997 for ? = 1.5 to 3.0 are provided for comparison. Mg X 625 Å is observed to have a narrow component at ? = 1.34 which accounts for only a small fraction of the observed spectral radiance, and a broad component that exists at all observed heights. The widths of O VI broad components are only slightly larger than those for H I at ? = 1.34, but are significantly larger at ? = 1.5 and much larger for ? > 1.75. In contrast, the Mg X values are less than those of H I up to 1.75 and then increase rapidly up to at least ? = 2.0, but never reach the values of O VI.